Check out their new single "Day Ones," and read an excerpt from our interview below. (Interview has been edited for clarity and secrecy).
Who produced [âDay Onesâ]?
Jvnitor. Itâs one that weâve had in the bank for a long time. And I donât actually, I would have to see when we actually made it to think about where I really was. But I definitely remember I was like thinking a lot about my family and where Iâm from, and like coming up my uncle and my aunt, my momâs siblings they were heavy into rap. And the only time I really got to listen to rap was if I was around them, and thatâs when I was exposed to like Snoop Dogg and Dre, and all of those sort of like West Coast rappers. And so when I was writing the song I was really thinking about my uncle and how much West Coast they would listen to. Because we have family thatâs like in California, in and out of California.
Can you explain the meaning behind the content in "Day Ones"?
Itâs really just like Three of Cups [Tarot] energy, if I can. Like, really remembering the people who celebrate me, and the people who I celebrate with, and remembering the people who have always been there for me when I needed them... whoâve always held me up and taken care of me in a way. And thatâs where "day one niggas" comes from, me just kind of thinking and reflecting on that. And that goes back to me thinking about my day one, like my personal day one. Where I come from, who I am, and just sort of like a quick reminder of that.
Have you filmed a video for it already?
Not technically. I have a cute little IG edit that I made for it thatâs really cute. So this single is gonna launch me, or move me into launching my Patreon campaign because I am desperately trying to figure out how I can get more backing for the things that I wanna do. For âFull Outfit,â it was like such a wake up call in a way of like: We did this amazing piece of work with no budget, and while it turned out great, the avenues that we have to go through to be able to do that is⊠itâs just a lot. And itâs a lot that I think is unnecessary because I know there is funding. There is so much abundance out there, and I just need to put myself in a position to receive it. And also, keeping it honest: It helps me to continue to make content and be like honing in and perfecting my craft. And so I just need that sort of fire underneath. Cause I wanna always be doing it better and better and betterâand that requires a little coin.
Whatâs the theme for your new album?
So far itâs sounding very chill. Iâm toying around with [a few names]. But itâs just, I want it to be something real soft and vibey and something that we can put on and just get your life to, feel sexy to, think to, you know, just something chill. Lots of singing and like lo-fi, yeah thatâs where Iâm trying to go with it. A different side.
In comparison to C.A.B.O., what do you think the biggest difference is?
I think with C.A.B.O., when I was conceptualizing the album and putting all the tracks in order, it definitely comes from this sort of like hard-edges perspective: âIâm a bad bitch, fuck you, leave me the fuck alone, la la la.â [LAUGHS] You know? Like thatâs kind of what it gives in a way. And you know, thatâs fine. Thatâs where I was at that point in time. I was in a very like âFuck you, leave me alone, Iâm sexy and hot.â And that is a part of me, but I think itâs important to learn how to be soft, and to practice being softer, especially with yourself. And thatâs something that Iâm trying to step into a bit more. Itâs like, showing that side of me, and stepping into and knowing when to be soft, and when to be a little bit more graceful in how you deal with people and how you manage maybe hurt feelings, or people trying you, or just the world. Just trying to be a part of contributing more softness to the world. And because Iâve been meditating on that a lot this summer, thatâs sort of where the work has been going and where the art is taking me. That feels really good.
Since you are a multidisciplinary artist, youâre also thinking about how you can bring that softness to dance and stuff too. Have you started doing that type of stuff with the new music yet?
Yeah, I have startedâitâs so wild how everything just comesâbut I have this really cool song on the record that I did with my homie Antwon and itâs this like⊠itâs real jazzy, and the whole kind of theme of the song is like, you know when you just had an all-nighter with your babe, yaâll was up, it was romantic, yaâll got it in, just like, til the break of dawn. And that thing that exists afterwards, in the morning when maybe it happened on Sunday night and yaâll gotta go to work the next day. That sort of after-effect of like âDamn, donât go to work. Letâs just call in and do it all over again all day long.â And I really had been thinking about what it feels to like to be in love, and being caught up in that beauty of experiencing moments of hedonism with your lover and just being caught in that state. And I was just really thinking about it that dayâIâm gonna start cryingâbut I was really thinking about it that day, and we recorded it and it was so beautiful. And I was so proud of it in a way thatâsometimes when I create or like I go to write something, I always sort of second guess it in a wayânot always, I wonât say always, but often. And that day just felt so right, and this summer has been really challenging but itâs been moments like that that were like âOh yeah, youâre being real honest and thatâs cool, Iâm proud.â You know? Like wow, thatâs what itâs like when youâre just honest. So thatâs been really cool.
Aww. Are you in love right now?
With myself.
Thatâs beautiful.
Yeah this summer has been a lot of lessons and really hard looks at myself. I was having a day the other day and just sort of feeling like things are starting to open up and feel a little bit more hopeful.