Artivism with Iman Jordan

A|0:00|t1|You know, it was too extreme. Obviously the excitement of really being in it and working with ⁓ some of the top artists. ⁓ Also not really being in ⁓ the most nurturing environment. Yeah. Being a young woman. I had that moment where I'm like, I need to be ⁓ on my Cleo Soulship or I need to, you know. I mean my album origin was, you know, it was spiritual in a lot of ways. I didn't have that ⁓ that energy. I've kind of battled with that of like.
A|0:27|t1|Should I be making more conscious music? So I wanted people to know that like don't expect speeding one particular thing, because it's a subject. I ⁓ don't be surrendering to the process. It's like a workout for me. So I would say the relief of a release ⁓ is my favorite part. I've been in situations where I felt like I couldn't leave, but now I would never. I'd be like, okay, you guys, ⁓ an hour max. ⁓
B|0:59|t1|Today's guest is someone who embodies truth in such a real and resonant way. We're sitting down with India Shaw, a Los Angeles born singer-songwriter whose voice feels both celestial and deeply familiar, like something you've always known but are just now remembering. Her artistry lives at the intersection of vulnerability, intention, and evolution, where storytelling becomes a pathway to healing. India has quietly built a body of work that speaks volumes. From her critically acclaimed project Before We Go Deeper, which
B|1:29|t1|Earned praise for outlets like NPR and Billboard, to writing for artists like Chris Brown, Matica, and Carrie Hilson. She's long been respected as an artist artist, someone with a pen that cuts deep and a voice that carries truth. But what makes India's journey so compelling isn't just the accolades, it's the becoming. Because behind the music is a woman who has navigated the highs and the uncertainties of the industry, who has stayed rooted in her wellness, her spirituality, and her community.
B|1:56|t1|And who continues to evolve even when the path isn't clear. Her latest work reflects that evolution, songs like There Must Be a God, and her newest release, subject to change, signal shift, one rooted in reclamation and boundaries and choosing self. It's not just sonic growth, it's personal transformation. In this conversation, we explore the foundation beneath the art, the childhood moments that connected her to music, the turning points that moved her from passion to purpose.
B|2:25|t1|And how she's learned to stay grounded in an industry that can so easily pull you out of yourself. We talk about wellness, not as a trend but as a practice, about community, especially here in Los Angeles, and the power of being surrounded by people who are committed to healing, to growth and to showing up fully. We also get into the realities of being an artist today, navigating social media, the algorithm, the pressure of constantly showing up, and what it looks like to build a relationship with technology that doesn't compromise your spirit.
B|2:54|t1|This is a conversation about resilience, about evolution, about choosing yourself again and again. So whether you're an artist, a creative, or someone simply trying to stay grounded in a world that feels like it's constantly shifting, this one's for you. This is Artivism, and this is my conversation with India Sean. ⁓ Yeah, let's start at the beginning. So what's your earliest memory of music and music being a important part of your expression?
A|3:12|t1|⁓
A|3:21|t1|Hmm. ⁓ In the home. Yeah. My mom is a brilliant singer songwriter. Really? Yes. ⁓ And she was the praise and worship leader of my church growing up ⁓ through the years. Amazing. ⁓ so I was always at choir rehearsal with her, church service, two services every Sunday, Bible study, all the things, but it stayed in church. ⁓ but also she was like, she knew all the cool music. So she put me on to all of the classics.
B|3:50|t1|That's dope. I grew up in church too, so I already know that line. You know what I mean? Every Sunday huh. ⁓ That's cool. That's cool. When did you think like, you know what? I should do music professionally. Was that always a thing or feelings? ⁓
A|3:56|t1|Every single Sunday.
A|4:04|t1|No, I actually wanted to be an obstetrician, OBGYN, that was my childhood dream.
B|4:09|t1|⁓ So you wanted to like deliver baby?
A|4:12|t1|I wanted to bring life into the world. my god. I'm doing in a different way. But every album I'm like, ⁓ Jesus. Forcing my own children. ⁓ But ⁓ yeah, it wasn't. I mean, I think ⁓ I knew I had a gift just singing in church and being affirmed by, you know, some of the members being like, You really touched me today. And so I'm like, I might have something. ⁓ and then it was at a family block party where
B|4:14|t1|Yeah.
A|4:40|t1|We had like a little talent show. We were like going off into groups and I was like, I'm gonna do my own song and I sang ⁓ Dream Lover by Mariah Carey. my husband was recording it on a little tape recorder and he ran into the house. He said, Mom, maybe you can sing and I'm gonna manage her one day. ⁓ he never did manage me. But that's when I I was like, Okay, I'd have something ⁓
B|5:04|t1|⁓ When you ⁓ used to sing in church, were you the type that when you sang people were hollering or were they kind of quiet and introspective?
A|5:13|t1|Mm, I mean I was a child. Okay, so ⁓ yeah, but it was it was quiet, it was touching. I think like people were rooting for me, so there was that spirit of like, sing girls, yeah, the praise worship's daughter. You know what I mean? Like I had that support, but ⁓ I was deathly afraid every time I have to open my mouth and my mom was like sitting in front of a roll like Adler ⁓
B|5:34|t1|Yeah.
A|5:36|t1|⁓ yeah, coaching me.
B|5:37|t1|⁓ I am I remember for myself, it was like I would get up and sing in church ⁓ and people would be so quiet. ⁓ And I used to be like I'd get off and ⁓ ask my mom, like it seemed like nobody's into it because like when Nikki gets him and saying, Yeah, people are going, you know, they're going crazy. Yeah. And so she was be No, they're just like it's so beautiful, they're just thinking about them taking it all in. ⁓
A|6:00|t1|Diff hits in a different way. I feel like you and I have that same thing about our voice.
B|6:04|t1|Yeah, I would say that. So when did you like start making it like a career career?
A|6:09|t1|So I moved to Atlanta in tenth grade. Mm-hmm. ⁓ And ⁓ one year I was just like one day or the I was walking out of a Best Buy, swinging around a tree, singing Falling by and I'm just like singing. I'm just I'm not thinking about anything. And this man walked up walks up to me and he's like, Was that you singing? You want to go to the studio and sing that mean? Wait. And Yeah, so ⁓
A|6:36|t1|That was my first introduction to like studio. It was a makeshift studio in this kitchen. But it was me hearing myself for the very first time.
B|6:46|t1|Isn't that insane how that's those are the like stories how it begins? It's like a random place at a random time. I was getting my hair done or I was brushing my teeth and da da da da da and then I was singing and someone hurt me. It is always like that. Yeah. Even my first stuff was like in this jank ass studio where I was recording next to the washing machine. So next to the thing. You know what I'm saying? It's always that. You know? ⁓ So you when you recorded that, what was next? Did you go
A|7:13|t1|So I recorded and I was like, ⁓ I sound like this. I mean, like, I don't know if you can relate to that, like first time hearing yourself. Yeah. ⁓ that was crazy. But I actually during that time I was like a Christian inspirational artist. So yeah, and I I wasn't writing my songs. There was ⁓ a guy at the time, shout out to Dwayne Coberg and Big Lowe. That was he was my manager at the time. And we had our our little squad. ⁓ And I mean, that's how I learned how to write music was from Dwayne.
A|7:41|t1|he had witnessed his stuff around a boot for India I read ⁓ and ⁓ was just like ⁓ one of the top writers in Atlanta at the time. But yeah, so I this is those were my first that was my first introduction to writing, creating, being exposed to the process of it all.
B|7:58|t1|When did you ⁓ start writing for other folks to ⁓
A|8:03|t1|Yeah, so I guess like at some point I was like, I should write my own lyrics and ⁓ Yeah. And then just learning more about the industry, I learned at the time that like it's the writers who well, they were making money at that time. ⁓ Things are changed. But I was like, Okay, if I want publishing and you know, upfront money, like I need to start writing some songs and so ⁓
B|8:16|t1|Mano amor, ⁓ de. ⁓
A|8:27|t1|Me, my sister and some friends, we formed a writing collective called Full Circle. Uh-huh. And at this point, I'm at Georgia State. ⁓ we're in my dorm room and we just riding the tracks and just really doing it for the love and doing it because it was fun. Yeah. ⁓ and yeah, we were just in the dorm room writing and eventually ⁓ demo and songs for songwriters all over Atlanta and ended up doing the publishing deal with the team.
A|8:58|t1|at universal music group and then came back to LA to like start that whole chasing place in its era. ⁓
B|9:05|t1|my god, how's that? I'm in the ⁓
A|9:07|t1|Hmm. ⁓ That was a hard time. That was a really hard time of life. ⁓ you know, it was two extremes. Like obviously the excitement of ⁓ really being in it and working with some of the top artists, ⁓ but also not really being in the most nurturing environment. Yeah.
A|9:31|t1|being a young woman surrounded by a bunch of men ⁓ and ⁓ not really having ⁓ that like safe ⁓ space or or person ⁓ to guide and that not done.
B|9:39|t1|Space.
B|9:44|t1|Yeah. And it's and it's also like it's speed dating. I mean, you're like literally going from studio to studio, new person to new person. You do your little ten minute whoop-dee-woo, like try to get to know each other real fast. In some cases, sometimes you you know, work people. Yeah, yeah. But I did the runs and it was like literally a lot of people. ⁓ And at some point I was like, I want love. You know what I'm saying? I want some deep depth love kind of thing. You know what I mean?
A|10:10|t1|That was such a like a a time in the industry 'cause it's not like that anymore. I feel like people don't like studio hot, people don't really like I think people kinda have their bubbles.
B|10:21|t1|people is yeah. When did you ⁓ get your team? Like who was your like when the team that's done a lot of the the stuff that you've been doing?
A|10:28|t1|⁓ Yeah. I mean that's like really fast forwarding. ⁓
B|10:32|t1|But even like the first big ⁓
A|10:34|t1|⁓ Well, my first independent project, Origin, ⁓ you know, I was unfulfilled writing and I just was not happy being out here. And I was like, I'm about to go back home and get on the Marta and go back to school, finish my degree, and like maybe make a project. ⁓ And I connected with my boyfriend at the time and Yao made my album Origin. Okay.
B|11:01|t1|And in Dima, let me start with my Dima.
A|11:04|t1|D Mile, that is ⁓ coming back out to LA. I've just been bouncing back and forth. But coming back out, I did a deal ⁓ at Fat Fake, ⁓ right on the hills of the pandemic, which is crazy. ⁓ and they put me back in ⁓ contact with Dean. Mm-hmm. I met him years prior as a teenager. He was working with Rodney. ⁓ and yeah, he was just a young, ⁓ the young guy working with Rodney Jurgens. Like that was his introduction to the industry. And
A|11:32|t1|I somehow got him out pulled and met him then. ⁓ and ⁓ then it took fifteen years to reconnect with him for him to become my producer. ⁓
B|11:45|t1|I think back to like ⁓ like first starting music ⁓ and you're talking about how you were just fine just making music in your dorm room. ⁓ Just for the fun of it. Do you have do you have like ⁓ other times you have to remind yourself of that and like how do you do it? 'Cause like sometimes you get after you do this for a while, it's like the business, it's the highs and lows of everything and it you kinda lose your footing, you know what I mean?
A|12:11|t1|For sure. ⁓ I mean, it's definitely a job. You know, I look at at it as a job. Yeah, but it's not the worst job. I I have worked a lot of jobs. Okay, I've sold insurance, I've done a preschool teacher, I've done postnight to I've done all the things because ⁓ so it's a job, but I don't I you know, I get to create with my friends and I do have those magical moments of like we're in the studio and we're making something beautiful out of a conversation that you just had, and like there's still that energy and that spark.
A|12:42|t1|but dystosia. Yeah, sure.
B|12:44|t1|⁓ one thing is I I've always seen that you're you're someone who's very rooted. Like your community means a lot to you, like spirituality means a lot to you. ⁓ what do you do? Do you have like daily practices that keep you kind of grounded or just centered and stuff like that? ⁓
A|13:00|t1|Yeah. ⁓ I feel like I haven't been in much practice ⁓ these days because I'm so focused on getting stuff out. Yeah. But definitely I have my my tools, you know, I have my meditation, just taking time to sit with myself if that's five minutes or thirty minutes, you know, just like sitting with myself in silence, turning the phone off, closing my eyes and just being with myself. I mean, to me that has been what I've been.
A|13:30|t1|biggest tools. Yeah. ⁓ little breath work from time to time that'll reset and then regulate the nervous system. Yeah. ⁓ and for me, mostly these days is just like you said, being in community with like minded people. And shout out to Walk Gun LA. My family. I'm so glad I found them. I mean what they're doing is just such a manifestation and reflection of
B|13:48|t1|No, you're gonna say it.
A|13:58|t1|Dream that I've had in my heart for so long, which is black people, you know, moving our bodies together ⁓ and coming together to just download and fellowship. Like I've wanted that for so long. Funny enough, ⁓ my music video moving on that Anderson ⁓ directed, I had a a scene of, you know, I casted the scene too, just like all black people like on the grass doing yoga.
A|14:25|t1|And that was before they started their collective. So I'm like, wow, I feel like I I really created and brought this experience into my life now. And it's been I this has been amazing. It's it's great to like ⁓ do their their monthly yoga in the park and just had that moment to not be the artist in the song but just to be a community member.
B|14:46|t1|Yeah, in the park. It's like a picnic almost. You just show up and it's good people. And ⁓ and I've gone a few times too. ⁓ Yeah. It's so dope. And I think that's one thing too. I think like even growing up, especially like black folks, like, you know, being in that type of community, like where you're doing yoga and you're doing you're meditating, these are things that feel like, you know, we're not always in a part of the community. We're not learning these things, these things that can help you feel better about yourself.
A|14:53|t1|It's growing and growing and growing.
B|15:15|t1|Yeah. Yeah. How does your spirituality kind of affect the music you're making?
A|15:21|t1|Hmm. ⁓ That's a great question.
B|15:25|t1|Do you feel like do you feel like songs are being sung through you? Do you think they're being written through or do you feel like you're the one writing those are you channeling those things?
A|15:37|t1|I think I'm definitely being used. And I also think that there's something greater at play. ⁓ And I'll tell you a quick story that kind of like took the pressure off of me because I had that moment where I'm like, I need to be on my Cleo Soul shit. I mean, my album Origin was, you know, it was spiritual in a lot of ways and didn't have that ⁓ that energy. But I think I've, yeah, I've I've kind of battled with that of like, should I be making more conscious music things? But I'll tell you a story. ⁓ I ⁓
A|16:06|t1|was on tour ⁓ and ⁓ was performing my music from before we go deeper and there was a song on that album called Too Sweet. Now this song is just a cutesy little kind of pop song about being ghosted. Like it's nothing dude, nothing like super conscious. But ⁓ there was a man who attended that show, attended a show ⁓ with his wife ⁓ and he had contacted me on Instagram to let me know that his wife had passed Sulaian weeks after that show.
A|16:35|t1|And he said, Your song, Too Sweet, that was a song we were like holding each other and like vibing to during the show. And he's like, I play for my daughters and like we just feel her spirit. So it's just like there's something greater at play that we can't even plan for, you know, that's happening. And and so I just, yeah, I give it to God. I do feel like I am a vessel and I'm ⁓ I'm being used in unimaginable ways.
B|17:04|t1|Yeah. And you find that like spirituality doesn't have to be on the nose about it. It's it's like it's all the little things. ⁓ It's like it's waking up feeling in a crappy mood and then like talking about it and what you live through your day and actually s write lyrics about it. Mm-hmm. And those things resonate because they feel like they are connected to something bigger than everyone else's experience.
A|17:26|t1|Yeah, it's that shared experience. Totally. It's like people seeing themselves ⁓ in the music.
B|17:31|t1|Yeah. So this new EP, subject change, which already, even in that title, feels like spiritual because what? We're always a pro
A|17:41|t1|I mean the only constant has changed.
B|17:43|t1|Exactly. Exactly. ⁓ what is that? Why did you why that titled for this project?
A|17:49|t1|⁓ okay, well there is this like a twofold thing. I think creatively I was in a place of experimenting and like really throwing tang at the wall, like having ⁓ writing camps, working with different songwriters and like just trying to get outside of my box a little bit. Yeah. And so I wanted people to know that like don't expect any one particular thing from me. ⁓ huh. Okay, 'cause it's a subject. ⁓ but also like ⁓ in terms of
A|18:18|t1|the content and and the music, ⁓ and just who I am. ⁓ I want Aries, you know, I'll be loving the hard one day. And then the next day I'm like, who is this man? You know, like, ⁓ I don't know this man. ⁓ So yeah, it just kind of speaks to that too, just like ⁓ emotional change and the ups and downs of how we show up in relationships.
B|18:44|t1|Yeah. ⁓ is it was it ⁓ you so you brought many people in the room ⁓ to collaborate to create this project. yeah. What do you ⁓ what do you love about the collaborative experience of like making music with a lot of with folks? ⁓
A|18:57|t1|⁓ Mm, I think just like the experimentation of of ⁓ not knowing what's gonna come out from certain dynamics. It's like, today I got my girl, Libby Frank, and Dwayne, like they're both crazy melodically. Yeah. Like, how are the three of us? What are we gonna do? You know? Yeah. I think that was always fun. And then ⁓ what else seeing seeing ⁓ kind of like what people pulled out of me to do. ⁓
B|19:25|t1|Does it when you start start a song, does it start with a conversation? Usually most times. Did you find that the the song you end up making with the folks r is related to the conversation? Even you know, it's even a start of purpose. So be like, you're talking about something initially and then all of a sudden y'all start making a song and you're like, it's not we're just talking about
A|19:43|t1|There are those moments. ⁓
B|19:45|t1|⁓ That's cool. Yeah. ⁓ and that's that's one of the things about the collaborative process too, is like I think that it's there's this process we I was talking about this with another conversation, this yes and, you know, with improvisation, I don't even heard this before, but improvisation the one of the rules is yes and so so whatever I say, your response to it has to affirm what I say and then add to it. Okay. So it's like this yes and thing. Cool. And ⁓ and I I love it because
B|20:15|t1|I think that's kind of what songwriting ⁓ is. You've been in some some sessions where it's like, ⁓ you know, people are shooting everything down. Yeah. And it doesn't feel very affirming. But then, you know, some bad some ideas are bad. But ⁓ but you know what I mean? But when it feels like you're just at play, like you're just like, my god, that's dope. And then this and then this, you know?
A|20:17|t1|I mean I need to try that. That's good. ⁓
A|20:37|t1|Somebody then I just robbed my friend ⁓ Dwayne. He's so incredible. But that makes me think about him because I'll like spit something out and be like, ⁓ it has hot. All right. You did not like that idea. But he'll make me feel very far in ⁓ a
B|21:00|t1|But that's kind of the songwriter trick too. Yeah. Because you've been in studios where you working with artists. Well, I've been in with there's some artists that they want it to be their idea. You ⁓ know what I'm saying? Yeah. Not saying you're that way, but but some people want it to be their idea. And so I just need to tell you when one of your ideas is this slide. Yeah. I don't know if you've ever been in that kind of situation.
A|21:10|t1|Mm-hmm.
A|21:19|t1|Yeah. Interesting. Interesting. I feel like I can be that artist. You can? Yeah. Yeah. I'm like, I need a help, ⁓ but also I just want to say what I want to say. Or help me say a veteran, please. ⁓ I can be, yeah, I can be that person.
B|21:36|t1|I'll learn to make this this pride live.
A|21:40|t1|So technically I'm saying a lot between my foreign and song and pull you into the film. So it's technically me and P and then an album is comics. All the music is done. ⁓ but it's been about two years I think of just like figuring out yeah how we were gonna do it.
B|21:57|t1|In terms of putting music out, do you love do you love putting out the the release part of music? Which one do you love better? The creating part of or the release part of it?
A|22:06|t1|⁓ I funny enough, the process of creating is so stressful to me. ⁓ No, I like to record. Yeah. But for me, I just I just do want to get it done. And so I ha I don't be surrendering to the process. It's like a workout for me. Interesting. so I would say the relief of a release ⁓ is my favorite part.
B|22:14|t1|Really? Yeah. I was thinking you're gonna say the opposite.
B|22:33|t1|So you're surrendering to the timing of it? Is that what you're surrendering to? Is it the parts of it that are like, Alright, this song's not done, I gotta get back in with this dude? we gotta get scheduled. And is it the scheduling and the time it takes to do it, if you can't knock it out? No.
A|22:38|t1|Yeah.
A|22:50|t1|It's the creative process. It's like, ⁓ we've been at this verse for an hour and a half. What's
A|22:59|t1|⁓ You know, it's that part. And then like I have like my child is my friend Baron Wade who we've done a lot together. He loves it. He loves like we don't get it like it. And I'm like, we ain't got it. We need to come back because I'm stressed out at this point. Like, yeah. ⁓
B|23:15|t1|So so what about I mean, even release in a social media environment, is that even though any other complications or do you love that even too?
A|23:24|t1|⁓
B|23:26|t1|That's all another story, ⁓
A|23:28|t1|But I I'm so grateful that I have ⁓ so many resources ⁓ and a great team now with my ⁓ with the lady that I'm signed to. ⁓ and they help me. 'Cause if it were up to me to create content, it would never happen. So yeah, I have a lot of support with that now.
B|23:45|t1|Are you a are you a do you consumer lysol training? ⁓ Yes, right? Isn't it crazy? ⁓ Me too, I'm like, ⁓ well I'm better than saying my partner. ⁓
A|24:00|t1|⁓ He over there scrolling. ⁓
B|24:06|t1|But it's ⁓ it is interesting too, 'cause it's like trying to figure out ways to where even when putting music out where it feels aligned with what like ⁓ with what I wanna s what I wanna say. Like for instance, you know, I put a song called Deliver Out and it was ⁓ very like kinda social political kind of song about division and the and the state of the world. Yeah. But it's like, do I wanna post that every single day? 'Cause I'm not in that place every single day. So that's been kind of the rub sometimes.
A|24:34|t1|Yeah, for sure. And that's where I surrender to ⁓ the job. ⁓ I'm like, this is this is my nine to five. ⁓ because I feel the same way talking about releases, just like the time it takes from like conception of an idea or like creation of it to release sometimes. I'm like, I always brain on me was I almost wanted it to rain on me two years ago. Okay, it's sunny now. I'm trying to get it now. ⁓ so I definitely feel that that part is
A|25:04|t1|is tough. But at the same time I I try to remind myself this is totally new ⁓ to the world and they're excited about it and yeah to kind of trying to tackle to that.
B|25:15|t1|I feel that. Yeah, one of the things that also my my partner is like, Yeah, you wrote the song, put it out next week and I'm like, Hey, there needs to be like a little setup for it or like you know what I mean? Can't just put it out. But yeah, it is true. Like when you're in the moment of that song and you just created it, ⁓ it would be nice if everything's just lined up and you just and then it's just released and you're like, Yeah.
A|25:35|t1|But I feel like you do have the freedom to do to do that, right?
B|25:39|t1|I do 'cause I'm independent. Right. So I don't have to get ev the all the departments on board. Exactly. But there's still there's still this kind of like, Man, if I would've waited ⁓ when I got more numbers, you know, if I would have prepped it a certain way, ⁓ would have been different, you know? Yeah. ⁓ but that's you know, I'm an independent artist. I remember my my my sign days. ⁓ have you ⁓ what would you say to artists who feel overwhelmed by
B|26:08|t1|The pressure of constantly had him show up online.
A|26:12|t1|I say we don't have to gozzle on the shovel. I think that that pressure is self imposed. Nobody's making you do that. I think that we need to really ⁓ know ⁓ our ⁓ limits what we have the capacity for. Mm-hmm. ⁓ and yeah, just know that it's not we ain't gotta do that. That's true. ⁓
B|26:37|t1|Very true. But we also like, you know, you can talk because you think the algorithm, you have to feed the algorithm or it won't let you back. Mm-hmm. And that's you know, and it's kind of like playing the car before the horse kind of thing. Yeah. It's like it's actually like creating a song thinking about how it's gonna be received. You know what I mean? Yeah. Do you ever do you ever go through that? That's another stress when it comes to creating the creative process. ⁓ Yeah. ⁓ Rick Rubin, ⁓ didn't do you ever wrote that book. ⁓ It's so good.
A|26:59|t1|Yeah. ⁓
A|27:05|t1|Yes, I love it. One of my practices as well, revisiting them, but
B|27:09|t1|Mm-hmm. And he says, like, you know, when as soon as you start when you're creating, you start thinking about what other people are gonna receive, how they're gonna receive it, what they're gonna think about it. You've already lost the like intimate connection, the thing that people are gonna be into. That it's always that people are gonna be into exactly what is coming naturally out of you. Yeah, that's wrong. That's that's that's how yeah. What about ⁓
B|27:37|t1|As you look ahead, what feels most important for you to express in your artistry right now?
A|27:42|t1|Wow. I think just more intimate truth, you know. ⁓ especially like you were saying, the state of the world, you know. ⁓ And going back to what I was saying about just like the time it takes to release, it's like, ⁓ would I be making the music that I'm making, like knowing what was gonna be happening right now? Probably not. I probably would have had a, you know, ⁓ more focus on some of the world events or just, you know, speaking to
A|28:10|t1|current issues, you know. But the way that the timeline is set up and like you said, all the channels that things have to go through, that's just not how it works for me. But I definitely do ⁓ want to be thinking ahead about that. Yeah.
B|28:24|t1|Yeah. Well and also ⁓ you your project coming out is right on time. ⁓ Some people need they need something else to feel good about what's happening because everything's so heavy. Yeah.
A|28:37|t1|And that's true. And I I also I'm grateful for that. I think that you're right. Like we need something light. Like I have an out tempo coming out for the summer and it's like, Yes, we need to dance. Like that's an outlet too. That's an act of revolution too. You know, so it is. ⁓ yeah, there is that way.
B|28:55|t1|Seeing it. Yeah. And also too, I mean, social media rip talking about how social media has an impact on people going out and dancing. You know what I mean? Just like but like ugly, like getting sweaty and just dancing your ass off, not caring about who sees you and all that kind of stuff. Yeah. ⁓ and I think that that's something that we need to lean heavily into in those days.
A|29:17|t1|Mm-hmm. Yeah, the ⁓ the no phone parties. ⁓
B|29:21|t1|You been to some of those no phone parties? I don't know.
A|29:24|t1|Bruno Mars de yeah, ⁓
B|29:27|t1|he has to though. Yeah. 'Cause otherwise
A|29:30|t1|Yeah, he does that. Also Dave Chevelle, like resurrected him, but ⁓ I was around him for a bit ⁓ and he has all these musical friends and stuff that he will throw these underground parties and and shows and it's like he gotta like it's on the
B|29:47|t1|when you hang when you've been around Dave Chappelle, is he like always been some like deep about ⁓ okay. 'Cause I feel like that's kind of how he would be like.
A|29:58|t1|feel like he's come more into that now. I guess when I was around him like this was some years a few years back. Mm-hmm. There was some lightheartedness there too. Yeah, he's Dave. I mean he's a comedian, so
B|30:10|t1|one time I was hanging out with ⁓ what's her name from J Davy? ⁓ yeah, Jack from J Davy. ⁓ and we just happened to go. She's like, Hey, I'm gonna visit a friend that says Swingers. Remember that dinosaur swingers? And she was like, Yes, a friend, we're just gonna hang out. And so we went over there and her friend's sitting with Dave Chappelle. And I was just like, my god, why is this Dave Chappelle sitting here? I mean, this is probably like twenty eleven or something like that. So I was fully like, my god.
B|30:39|t1|And ⁓ and he was dr he was just dropping so many gems about ⁓ like just just deep stuff, why he left the show. ⁓ and I didn't expect that to happen as soon as you know what I mean? So I just felt like that was gonna happen everywhere he goes.
A|30:53|t1|Yeah. ⁓
B|30:59|t1|⁓ so also too, so you so the the project comes out may first. Yes. And how how the project is it's ⁓
A|31:06|t1|It's so it's six songs, it's an A ⁓ P. Apparently seven songs makes it an album. Okay. yeah. So it would have maybe been seven, but it's six ⁓ really amazing songs. Some you've heard, some you have not.
B|31:18|t1|And is always D Mile on most of it?
A|31:20|t1|Yep, he produced ⁓ the entire thing. ⁓ and there is right right on the actually was there's some there's a couple of collabs, ⁓ and collabs. Shout out to Spencer Stewart, incredible producer who I loved working with. Yeah. ⁓ Little Child, incredible. ⁓ yeah. Yeah, there's there's a a handful of people who came in place.
B|31:42|t1|About guest artists.
A|31:44|t1|⁓ I think it's just the lucky day feature on Cotton Candy. Yeah. Okay. ⁓
B|31:49|t1|Did y'all work together a lot, huh?
A|31:51|t1|No, I was I've known him forever, like dating back to ATL days. ⁓ And this wouldn't give me a feature. I had to I actually I'm not gonna say what I have to do. No ⁓
B|31:59|t1|No
B|32:05|t1|No take this song. Sit down, we're gonna write the song together right now.
A|32:08|t1|not him no. ⁓ but yeah he finally did me the honor of
B|32:14|t1|⁓ Are you are you making your songs in the middle of the night or are you in a more of a daytime?
A|32:19|t1|I don't know daytime, listen. ⁓ You know how old we are now. ⁓ I'd be tired. Exactly. Yeah. So I like to get in around like one PM.
B|32:31|t1|Especially like five sessions, I would go in there as a songwriter and they're like we were supposed to start at one PM and then they don't come in until like four or five and then they smoke weed for like two hours and then you don't start 'til like eight and you're like, my God, I'm exhausted. ⁓ I'll never
A|32:47|t1|That's crazy. Yeah. ⁓ I've sit in situations where I felt like I couldn't lead, but now I would never. I'd be like, Okay, you got ⁓ an hour max of lateness. Yeah.
B|32:58|t1|Amazing. ⁓ Well I'm glad you came through. ⁓ my goodness. I know we've been trying to get together for a long time, but we made it happen. It's like a lucky day situation. I was like podcast. ⁓
A|33:12|t1|I'm so grateful. I'm so proud of you and everything that you're doing.
B|33:15|t1|Thank you, thank you. And I've always been a fan of you, your voice, the lyrics, everything about your artistry. So I can't wait for the new project.
A|33:23|t1|Thank you. And our our collab is long on Ruby too. So ⁓
B|33:26|t1|let's go. Uh-huh. Let's get it. Ain't nothing but word. Okay. All right. Thank you so much.
A|33:31|t1|Thank you. ⁓