great interview, very thoughtful, intriguing and insightful questions. i can tell the writer did her homework, from referencing bey’s older interviews, and thoroughly listening to the lyrics. good work, and amazing journalism.
mia - bali
What is your first musical memory?
My dad was a rapper, so I grew up in a very musical household. I don’t ever remember music not being there. In middle school, my dad first played Donny Hathaway for me. That’s an important memory.
How would you describe the difference between the sound of your first two projects—‘The Many Alter Egos of Trill’eta Brown’ (2016) and ‘This Too… (2019)’—and the music that you’re making now? You’re older and newer work is even labeled differently on Apple Music: neo-soul versus R&B/soul.
I’m more confident now and you can hear it in my music. I’m more decisive and empowered. Where I might have dabbled in something previously, I’m more committed to my ideas now.
You wrote your track ‘Ratchet Rhonda’ on ‘The Many Alter Egos of Trill’eta Brown’ from the perspective of the character of Yvette (played by Taraji P. Henson) from the 2001 film ‘Baby Boy’. As someone who is a writer first, how did you take familiar stories like this and modernize them?
My ex-husband produced a lot of that album. I was kind of confined by his sound, which is very different to mine. My dad produced ‘Ratched Rhonda’. Working with him gave me the permission to be more creative, bolder. I grew up on hip-hop, which is explicit and references things that have meaning to me. Leaning on things that have more cultural significance lends itself to better writing.