00:00How are you? It's a pandemic. It's an election.
00:05You've also had a really busy year amongst all. So just how are you doing?
00:11Girl, pushing through. I'm super busy trying to find like a happy medium between like staying safe and healthy but still being productive.
00:20Right. Awesome. Yeah, yeah. No, we definitely got to find that medium because right now it's so crazy.
00:25But I mean, you're experiencing a lot of wins, which is a blessing.
00:28So, yeah. Yeah. I wanted to know just with all the work that you're doing, how are you balancing it all?
00:38How are you managing your shows, your interviews, your getting in the studio?
00:44How are you just figuring out that balance?
00:46Oh, it's a lot. Good thing is, though, like with the pandemic, a lot of stuff slowed down.
00:52So, again, you can regroup and like focus on different things.
00:56So, like, that's how, for instance, I came up to Queen of the South versus before the pandemic.
01:01I was on two tours, two different tours simultaneously.
01:05So, I'm like consumed with that and don't really have, and didn't really have time to record.
01:13Right.
01:14This pandemic, it left me a lot of time to record and like learn a little bit more about myself and my creative process.
01:21And I was just being more productive on like the music side versus like shows and appearances
01:27and interviews and thought shows and video shows and all the hell to see.
01:31All the stuff. Yeah, no.
01:33I have definitely loved to see your growth this year.
01:36I think it's been amazing.
01:38And we're big fans of UMassence, if you can't really be called.
01:42I, you know, with everything going on, I wanted to ask, what's something that you've been excited to accomplish this year?
01:48Something that you were like, wow, I really did that.
01:50Girl, it's been so much.
01:52Okay, so 2020 was like bittersweet for me because like why everybody is like losing family members, friends.
02:01Yeah.
02:02And then it's COVID and losing jobs and just like having this like financial problems and health problems and everything.
02:12I had like a very successful year.
02:14So, like it's so many things that I did this year.
02:16But starting with the first thing was signing my first major record deal.
02:22Amazing, man.
02:24Then I got XXL Freshman from 2020.
02:27Yeah.
02:28I had dropped Muwap, some of my favorite rappers.
02:32It's early in my career.
02:34I got my plaque.
02:36Mm-hmm.
02:36I got my gold.
02:38So that made, I literally made history with that.
02:41That made me a solo female rapper from Atlanta to go gold.
02:44So, um, it's been so many things.
02:47Like 2020 was literally like a blessing in disguise for me.
02:51And it makes it like bittersweet because at times I feel like selfish to celebrate the success of this year.
02:57Right.
02:57For me, with knowing that a lot of people, it was their worst year.
03:01Yeah.
03:02I always tell Black creatives when I'm interviewing them because I feel like a lot of Black creatives have been kind of experiencing that.
03:08Like big wins, shooting covers, all of that.
03:11But then you got to deal with this pandemic.
03:13But you got to find the joy in it.
03:15You know, like you can't be, you know, you're winning.
03:18So you can't really have that survivor's guilt.
03:21You know?
03:21Right.
03:22That's what it is.
03:23Mm-hmm.
03:24No, I get it.
03:26Trust me.
03:26You're not the only one.
03:27The Black creatives are really trying to find that balance right now.
03:30Like what's going on?
03:32You did touch on a point with finding with RCA.
03:35How was it?
03:35I know that you had a team before that.
03:37But how was it just kind of having a major label behind you?
03:40We obviously know that comes with, you know, putting you on playlists and things that an independent team can't do.
03:46Right.
03:46How was that joining our school?
03:49I feel like at that point in my career, 11 months ago now, it was just time for that.
03:57Like I had done so much that, I've done so much that most independent artists can't even, or haven't even done.
04:06You know what I'm saying?
04:07So I felt like I was missing that machine behind me.
04:11And it was just a matter of time.
04:12Like, I mean, because I've been approached by labels and, you know, things like before.
04:19I've been wrecking since 8, 9, 10 years old.
04:22But, like, timing-wise, it was time for that.
04:25And I'm a very, like, vibe person.
04:29Like, so, like, I pay attention to signs.
04:31So I was getting signs where it was like, okay, it's time for RCA.
04:36You know what I'm saying?
04:36Yeah, absolutely.
04:36So I'm in a meeting with RCA, it's just, like, the vibe was there.
04:40Like, all the real things, they got my attention.
04:43Because I was taking so many meetings.
04:45I was, like, in L.A. and New York, just going back and forth taking meetings for so long.
04:51Like, literally a couple months.
04:52And then, right off the bat, RCA just hit it off.
04:56Yeah.
04:59Definitely.
04:59So what's your favorite track from Queen of the South?
05:03Queen of the South.
05:04Um, ooh, it's so many.
05:07Like, I'm, oh my God, I got, like, personal attachments to all those songs.
05:13Yeah.
05:13But, if I had to say my favorite, I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I'm gonna exclude Muwap.
05:19Because, by Muwap, I'm gonna be biased.
05:22Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.
05:23Because that's my favorite rapper.
05:25So I'm gonna exclude Muwap.
05:27And my favorite would be Look Back At It.
05:30Mm-hmm.
05:30Because, so, like I was saying, I have more time to, like, focus on the, um, just the recording process,
05:38the creative process of making music.
05:40Right.
05:40I was distracted.
05:41I would, versus, before the pandemic, I would have, like, wake up, do interviews, have a video shoot.
05:48Oh, yeah.
05:48I'd be so occupied during the day.
05:50And then, I would go to the studio at night, and I would be kind of tired, you know, whatever.
05:54Mm-hmm.
05:55Versus the pandemic, um, during the pandemic, I had time to, like, focus on my creative process.
06:00So, I've been learning more about myself and how I like to record.
06:04Right.
06:05So, I've been trying a lot of different things.
06:07And with Look Back At It, that was one of the songs that I freestyled.
06:11Mm-hmm.
06:11I'm going to go write it.
06:13Like, I love to write.
06:14I have to write anything.
06:15I have to see it out on the paper or see it on the phone on the notes.
06:19But, look back at it, I recorded in L.A.
06:22And I just went in the booth and was just, like, freestyling.
06:25And I was, like, surprised myself.
06:27So, I learned something new about myself.
06:28So, I got, like, a, um, just a personal attachment to that song.
06:32Mm-hmm.
06:33Mm-hmm.
06:33I like In-N-Out with the City Girls.
06:35That's like my favorite.
06:36Yeah.
06:37And the video was, oh, that was amazing.
06:41I love that song, too, because that was, like, very different for me, too.
06:44Like, when I was first recording, I was like, no, I don't like this.
06:47No, it's good.
06:47And I don't keep pushing it, like, and it was, like, that was my motivation to keep going
06:53because it was just so different than the guy I usually make.
06:56Mm-hmm.
06:57I love that one.
06:58You know, Southern aesthetic, but that was, like, girly, upbeat, whatever.
07:02So, you know, everybody love that song.
07:04Yeah, and I was like, bitchless.
07:06I'm glad you listened.
07:07Um, so, I did kind of touch with In-N-Out with my favorite song, but it's also my favorite
07:13video viewer because I feel like you really express your style in that.
07:16Um, so, how I, you're working with one of my favorite stylists, Todd.
07:20Um, how has that relationship been?
07:23How do you, how do you guys kind of pick your different looks for, you know, shows and videos
07:28and all of that?
07:29Mm-hmm.
07:29I'm a real hands-on person, so I'm never gonna have someone just pull up and just put me in
07:36something.
07:36Yeah.
07:36I want to see the, um, sketches.
07:39I want to see the mood boards.
07:40I want to see the new ideas that I have and we just, like, collaboratively come up with
07:45all these looks and even down to, like, hair, makeup, nail, everything, um, me and Todd put
07:51out to, um, sit on every aspect, head to toe, and, and we just, like, I have, I use Pinterest,
07:59and, you know, PixArt to, like, make, um, collages, and we just, literally, we just be on the phone,
08:07FaceTiming, and just sending each other pictures, and we just come up with it, but I love Todd in
08:12the beginning, when I first got with RCA, they wanted to, um, just, like, put everything
08:18in place for me, so one of those things was finding the stylists, and I was working with
08:23different stylists, working with everyone else, the first time I had used Todd, that was the
08:27first time I used, um, the same stylists twice.
08:32Mm, okay.
08:33So when I, when they see me, want to book him again, I'm like, okay, okay, we think, we
08:38think we might find a match, or whatever.
08:40Yeah, yeah.
08:40From then on, it's been Todd.
08:43No, I love that, because, um, I recently was talking to Colin, who, you know, is Cardi
08:46stylist, and I think that we were talking about just building a team, having that glam team,
08:51having the people that you know support you, and I think that you and Todd's relationship
08:55is really great.
08:56I love to see you in the Black designers, and, like, up-and-coming things, so you've really
09:00been putting on a lot of designers as well, so I love it, girl.
09:03Yes, and Todd, you teaching me, too.
09:05Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.
09:06Because, you know, my country broke it, but I'm like, hey, what?
09:10No, you be wearing it, girl.
09:13No, I'm like, oh, you know it!
09:15So it'd be fun.
09:17How have you been managing just all, just every, all the noise?
09:21You know, um, I feel like you're, you're really good at dealing with and addressing
09:25current Black backlash and things like that.
09:27How have you been able to have a tough skin?
09:29Um, I feel like a lot of it stems from doing it for so long.
09:34It's not too many things that people can say to me or call me or comment that I haven't
09:40seen or heard already, so stuff like that tough skin has been built over the years, and then
09:46too, just, like, the older I get, the more I, like, consumed in my career and, like, you
09:53know, just more positive things instead of feeding into that, that, that backlash.
09:57But I am also, I'm 21, so sometimes I do backtrack a little bit on things I say, and, um, I
10:04do get into it on the gram.
10:06Yeah, I think people forget that, though, that you're 21, because it's like, you're allowed
10:11to be 21.
10:13You know, and I'm, and I'm one of the people where there's, like, no management, no PNR,
10:18label, and nobody can call me and tell me to not do something.
10:23Like, it's always going to be what I want to do if I, you know what I'm doing.
10:27I'm saying, like, I'm, like, struggling in that aspect, so it's, like, I'm learning.
10:32Yeah, definitely, definitely.
10:34I think I'm, I need to, um, put that in the article to remember that she's 21, y'all.
10:38Like, you can't be putting this pressure so much.
10:42Yeah, no, definitely.
10:44Um, I do have to ask the name change, and, um, I read, I went and read the article, and
10:49you did kind of say you can't speak on it.
10:50If something bigger is coming, um, I don't want to press it too much, but just, uh, could
10:55you just speak on if, if you can explain what bigger is coming or what you can talk about?
11:00Um, okay.
11:01So, uh, it's definitely something that I've been considering the older I get, the more
11:05I'm educated on, um, things like the Black Lives Matter movement, police brutality, things
11:11that I feel passionate about, I feel, um, kind of, like, I don't ever want to come off
11:16as irresponsible, um, in, like, choosing a name that's, like, uh, disrespectful or offensive
11:24to anybody because it's never my intentions.
11:26Right.
11:27If there's ever a point where I feel like my intentions aren't being interpreted correctly,
11:32I will reflect and look back and be like, okay, well, then maybe I can change it, you
11:36know what I'm saying, instead of being so stubborn.
11:38And I used to be like, oh, hell no, I don't do this, I ain't doing that, like, you can't
11:42change nothing about me, I am who I am, but it's not even about, but that would be like
11:46my immature self-speaking.
11:48Right.
11:49On a more mature, understanding, um, level, it's just simply like, like I said, my, my intention
11:57is not being interpreted correctly.
11:59So, at some point, you're just like, okay, well, then maybe I can change it, you know what
12:03Yeah.
12:03That's something I am considering.
12:06Mm-hmm.
12:06But, you know, it, uh, may change as an artist, especially at this level of my career is
12:11something that just happens overnight.
12:13Absolutely.
12:14So, people are going to have to work with me on that, um, on the final decision and how
12:20that decision goes out.
12:21Absolutely.
12:22And I think that just goes to our point, what we were talking about earlier, you being 21,
12:25learning, you know, getting in the industry and just figuring out things.
12:29And I think that's a great take that you had, like listening to your audience and just considering
12:34it.
12:34Like, I think that's what fans just want, is that that artist to consider what they're
12:38saying.
12:38So, I really loved that answer.
12:41I think that was a perfect way to end it.
12:42That was great.
12:45Um, so thank you so much for chatting with me.
12:47Make sure everyone to check out Queen of the South, extended version, and follow Mulatto
12:51on Twitter.
12:52Yeah.
12:53Awesome.
12:53Awesome.
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