Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your latest album, and what themes or stories you aimed to convey through your music?

This album is a step away from my original music mostly, and reimagining some of my favorite jazz standards. My friends who are some of the worlds best jazz musicians have been asking me when I’m going to release a jazz record? Initially, the first session for this was supposed to be for a short collection that we could use to book gigs. It’s turned into a project that feels very much like who I am in this part of my life. It’s about lushness, drama, creativity, love, softness, and freedom of expression.

Music often has the power to transport people to different places and times. Can you describe a moment in your life when a particular song or album had a profound impact on you?

There are two that come up immediately. It’s the first time I listened to Abbey Road in headphones and the air gets sucked out at the end of “I Want You” (She’s So Heavy) into Here Comes the Sun. It was a moment like, wow sound can do so much. Not just words or melody, but SOUND. It made me realize how important sound is in telling a story, how important space is and being intentional with all the choices you make.

Many artists have rituals or routines they follow before performing or recording. Do you have any unique or quirky pre-show or pre-recording rituals that you find help you get in the zone?

Ha, I’m not that much fun before a show. I’m pretty focused and try to be rested. But i also try to make sure the band is taken care of. I can kind of ‘mother’ a situation. When I do have the time, taking time with my make up is important. Just in silence or talking over the set order. I give so much on stage, I gotta save all the energy for there!

Your lyrics often tell a story or convey a message. Can you share the story behind one of your songs and the inspiration that led to its creation?

I only began writing music my senior year of college really. I always wrote poems, but not music. I went into getting my vocal jazz degree with the intention to just sing standards. My teacher, Justin Binek said I needed to write an original composition for my senior recital. I ended up writing two. Stevie Wonder is my biggest musical inspiration. Those first songs have a lot of changes and are very much about love and peace. I wrote at the time so my grandmother wouldn’t be embarrassed by my music. In 2017, I got to do a month long artist residency at Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning in Jamaica, Queens. There, I wrote about a boy I had a crush on. I knew we’d never be together, but I wanted him to know that if he ever gave me the chance, it would be the best love he felt. It’s a simple ii-V-I cycle with a B section. It’s my favorite song to perform right now. At first it was titled, “Letter To You”, now it’s entitled, “Space & Timing”.

If you could curate a music festival with a lineup of your dream artists, who would be the headliners, and what would the theme of the festival be?

Wow! What a great question. I actually did this as an exercise for my 6th grade girls last year. My headliners would be Brittany Howard, Janelle Monae, Corinne Bailey Rae, Little Simz, Rapsody, Jill Scott, & Erykah Badu. I’d then get all my jazz girlies on it too – Endea Owens, Melanie Charles,

Music can be a powerful tool for advocacy and change. Are there any social or political causes that you’re passionate about, and how does your music play a role in promoting these issues?

I am passionate about abolition and liberation for all. As an artist, I am imagining new worlds constantly, and not just those of fantasy, but ones we can build. I believe we need to come together to see the world in a more creative and free way. We gotta build while we tear down and the only way we can build is if we put language and form into what we dream our world can be. I do that with my music, but I also do that in community with other musicians. I am also a firm believer and work in in music workers labor rights. Labor rights for all, but I do work with Music Workers Alliance, especially for community safety and harm reduction. I believe in equal work for women, femme, trans, non-binary and other music workers who are not cis white men. All of these to me, come together in the work of abolition and building a new world. I put my passion in my lyrics, and I do my best to live and work what I believe. Praxis over theory and passive learning.

The music industry has evolved significantly with technology. How do you see artificial intelligence and emerging technologies impacting the creation and distribution of music in the future?

It depends on who has the power over these tools. I believe that AI and emerging technologies can be incredibly useful and helpful to musicians. I do not believe they will be helpful if they are only used for the profit machine of the music industry. The voices of musicians and music workers need to be heard by those in power and in charge of these tools. AI should be managing my calendar for me at this moment and helping organize other things, not creating music for me. The dream is for my menial tasks that must be done in order to do the work of music can be done by/with AI and emerging technologies.

Many recording artists evolve over time. How do you see your musical journey changing and growing in the next decade?

Well, I was just telling a friend that I feel like I’m singing the best I’ve ever sung, so I’ll certainly be doing my best to use my voice much more for the purposes of singing as much as possible. I want to record and produce with other artists more. I want to continue to grow as a musician both in the studio and on the stage because while they are different, they influence each other deeply. My first record was released in 2010; this project will hopefully be released before 2024 is over. In those 14 years, my world has shifted so much so many times. My music and singing should reflect that, and right now I think it does. I hope that continues through the next decade and until I stop doing this thing called music!