00:00I'm single. Like the last, everything everyone's heard from me, I was in something. So this is
00:05really just me post heartbreak, just my thought process going through it. And then the latter
00:13part of the project, I run into something again. Hi, Givion. I'm Revee Ruff from Essence. How are
00:22you doing today? Hi, Revee. I am good. Thanks for asking. How are you? I'm doing well. Thank
00:28you so much for asking. And thank you for taking the time to speak with us today. New
00:32album, new tour, new singles, everything coming out. What's the biggest difference for fans
00:40and for people who might be uninitiated to your music from Take Time to the new album?
00:44What do you feel like your biggest differences are and how have you grown in the last two
00:48years? Yeah, I think the first notable difference is my voice has grown so much. I've learned
00:57how to use it more. I've learned when to invoke certain emotions and when to just show the
01:06proper emotion. It's kind of hard to explain, but it's like the term is called vocal production.
01:11It really is just like knowing how to convey the right emotions for the exact words. And
01:19I think that makes the, that changed the whole dynamic of the whole just project and body of
01:24work in general, because the story feels more authentic and, and, and more vulnerable. And
01:31some of the words cut deeper. So I think that's the first thing. And the second thing is the
01:36production is completely elevated. Now, how did you get to the point of,
01:40is it just through touring or just through more experience or just through lived, lived experiences,
01:46the way that you were able to mature your voice in this fashion? I think it's just being able to just
01:51develop because I was working on my last album in 2019, 2020. And this one is, you know, just years
01:58after that. So I've, I've, I got a chance to just actually have some artist development and just grow
02:05as an artist. And I think it's just something that naturally happens over time. If you're always
02:09working, I don't really take too much time off. I don't, you know, I don't, I don't really drink or
02:17smoke. I'll have a glass of white wine here and there, but that's pretty much it. So there's no
02:23damage to my vocal cords or anything. And I just, I just stayed a course. And with that, I think
02:28you're just inevitable to just grow as an artist. Now, what is that transition? Like, it seems like
02:33forever ago, since we've had a pandemic and everything, but 2019 was five minutes ago, really?
02:38What has that transition been like for you going from just having a regular job, living a regular
02:43life to being this highly recognizable superstar and everyone singing your songs and being on the
02:49radio and touring the world and all these collaborations you've done? Like, what has
02:54that transition been like for you and how, how have you dealt with it? Yeah. I mean, I think it was
02:58tricky at first because I wouldn't, I would try to just stay out the way and hide because I would make
03:05assumptions of how it would look or how it would feel. I would think it'd be outside. I would go
03:11outside and it'd just be uncomfortable interactions. But once I actually stepped outside and just,
03:16just live my normal life, everyone is extremely respectful and it makes life just so much easier
03:25knowing that I could just still just live my, my actual life. So at first it was uncomfortable
03:30because I was making assumptions, but now I'm being just actually doing it and just stepping outside
03:36and hanging with family and friends and doing all the stuff that I would do when I was just
03:40a server. Really. It's just the same thing. Obviously I get, you know, more like eyeballs and head
03:46nods and stuff, but it's all just disrespectful and graceful. So.
03:51And how do you deal with, I know there's a lot of random criticism and things you get,
03:56especially like the times your name has been thrown in drama without you, you know, seeing
04:02it coming. How have you dealt with things like that? It's just a lot, a lot different to deal
04:05with things that are typical situations we deal with in life, relationship, drama, whatever, but it's
04:11in the public eye. How are you able to deal with that? And is that something you channel into your
04:15music? No, I think it's, it's, it's not even really different. You like everyone. If you're in high
04:22school, it's the same thing that's happening. If you're even middle school level, college level,
04:26it's all the same thing. I think it's just, yes, there's more eyeballs, but it's really just the
04:31same thing. And me personally, I just, I just ignore it. I just, I just ignore all of it.
04:36Now in the new album, what is the feel? What is the vibe for, you know, we're all excited to hear
04:41coming up. Like, what are you, what is, what do you feel like is different? The emotion you're
04:45revoking this time around? So I think this time, this is the first project I have where I, where I
04:50kind of start the project off and I'm, I'm single. Like the last, everything everyone's heard from me,
04:57I was in something. So this is really just me post heartbreak, just my thought process going through
05:04it. And then the latter part of the project, I run into something again. So it's, it's just a
05:10refreshing version of me the first half, because I don't think too many people have heard me from
05:15a single perspective. What is the single man's perspective as you see it? I think it's so
05:22usually I will write, you know, just like from a single man's perspective, but I've, I've made things
05:28a lot more specific. So like, what is it like to go through the life as Givion? And I just tried to
05:34put people in that. And I think one of the things that popped out to me first was no one was authentic
05:40or not. And knowing, you know, are you here for me? Or are you here for just this idea and this,
05:47this world, you know? And I think that was the one thing that I had to come to terms with.
05:53Awesome. Now, you know, tour kicking off soon. What is something that you've evolved in your stage
05:59show and your stage presence that you're really excited for fantasy that they haven't seen for me
06:02before? Um, I think my movement and the way I try to float across the stage is constantly evolving
06:10just because I watched so much footage of just Teddy Pendergrass or Frank Sinatra or Luther Vandross. And
06:17they, they're just there and they take up the space without too much going on in the background.
06:23And that's one thing I try to really emulate. And I'm learning a lot about pacing of the show and timing
06:33and adding certain things that you don't know unless you start doing live shows, just like
06:39certain smiles and certain just like waves. And it's just stuff that just starts to slowly
06:45come together. What's one track on the new album that you're really excited for fans to hear? Maybe not
06:51a single, but like what's one that you, uh, it's kind of a favorite, like it's near and dear to you.
06:55Right. Um, a favorite, honestly, I think I can't wait for them to hear all of it just straight through,
07:03but I am interested to see how I have things, how they react to hearing, um, trying to be.
07:11So you said you wanted to hear all of this all the way through. And I do feel like, um, song order,
07:15it tends to be nowadays kind of a, a lost art. Do you feel that your album is kind of a cohesive,
07:21like a through line telling a story from start to finish from the first track to the last track?
07:25Yes. A hundred percent. Like I'm aware that sometimes people just kind of click through,
07:29but I'm a, I'm personally a project artist. If it was up to me, I wouldn't release any singles
07:35at all. Like I just would drop it all at once. But yeah, I'm the sequence is extremely important.
07:43It opens up with my mom's voice and it ends with my mom's voice.
07:46And the concept of this whole album is really just me having a conversation with my mom. That's why
07:52I have no features because I just wanted to feel like you're immersed into this conversation.
07:58Did you kind of answer my next question? Cause I noticed there was no features. Um,
08:01I was going to ask you how you arrived at that, but you really kind of want to keep it a conversation
08:04is between you and your mother about your personal perspective.
08:07Yeah. A hundred percent. And the story, the stories I'm telling is so personal and so specific that it
08:13would be hard to have a feature unless I went through that with that person or they understand
08:19what's going on. And how did your mom feel about, uh, her voice being included and getting a album
08:24credit? She always excited. Cause her voice was on the last one. She, she, she thinks she's the star now,
08:31but it's okay. Excellent. Is there anything else you want to make sure our fans hear from you directly
08:37from your mouth before we wrap up? Um, if you, if you can, please just listen all the way through.
08:45No shuffles. No, none of that. Just try to have a seat. Even if you, you can't find this time until
08:52a week from now, I would rather you listen to it full focus straight through in a week,
08:58then you listen to it just quickly Friday night. So I think that's it.
09:04Absolutely. Thank you so much for taking the time today. Of course. Thank you so much.
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