I like to leave things open to interpretation. But I also like to make a point. There's two meanings behind each EP title. With 'Time,' that was 'time to move on': you know, you've been in a bad situation; this is enough. But it was also time, in my life, for introducing myself, my first project I was putting out with Mustard. A new exciting time.
I wanted to show people that I don't just make love songs that are about purely being in love.
As much as heartbreak music might be therapeutic, we all want love and long for that feeling. So if a song can give you that feeling, even without being in love, that's amazing.
It's deeper than the music when it comes to me and Mustard. He's like a big brother, and I'm so thankful to have a mentor like him to advise me. Even though he gives me a lot of creative control, I always go to him like, 'Do you like this?' It's so cool that it's always a collaborative effort. He never makes me feel pressured or anything.
'Naked' embodies what everyone, at the end of the day, really wants and how they should feel.
The first time I found out that 'Boo'd Up' went platinum, I was handed the plaque. They really surprised me. I thought we were gold, and then Mustard and my managers brought the plaque to my rehearsals and told me. I was like, 'You are lying!' Like, I couldn't believe it. I'm just honored, honestly. It's a great feeling.
I was a huge Lauryn Hill fan; that was all my mom would listen to in the car.
'The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill' happens to be my favorite album.
Sometimes we misinterpret, sometimes we misunderstand, sometimes we make mistakes.
From the end of 2015 to the start of 2016, I was always at the studio with Mustard, just figuring out a sound.
Mustard saw my Instagram probably, like, August of 2015. He just reached out to me by DM on Instagram.
Mustard believes in me so much. It's good to have a mentor that's been through it. Even though he's a producer, he's been a new artist.
There's loads of eyes and expectations. People are almost waiting for you to make a mistake so they can say, 'Oh, she's a one-hit wonder!'
It was such a culture shock for me, being plucked from this diverse neighborhood in London into Jamaica Queens. I'm in this new environment, and I had an English accent.
Everyone in L.A. loves sushi, and I don't understand it at all.
When you're in love, your heart and your mind are in sync, and everything just feels right. It's a special feeling.
I could never have imagined that, so early in my career, that I'd be ticking off boxes that I've dreamed about since I was a little girl.
As much as a lot of my music is very R&B, there's a bounce to it that obviously makes it easier to perform live. It's upbeat and uptempo.
It's okay to wake up and look however you look. You are beautiful regardless.
