Tell us about the genesis of your project
The whole thing started as something to distract me from a break up. I carried a certain guilt for years that I devoted too much time to music and not enough time into being someone’s partner. Once we split I dove head first into creation. I said all the things I wanted to say and the feeling of not having to put a limit on how much time I spent making the music was freeing. I moved in with my mentor and he recognized my potential and invested in some better equipment in his home studio. With COVID keeping me home, I dabbled in production for the first time and found it was another extension of music creation and expression. I had written all the songs and worked on getting them all recorded. I had never played any instruments either and every sound on the record is me experimenting with sound and music. I put “Heavy” out as my first solo single and was approached by Weird Sister Records a couple of weeks later. The whole thing has been one stream of perfection to be honest lol.
Is there a song you are attached to the most?
My favorite song is always the last song I wrote. They are all very special and unique to the moment I’m in when I write them. I’m always telling my own story through music. The latest song is always where I am right now.
Who are some of your musical influences?
My mother first. She sang in churches when I was a kid and I was always in awe of how much emotion she put into her music and performance. I knew as a kid that’s what I wanted to do. I also feel very inspired by Jimi Hendrix for his individuality and Brittany Howard for her talent and vulnerability.
What are some things you do to keep your creativity alive?
Haha honestly everything inspires me. I can come alive when I’m at a show or at a party but I’m actually very quiet and introspective. My brain turns everything into some philosophical lesson and the only way I feel I can express it is through song. I’ll be washing dishes or playing solitaire and all of a sudden I see the meaning of life and have to write some lyrics about it. It’s actually very obnoxious haha.
Who are you binge listening to these days?
At this moment I’ve been listening to so much music from women and specifically women of color. Not really on purpose, that’s just what I’m into nowadays. They aren’t doing anything anyone else is doing. I love Orion Sun, Arlo Parks, Azeb, Ari Lennox, Cleo Sol, Bachelor, the list goes on and on.
Favorite movie or TV show?
Haha dang this question is always hard. I’m not a big TV watcher and I barely have time to sit and watch movies. There’s no movie or show I could watch on repeat because I’m always craving something new. I really like anything Spike Lee and Quentin Tarantino does. I think they’re great storytellers and I’m a sucker for a story I’ve never heard before.
Tell us about your latest release and how it came about.
My newest song “Heavy” is the awkward conversation I never had with a friend. After my break up I had a particular friend who was very nice and very much there for me in my time of need. Looking back I most definitely mistook this kindness for something romantic but I needed to get the words out. I had a bottle of Jim Beam and nothing else to do so I wrote about 10 verses of what I wanted to say. A lot of the stuff is so cringey to read back on but the feelings felt so real when I was in them.
How do you get rid of pre show jitters?
I go running to open up my lungs to get rid of pre-show jitters. This new project is the only musical project I’ve been in where I play anything solo so now I also play my entire set obsessively and extremely fast. Like punk rock versions. Now that I say that, I should do punk rock versions of all my songs sometime. That could be fun huh?
What’s the future looking like for you?
I actually had a friend pull some cards for me the week before my signing announcement with Weird Sister Records. Everything is looking very well. I just need to watch my emotions and my desire to take care of everyone around me and not take care of myself. I’m very excited to release this Franklin Street EP on September 3rd. I want to use the platform to be myself first and foremost but also inspire others to be themselves. Seeing someone who looks like you – brown, queer, ambigious, androdogynous being respected and “successful” makes people feel like they have permission to do it too.
Who inspires your style and aesthetics?
I’m so bad with fashion. If there are any designers or stylists out there that want to work please get in contact with my label lol! I love to be comfy but I also love to make a statement so Arlo Parks and Orion Sun always look so cool to me. Like they aren’t trying but they’re obviously very cool and interesting people.
What is an achievement or moment in your career you are the most proud of and why?
This moment right now. I always had a feeling if I focused more on myself and less about everything else I would flourish and I was right. I am so grateful to all my friends, family members, band members who encouraged me to do my own thing.
What do you think is the best way to make it as an artist nowadays?
I don’t have a clue lol. I’m not sure if I’m equipped to answer that but I guess maybe keep trying different things and be yourself. There’s nothing worse than selling an image or product that doesn’t truly align with your values and who you are. It isn’t sustainable. Your stories make you unique and it seems like the industry is over cookie-cutter music and wants you to bear your soul again.
How would you change the music industry today?
I feel like the changes I would make are slowly but surely happening now. You see more women, people of color, and people from the LGBTQ+ community being the leaders. You see their stories being told in their own way and in their own words and being consumed by all. My prayer is it isn’t just a phase or a hashtag.
