Having recently risen up through the indie ranks off the back her vastly streamed new single Painless, we caught an interview with genre-fusing rapper and artist Zaida B, to find out more about her creative journey so far, and her plans moving forward. Here’s the conversation in full.
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Hi Zaida – great to connect with you, thanks for the interview. To introduce things, where are you based, and who or what first inspired your passion for hip hop and writing bars?
Hey, I go by Zaida B. I’m full Haitian born and raised in Naples, Florida, and I know it shouldn’t be a hard question, but I honestly think I’m just inspired by every little thing: photography, film, books,and plays. Even down to the cover arts I pick, I believe in us being the art, so I go out of my way to look for a mood photograph to really represent what the music will have you feeling? So who inspired me ? I gotta say the world.
Let’s talk about Painless – what inspired the title, who made the beat, and what does the track represent for you?
Honestly, the title decision came from my beginning discovery of my first song name “within”, my second, “coping”, my third “clouded dreams,”and then my fourth track “painless.”
And I know a lot of people aren’t noticing, but that’s the healing process I’m describing. We have to start within. Then we’re coping after coping; you find who you are and what you want to become, and then we have clouded dreams, and that could cause you to be painless because us as people assume that the people you know would be your number supporter, but it always turns out to be a stranger first. The best was made by Michael Harrison x Julian Currier. The track represents a loss of empathy and care for self;you don’t have to become what hurt you. I hope that’s what people are gaining from it.
You’ve had thousands of plays on this track since its release just last month – what do you think it is about the sound and substance of this that’s connecting so intensely?
Yeah, I would have never guessed Painless to be my most streamed song. I wish I could answer that with confidence, but honestly, I was focusing on delivering the healing process first. I was never really expecting people to really get into it because it’s something new, and I already know I have music to make people turn up, but I want people to really understand who I am before they make their own image off the music.
I think what’s connecting about the track so intensely is the talk about lack of empathy and the smoker thing. I love making smoker music, and the beat is amazing.
You also released ‘Just another 420 song’ last month – the tone and delivery suit the title, the lo-fi beat a little more mellow. How do you get started with a new track, and what do you have planned creatively for the coming weeks and months?
I’ve been free-styling and writing since 11th grade, so I’ll always have a song. I don’t even like being called a rapper, even though I rap, because on my SoundCloud I drop a different genre of music every time. I got a reggae track. I got an indie track. I got a rock track coming out.
My guilty pleasure is making songs that people feel like they’re not into, just to catch them listening on their own. It’s like true fulfilment for me.
Steven universe is distinctly brighter and upbeat, uplifting and heartfelt. How long does it take you to write a set of bars like these, and is there an editing process or do you just roll with the flow?
Steven Universe and the same for the 420 song I wrote back in high school. So the me you are listening to is just past me. Present me is still writing, creating, so I’ll be here to stay. I just go with the flow, honestly.
Is it in your nature to be completely vulnerable and honest as a rapper and artist, or does it also factor in that things need to be simply entertaining sometimes?
I appreciate you thinking I’m vulnerable. That’s something I’m working on personally. I think I’m real, and that’s what brings people in. I wouldn’t label me quite vulnerable yet.
Is live performance a big part of your plans this year, and if so, how will you get that started?
A live performance would be dope. I’m still working on it. I’m not too sure on how to get started, but I’m just going to leave all that to Universe and just capture people’s hearts with music for now.
What’s your favourite lyric from your latest release, and why?
My favorite lyric is from the song Sundown on my SoundCloud, where I said, “First one up with the rising sun. I ain’t morning, nun.”
What are your thoughts on the current mainstream music and hip-hop landscape, and what are the main values you want to bring to the scene?
My opinion on mainstream music as of right now is that if it keeps going how it’s going, the crown is gonna mess around and end up on my head.
What I want to bring into mainstream music is maybe the artistry of music videos. I miss good music videos. Thought-out music videos are something I’ll be excited to really bring to the scene when I get into that position to.
What’s something about you that might surprise your fans?
Something that would surprise my fans is probably my birth name. My mother named me Beyoncé. Zaida just my middle name, so that’s what the letter B stands for – never forgetting I’m Beyoncé first.
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Find Zaida B on Instagram, Snapchat & YouTube.
