How did you get into music?
I’ve been singing since I was four, but I only really started making music in 2018 with my friends while I was still in school. I put out my first song on Soundcloud and I made the cover art (not knowing anything about photoshop), and I met my current producers because of that song.
Your music has a very delicate feel to it with some strong lyrics. Who are some of your earlier influences that helped build your sound?
Thank you! I grew up listening to Mariah Carey, Brandy, Whitney Houston, Marvin Gaye, and Destiny’s Child. I’m also heavily influenced by Ethiopian jazz. There are a lot of artists I’ve been influenced by and I have to give my dad credit for putting me on to so many classics. He bought me my first album The Writings On The Wall by Destiny’s Child and I carried that CD around everywhere.
Let’s go back to 2018's “Here to Stay”. How do you think your music has evolved from this early release until now?
I think of every release as a certain chapter in my life; musically, sonically, lyrically – “Here to Stay” perfectly captured a moment in my life, and as I’ve grown, so has my music. While my sound selections and overall taste have evolved, the common thread among my lyrics is they’ve always been vulnerable and honest. So while certain elements have changed, other elements are similar because they’re core to who I am.
