January 24, 2025 • 31 mins
Today we speak to 8th LDM Music Award winner Choy
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hey, everybody, this is your girl Evy and another episode.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Oh wait a minute, wait season two.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
Let me just clarify that it's season two of Real Talk,
Real Music. So this is our first episode and happy
New Year to everybody. But listen, welcome, welcome, welcome. I'm
so happy to be here this year and I have
I'm super happy because I have one an amazing and
amazing guest today. So I mean when I met him,
(00:31):
I met him on the eighth annual LBN Radio Awards
and I was sitting in the audience and I was
just flabbergasted by his voice, his just the way he
carried himself, and I was just like in love. Yes,
I'm gonna say I was in love and I'm still
in love. But I hope you guys are doing well,
(00:53):
and I am so excited. Please welcome my special guest today.
He is and amazing talent and smart, you name it,
the incomparable joy and.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
Hello, Hello, Evie. Thank you so much for having me
ld and radio. Thank you so much. This is a
long time coming, and I'm excited that we're here.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
Yes, yes, thank you so much for spending time with
me and and just taking you know, a little time
of your busy schedule to sit down with us here
and be on radio and.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Especially with me.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
You know, I started following you, so I see everything
that you've been doing.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
So I'm so so blessed that you so, yes, I
follow you.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
I'm lurking, welcome joy.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
How are you?
Speaker 3 (01:48):
I am well, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
How was the holidays?
Speaker 3 (01:54):
It was good, busy, busy and good. You know, basically
I have family in Florida and have family in New York,
so baus he spent the time between both of them.
And actually I also came out with a Christmas song.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
I know this Christmas Day. Oh yes I did.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
I did listen to it, and it is beautiful, really
beautiful song, really beautiful song. Which I think it's just
I know that you had mentioned in your comments in Instagram,
you know that holiday traditions can feel different after a loss,
but they can also help us keep memories alive. And
(02:37):
you also said this song is about finding the balance
of honoring the past while creating new moments, and I
think that was that's beautiful. And I know that your
mom had passed. I was wondering that you based it
when you wrote this song, that you based it on
the memories of your mom, your childhood and the holiday season.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
So my mom didn't pass actually, so this this song
is really about for a friend of mine.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
So my friend, Oh my goodness, no, no, oh my god, listen,
I thought she passed.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
My apologies.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
Oh my, that's okay, it's okay. You no, not in
a bad way, no, right, right, right.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Wondering when you when you mentioned those words, I'm thinking,
oh my god, maybe his mom passed or anything is
honoring the people that have passed, and I'm like, oh
my god, So that's why I assumed.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
So my apologies, okay, no, no worries. So it was
actually it was my friend, one of my best friends.
Her her son passed away about two years ago. Actually
he was actually going for to be a firefighter and
during the physical exam he collapsed and he passed away.
(03:56):
And you know, it's it's been hard for her and
it's been hard for us right in the family and
friends and close friends. And it was my way of
just you know, honoring him and also comforting the way
that I can, or support the way that I can.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
You know, to my friend, Wow, that's amazing, because sometimes
you know, as friends and you know, colleagues or anything.
Sometimes you want to be there for that special someone
and there's so much you want to say, so much
to be there, but then at the same time, you
want to give them their space. So it's really nice
(04:35):
that you actually based it on that, and even you
gave her her space. But I'm sure that you were
helping her through something, you know, so beautiful as the song,
you know, it's awesome, and so I love the song and.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
It reminds me of my mom.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
I think that's why I said past my mom passed,
and I was thinking when I read your words, I'm like,
you know, it's so true because during special times like that,
you remember, oh my god, when I was little, when
my brothers, my cousins, whoever, you know.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
So it was, you know, a very touchy song. So
I loved it. I loved it.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Thank you, Thank you.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
But I know that your you have a background from Trinida,
your family from Trinidas raised in Brooklyn Shadow because then
they got the comforts you were raised in Long Island.
But do you do you think that your influence now
(05:34):
with music it comes from that background of you know,
because if you think about it, you know it's from
the islands, Calypso you know, rhythmic, you know sounds.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Do you think it helps you to get out of
you know, out of your comfort zone per se?
Speaker 3 (05:55):
Yeah, yeah, I mean I would say like if you
listen to like real old school Calypso, right, you'll hear
like they're telling a story. And that's what I want
to do with my music, or part of what I
want to do with music is to tell a story, right,
to take you from one experience and going from the
beginning to the end. And that's a heavy influence I
(06:20):
would say that I have with Calypso music. And then
also in particularly in the the EP that I released
in twenty twenty three. One of the songs, let Go
was actually it's afrobeats, but I also paid homage to
my Cribuan roots. So you'll hear certain words that are
(06:43):
you know, whether from you know, Trinidad or from Jamaica
or just from other islands, but kind of just infused
in the song and the last part of the song
you can kind of hear me go thump out like
the thumpa dump dump. Basically it's it's the whole that
and the whole song, but part of that part of
that is is kind of like almost like beating of
the pan right, the steel right. So so that's kind
(07:06):
of my homage in at least in in in the
last ep that I.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
Did right because I was listening to the LP, which
is amazing, by the way, it's cold enough that's the
title of the LP.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
But it's amazing.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
And what I like is that you have your versatile
in in in your tones and voices and different types
of So I'm gonna be honest. I was telling as
a matter of fact, I was talking to my boyfriend
and I was saying, oh my god, he reminds me
of people Bryson, and he came out and he said.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
You know what, he reminds me of General Avert And
I'm like, like a combination, and I'm like, oh my god.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
And you do if anyone do listen, and please anyone
out there that's listening to this podcast, if you listen
to Choice Voice and his songs, it reminds you of
that vibe, of that general of verb vibe and that people.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
But you know what I mean, Like that's.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
I mean, those are great, So I love that.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
You know, if no, no, but if if you're you
know you're listening if you're very you know, into like
lyrics and voice and tones. It remind me and we
were talking about it. I'm like, oh my god. And
he came out with gerald avert. I was like, listen,
I'm like, oh my god, that's it's true, you know,
like I didn't think of it, but it's it's inspiring.
(08:33):
You know. I think that your voice is very it's
very like a cool tone and very welcoming.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
Very and your pole post voice. It is just amazing,
you know. You know, do you consider yourself a versatile artist?
Speaker 3 (08:51):
Maybe? You know, I'll say that I didn't want to be. Yeah,
you know, I didn't want to be pinned down as
one thing, you know, or at least singing in one
way because music, for me, you know, there's only influences
or there's sounds and beats and then moving from of
course the different genres and I love so so much,
(09:15):
you know, And I didn't want to say, Okay, I'm
only going to do R and B, I'm only going
to do pop, I'm only going to do afrobeats. And
when people ask me what genre are you? And like
the only thing I can say, I can say, right,
now I'm like, I'm adult contemporary just because because adult
contemporary is not truly defined. So I'm like, it's kind
(09:37):
of a mix of like any and all these things,
because I don't want to be pigeonholed into making one
type of sound because different music or different sounds or
they all influence me.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
That's why I considered you a versatile artist because you
can even do gospel.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
You could go into gospel, you could go into.
Speaker 3 (09:59):
You I'm writing something right now, you.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
Could go on and be you know what I mean.
You're so versatile with your voice that is just it
even theater like because I know you have a background.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
Theater that's going to that soon.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
But you know, like you could do even you know,
like have a band like one of the orchestra and
you can actually you know, that's how versatile your voice
I think it is.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
You know, yeah, so it's amazing, you know, like.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
It sometimes certain certain singers they just stick by one thing.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
And do you think.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
That that that's good or is it a bad thing
to do?
Speaker 3 (10:41):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (10:42):
It depends, you know, yeah.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
Yeah, I think it depends. I think I mean, if
if you know, you have a certain sounds, right and
you know that that's what it is and it sounds good,
and sure, stay in your lane, I will say, definitely
experiment though, just to see how other you know, sounds
voice to et cetera, you know, work for you. So
I say that's fine, you know, and if you find
(11:06):
you know, as they say, niche down, you find a
niche that that works for you, why not. So I
don't think it's a bad thing that folks, you know,
stay in in one genre. For me, I'm a person
that I like to play, I like to to create,
I like to have fun. So I'm gonna play in
this area for a little bit. I'm gonna play in
this little this this play sound sandbox, you know, or
(11:30):
playground a little bit and see what happens. And I
think that's what this first album was for me, was
just to let me just play and and see what
what what what comes? You know? What was important for
me was the was of course, the lyrics and the
tone and the message that that came with it, right and.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
That and the songs that they have a message.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
Definitely, I think that everybody who listens to the album
can connect with either.
Speaker 2 (12:03):
One or two songs or all of them.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
I think that lyrically, it's an amazing we'll put together
album my opinion, you know, and I hope that anybody
who's listening go out there and listen to it, you know,
and let us know what you think about it, you know,
because this is what you know, what it's all.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
About when you talk about music and you're trying to connect,
you know.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
But you know, since we're talking about being versatile and
your style and really how you didn't even know how
it was going to come out. Do you think that
music has evolved over the years because of whole social
media movement and now you really don't have to be
signed in our record label too. You could just produce
(12:47):
your own and put it out there exactly.
Speaker 3 (12:50):
So yes, it definitely has evolved the industry. And I
would say exactly what you just said, like twenty plus
years ago, if I were to create, would I would
have to be with the label. There's smaller labels out
there and of course the bigger labels, and that's that
was the only way. Now you can create your own music.
(13:11):
You can create your own sound, you can create the
way you want to represent yourself, your brands. You know,
you don't necessarily have to have a label to be
out there, and social media definitely does help that. So
and I do think that especially now which a lot
of stuff is happening in the in the music industry
(13:33):
right now. We're not going to name names. We're not
going to name names, but I think there is it
is going to be a big blow up, I do think.
But with that, I think more people are going to
go the independent route.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
I too, I agree with you.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
I think that a lot of people are making on
their own, they are are producing, they and that not
only is it going to help them, but I think
it's going to help for people that are producers out
there that they're going to be available. You're going to
be working with different types of people, you know, and
you could be unique. I mean, is it does Does
(14:13):
it pay.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
To be unique in this industry right now? You think?
Speaker 3 (14:17):
I think so? I think so. I mean, well, you
know what, you know what it And I think that's
what sets the independent artists, you know, apart of just
just signing with the label, because sometimes you could just
kind of just sound like you know, the the popular artists,
and the independent artists are like, no, we're going to
make this sound or we're going to create music the
(14:37):
way that we want to create music. And that's why,
you know, I'm able to do this now, the way
that I want to, like, I'm able to work with.
And I have folks in Brazil, folks in Argentina, folks
in Africa, folks.
Speaker 4 (14:54):
In countries there there they love American sick so much
and they're being inspired by a lot of.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
Uh singers from here.
Speaker 3 (15:09):
Yea, So.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
It is amazing. I've seen it. I've seen it in
a lot of people are coming from this country. Is
you know, coming out with some songs and putting it
out there and.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
Amazing music, amazing music.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
Yes, it is.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
It's unbelievable. So I agree with you on that, you know.
But but you know that that's the good thing about
being you know, like we influenced people, you know it,
you know, regardless of what it is. You know, it
kind of feels good when people are like, you know what,
I heard that sound from this particular single. Let me
(15:45):
just start working on this. Let me see if I
could turn this around so that the creative aspect of
it is so so fulfilling.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
I love it. I love it. I mean not only
just you know, with with the songs I write the songs.
I collaborate with the songs that would have you know,
I commissioned, you know, for written for me. But I
love the the creative you know, moments where we're put
piecing it all together. So for instance, with running in Circles,
(16:17):
it's with thank You. It was a Brazilian team, Zeka
and and Leo, and what they did is, you know,
they came back back and forth. I think it was
like ten times around the music and I'm like, no,
that's not it, No, that's I was very specific on
what what I kind of wanted. I wanted something. I
(16:37):
wanted to ballot, I wanted something in three three quarter time, right.
But they they came back and and they were hungry
because they wanted to to serve. They wanted to make
sure that they got it right. So literally we went
back ten times before getting the right sound that that
I wanted.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
You know, I always said that when you rush projects,
they just don't come out with the same a sentimental
feeling or this or whatever projected.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
Message that you want to put out there.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
And even though it gets frustrating, I can imagine, oh
my god, another time and like you mentioned, ten times,
but you know, what at the end.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
It was a beautiful project. It was a beautiful song.
And it's just I think that the collaboration came out wonderful. Honestly,
you know, I go to work again together.
Speaker 3 (17:36):
It's coming. Something's coming, Something's coming.
Speaker 1 (17:41):
So yes, okay, you hear it here first something? Oh man, Yes,
my fingers closed out everything. You know, A new projects
come out because I think that that it was. It
was a beautiful song. It was a few would be
a beautiful song. And I just hope that more come.
Speaker 3 (18:03):
More come, yes, yes, yes, But.
Speaker 1 (18:07):
Like I mentioned before, I know you have been influenced
by the theater. I know that you took the theater
when you were in high school. And uh, do you
think that the early training has cultivated and add to
your your storytelling, richness of the songs and anything like that. Definitely,
(18:29):
definitely it could be you know, tragic and and.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
But I think it helps, it.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
Does it does, so, yes, So theater in college and
high school and definitely in all the music groups like
whether it's the Gleek Club or or apropella and all that,
and and what I love about about theater right of course,
is the dramatic way of telling a story through music,
(19:08):
not that I intentionally went into into as I'm creating music,
but I think because of the background, Like I also
hear folks saying I could totally see or hear this
song in a in in a show, I could win
it meaning a theater or even in a film, yes,
And and I was like, oh my god, that's that's great.
(19:30):
Of course I would love for that to happen. And
that's what it is, is to take you on a journey, right.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
I think that's what you did in your last LP.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
I think that's what you did, because now that you
mentioned that and I'm remembering, you know, listening to the album,
I think you did take us all in our journey
and at different you know, different stages of your life.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
You know, it was it was, it was. It was
the first time where I became more vulnerable into my life,
into my emotions, into what I was feeling. And so
much came, you know, from from that, and not only
(20:13):
just because of the creation. There's healing that came from
from that. And I can tell you how it all
started if you want to hear. If you want to
hear how that started.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
Okay, let me get my one and let me know
you can, you can let us know, you.
Speaker 3 (20:35):
Know sure, So well, I'll tell you how it started.
Started from actually just just a you know, a divorce
and and break up. And I remember the title of
the whole album is enough, and the song enough was
I wanted to write something where where if it started
(20:57):
with me, but I wanted to wrestling for me where
I felt like I was enough, that I'm worthy, right,
I was going through my own grieving process and this
is where I felt I wasn't enough, So I said,
I want to I want to create something, you know,
with that and for me, because music is my therapy.
I went right there. And then you know, I was
(21:19):
able to work with Antonio Marquee and she was able
to to kind of bring the lyrics to life with
melody and also works. And then I worked with a
group in Argentina to create the music for it. And
(21:39):
you know, I didn't know this was going to be
an album. I just thought it was just going to
be a song and that was it. And and then
I shared it with a good friend of mine who's
in the industry, Marchina and Bruno, and she was like,
you should create an album and I'm like I guess, okay,
(22:00):
I don't think about this, but I'll do it. And
then and then with that, the next song was get
Ready Ecstasy. So I wrote that one and again you know,
worked with the couple in in Argentina.
Speaker 5 (22:17):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (22:18):
And and that one is more seductive song and because
I was like, I want to write something where you know,
where just feel sexy and powerful, but yet it's not
you know, it's it's it's also consensual and all of that, right,
so it's not it's not it's not like nasty that way,
(22:38):
but you know, so that was important to me around
like again, like this is also part of my work
of like how do I feel, you know, in my body?
And this is what I want to come across. And
and then from there moved into you know these the
other songs. I think that The next song was Learning
(22:58):
to Cry and that song actually took a year and
a half oh wow to create from beginning to end.
And it started with writing a love letter to my
younger self. Wow, so my kid, you know, as as
a child, and I was working with a coach to
(23:20):
do so which to do it?
Speaker 1 (23:22):
Because I know you wrote a book, did you write?
Didn't have to was it in between what you know,
you writing the book, because I know you took a
little you know, and.
Speaker 2 (23:34):
Like two years ago you wrote this book.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
And was that in the middle of you writing that
book that you started writing this lyric?
Speaker 2 (23:41):
Lyrics?
Speaker 1 (23:42):
And you know, like you said, you wrote a letter
to yourself. But did it turn into lyrically you know,
into song?
Speaker 3 (23:52):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (23:52):
Yes, yes, things are funny when they develop.
Speaker 2 (23:56):
It's like you know, the mindstarts.
Speaker 1 (23:58):
Working it does I mean, yes, you can inspire you
to It all.
Speaker 3 (24:04):
Kind of happened at the same time, right, So I
so it's an action journal. It's called Boldly Bound, an
action journal on self love and body confidence, and it's
a thirty six day action journal. Talked about the five
self love techniques, right and so so yes, kind of
(24:26):
it all kind of happened around the same time. So
I started the let's see, I started the the music
in twenty twenty one, and actually I also started the
action journal in twenty twenty one as well, So they
were both kind of happening at the same time.
Speaker 5 (24:40):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (24:41):
But yeah, but Leria the Crime took basically about, like
as I said, you know, a year and a half
to create from start to finish from the love letter
to my younger self and then you know, again working
with Antonio to create lyrics around it, and then my
voice teacher David R. Sissy I work with him to
(25:03):
create the music, and then Nicole with the melody. So
like all these people to help with this, and that
song for me was the hardest one to actually do
because it was the one where I felt the most vulnerable,
basically sharing parts of me that I haven't done before.
Speaker 2 (25:23):
And it's so hard.
Speaker 1 (25:24):
It's hard to share when it comes to I mean,
you you could be a performance and you could tell that,
tell a story whatever, something that happened, But when it
comes from deep inside.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
Your own memories, your own what you.
Speaker 1 (25:37):
Lived through, it's kind of like you put yourself out there.
You become vulnerable, you know, So I applaud you for that.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
It's hard to do. It's hard to do, honestly, thank you,
you know.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
And you know, and the funny thing is with that song,
a lot of people didn't know what I was going through. Wow,
And this song you know, there there's there's verses of
it around, Like you know, I've sat in many dark
corners feeling like I didn't belong sat and alone, saying
(26:14):
sorry to my soul for taking so long to let
it all go. And then it goes into learning to
cry right. And I had to share that with my
parents first. Wow, And they didn't know about just how
I felt, you know, along the years, and they you know,
I wore a mask, you know, I wore a mask
(26:37):
a lot, and you know, we had conversations around it,
like I didn't know how this you know, any of
this right? And what it did, is it really it had.
It gave me the opportunity to have deeper conversations with
my parents. And then also with that, they saw me
(26:58):
in a different way, which then when I did a
concert for the for the EP, you know, there were
such special moments that I've never seen from them, never
seen from them, and seeing them in this moment, in
this light, you know, the emotions that came through them
(27:21):
were so beautiful that just because of just this song
or really the album, we were able to create those moments.
Speaker 1 (27:32):
Oh my goodness, I am so happy that you had
that moment and then you were able to share that
with them. And because sometimes it's like you mentioned, you know,
we we wear masks.
Speaker 5 (27:46):
We we go through so much and we don't show
it and when we release it, two loved ones and
just to receive that love and that except I could
just imagine.
Speaker 2 (27:59):
You know how you will you were feeling that day.
You know, you know it's healing. Healing takes time.
Speaker 1 (28:07):
And it's just you gotta just gotta believe in and
take your time, take your time and let the healing begin,
you know. And you know, I'm so I'm so glad
joy that you know, I got I got to talk
to you, and we got to talk to you about
your your project, your your things and and good things
(28:29):
that are coming even though you but you know, and
you let us, you know, view what was life during
that time. So I appreciate that a lot. And I'm sorry.
I I, oh my god, I murder your mommy, Please tell.
Speaker 2 (28:47):
Her to not.
Speaker 1 (28:50):
O my goodness, the real talk of music.
Speaker 2 (28:59):
But I think it was because I was thinking about
my mom, you know what. I apologize again. No, don't
be mad at me.
Speaker 3 (29:07):
I am not.
Speaker 2 (29:10):
Yeah, look you're making me cough and everything. So before
we go, anything new that you're working on.
Speaker 3 (29:19):
Yes, yes, I'm actually working.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
Bless you, thank you.
Speaker 3 (29:24):
So I'm actually working on on an album and it's
so it's gonna be part affirmation music, so going into
a totally different genre altogether. I'm working with this amazing
affirmation music coach. Her name is coach Marie. And you know,
(29:48):
there's there's definitely vulnerability in here too that's coming out
and you know, and and I hope that it really
touches folks, you know, at their core. So I'm I'm
excited about about that. And then also I'm gonna be
working with with some folks that I worked on with
(30:08):
the other album as well.
Speaker 1 (30:13):
So I am so happy. Thank you so much shoy
too for being here with me today. Like I said,
my apologies again, but I think that that's that shows
you how your music touches everybody. And it brought us
into you know, like those feelings and those you know
(30:35):
listening and just reminiscent about the little things. We're family,
were friends, we loved ones, whatever you know your situation is. So,
you know, thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (30:48):
With me today. And so I'm coughing listen.
Speaker 1 (30:51):
This is like I don't know what's going on, and
with all this, you know, everybody's getting sick. But thank
you so much. I appreciate you so so so much.
Like I said at the beginning of the show, I
was very blessed to me too to to even like
got to hear you live, Okay, let me just live
(31:15):
and I got to hear your beautiful voice. Thank you,
thank you, thank you so much. Appreciate it so much.
And listen everybody out there. His music is available on
all social media platforms, is available in every am a song, Spotify, everything,
So please reach out, listen, you know, give him some love, support, support, please,
(31:39):
thank you so much, joy, thank you so much, love
and blessings always already
Hey, everybody, this is your girl Evy and another episode.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Oh wait a minute, wait season two.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
Let me just clarify that it's season two of Real Talk,
Real Music. So this is our first episode and happy
New Year to everybody. But listen, welcome, welcome, welcome. I'm
so happy to be here this year and I have
I'm super happy because I have one an amazing and
amazing guest today. So I mean when I met him,
(00:31):
I met him on the eighth annual LBN Radio Awards
and I was sitting in the audience and I was
just flabbergasted by his voice, his just the way he
carried himself, and I was just like in love. Yes,
I'm gonna say I was in love and I'm still
in love. But I hope you guys are doing well,
(00:53):
and I am so excited. Please welcome my special guest today.
He is and amazing talent and smart, you name it,
the incomparable joy and.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
Hello, Hello, Evie. Thank you so much for having me
ld and radio. Thank you so much. This is a
long time coming, and I'm excited that we're here.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
Yes, yes, thank you so much for spending time with
me and and just taking you know, a little time
of your busy schedule to sit down with us here
and be on radio and.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Especially with me.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
You know, I started following you, so I see everything
that you've been doing.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
So I'm so so blessed that you so, yes, I
follow you.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
I'm lurking, welcome joy.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
How are you?
Speaker 3 (01:48):
I am well, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
How was the holidays?
Speaker 3 (01:54):
It was good, busy, busy and good. You know, basically
I have family in Florida and have family in New York,
so baus he spent the time between both of them.
And actually I also came out with a Christmas song.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
I know this Christmas Day. Oh yes I did.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
I did listen to it, and it is beautiful, really
beautiful song, really beautiful song. Which I think it's just
I know that you had mentioned in your comments in Instagram,
you know that holiday traditions can feel different after a loss,
but they can also help us keep memories alive. And
(02:37):
you also said this song is about finding the balance
of honoring the past while creating new moments, and I
think that was that's beautiful. And I know that your
mom had passed. I was wondering that you based it
when you wrote this song, that you based it on
the memories of your mom, your childhood and the holiday season.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
So my mom didn't pass actually, so this this song
is really about for a friend of mine.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
So my friend, Oh my goodness, no, no, oh my god, listen,
I thought she passed.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
My apologies.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
Oh my, that's okay, it's okay. You no, not in
a bad way, no, right, right, right.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Wondering when you when you mentioned those words, I'm thinking,
oh my god, maybe his mom passed or anything is
honoring the people that have passed, and I'm like, oh
my god, So that's why I assumed.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
So my apologies, okay, no, no worries. So it was
actually it was my friend, one of my best friends.
Her her son passed away about two years ago. Actually
he was actually going for to be a firefighter and
during the physical exam he collapsed and he passed away.
(03:56):
And you know, it's it's been hard for her and
it's been hard for us right in the family and
friends and close friends. And it was my way of
just you know, honoring him and also comforting the way
that I can, or support the way that I can.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
You know, to my friend, Wow, that's amazing, because sometimes
you know, as friends and you know, colleagues or anything.
Sometimes you want to be there for that special someone
and there's so much you want to say, so much
to be there, but then at the same time, you
want to give them their space. So it's really nice
(04:35):
that you actually based it on that, and even you
gave her her space. But I'm sure that you were
helping her through something, you know, so beautiful as the song,
you know, it's awesome, and so I love the song and.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
It reminds me of my mom.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
I think that's why I said past my mom passed,
and I was thinking when I read your words, I'm like,
you know, it's so true because during special times like that,
you remember, oh my god, when I was little, when
my brothers, my cousins, whoever, you know.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
So it was, you know, a very touchy song. So
I loved it. I loved it.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Thank you, Thank you.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
But I know that your you have a background from Trinida,
your family from Trinidas raised in Brooklyn Shadow because then
they got the comforts you were raised in Long Island.
But do you do you think that your influence now
(05:34):
with music it comes from that background of you know,
because if you think about it, you know it's from
the islands, Calypso you know, rhythmic, you know sounds.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Do you think it helps you to get out of
you know, out of your comfort zone per se?
Speaker 3 (05:55):
Yeah, yeah, I mean I would say like if you
listen to like real old school Calypso, right, you'll hear
like they're telling a story. And that's what I want
to do with my music, or part of what I
want to do with music is to tell a story, right,
to take you from one experience and going from the
beginning to the end. And that's a heavy influence I
(06:20):
would say that I have with Calypso music. And then
also in particularly in the the EP that I released
in twenty twenty three. One of the songs, let Go
was actually it's afrobeats, but I also paid homage to
my Cribuan roots. So you'll hear certain words that are
(06:43):
you know, whether from you know, Trinidad or from Jamaica
or just from other islands, but kind of just infused
in the song and the last part of the song
you can kind of hear me go thump out like
the thumpa dump dump. Basically it's it's the whole that
and the whole song, but part of that part of
that is is kind of like almost like beating of
the pan right, the steel right. So so that's kind
(07:06):
of my homage in at least in in in the
last ep that I.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
Did right because I was listening to the LP, which
is amazing, by the way, it's cold enough that's the
title of the LP.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
But it's amazing.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
And what I like is that you have your versatile
in in in your tones and voices and different types
of So I'm gonna be honest. I was telling as
a matter of fact, I was talking to my boyfriend
and I was saying, oh my god, he reminds me
of people Bryson, and he came out and he said.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
You know what, he reminds me of General Avert And
I'm like, like a combination, and I'm like, oh my god.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
And you do if anyone do listen, and please anyone
out there that's listening to this podcast, if you listen
to Choice Voice and his songs, it reminds you of
that vibe, of that general of verb vibe and that people.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
But you know what I mean, Like that's.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
I mean, those are great, So I love that.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
You know, if no, no, but if if you're you
know you're listening if you're very you know, into like
lyrics and voice and tones. It remind me and we
were talking about it. I'm like, oh my god. And
he came out with gerald avert. I was like, listen,
I'm like, oh my god, that's it's true, you know,
like I didn't think of it, but it's it's inspiring.
(08:33):
You know. I think that your voice is very it's
very like a cool tone and very welcoming.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
Very and your pole post voice. It is just amazing,
you know. You know, do you consider yourself a versatile artist?
Speaker 3 (08:51):
Maybe? You know, I'll say that I didn't want to be. Yeah,
you know, I didn't want to be pinned down as
one thing, you know, or at least singing in one
way because music, for me, you know, there's only influences
or there's sounds and beats and then moving from of
course the different genres and I love so so much,
(09:15):
you know, And I didn't want to say, Okay, I'm
only going to do R and B, I'm only going
to do pop, I'm only going to do afrobeats. And
when people ask me what genre are you? And like
the only thing I can say, I can say, right,
now I'm like, I'm adult contemporary just because because adult
contemporary is not truly defined. So I'm like, it's kind
(09:37):
of a mix of like any and all these things,
because I don't want to be pigeonholed into making one
type of sound because different music or different sounds or
they all influence me.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
That's why I considered you a versatile artist because you
can even do gospel.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
You could go into gospel, you could go into.
Speaker 3 (09:59):
You I'm writing something right now, you.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
Could go on and be you know what I mean.
You're so versatile with your voice that is just it
even theater like because I know you have a background.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
Theater that's going to that soon.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
But you know, like you could do even you know,
like have a band like one of the orchestra and
you can actually you know, that's how versatile your voice
I think it is.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
You know, yeah, so it's amazing, you know, like.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
It sometimes certain certain singers they just stick by one thing.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
And do you think.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
That that that's good or is it a bad thing
to do?
Speaker 3 (10:41):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (10:42):
It depends, you know, yeah.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
Yeah, I think it depends. I think I mean, if
if you know, you have a certain sounds, right and
you know that that's what it is and it sounds good,
and sure, stay in your lane, I will say, definitely
experiment though, just to see how other you know, sounds
voice to et cetera, you know, work for you. So
I say that's fine, you know, and if you find
(11:06):
you know, as they say, niche down, you find a
niche that that works for you, why not. So I
don't think it's a bad thing that folks, you know,
stay in in one genre. For me, I'm a person
that I like to play, I like to to create,
I like to have fun. So I'm gonna play in
this area for a little bit. I'm gonna play in
this little this this play sound sandbox, you know, or
(11:30):
playground a little bit and see what happens. And I
think that's what this first album was for me, was
just to let me just play and and see what
what what what comes? You know? What was important for
me was the was of course, the lyrics and the
tone and the message that that came with it, right and.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
That and the songs that they have a message.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
Definitely, I think that everybody who listens to the album
can connect with either.
Speaker 2 (12:03):
One or two songs or all of them.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
I think that lyrically, it's an amazing we'll put together
album my opinion, you know, and I hope that anybody
who's listening go out there and listen to it, you know,
and let us know what you think about it, you know,
because this is what you know, what it's all.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
About when you talk about music and you're trying to connect,
you know.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
But you know, since we're talking about being versatile and
your style and really how you didn't even know how
it was going to come out. Do you think that
music has evolved over the years because of whole social
media movement and now you really don't have to be
signed in our record label too. You could just produce
(12:47):
your own and put it out there exactly.
Speaker 3 (12:50):
So yes, it definitely has evolved the industry. And I
would say exactly what you just said, like twenty plus
years ago, if I were to create, would I would
have to be with the label. There's smaller labels out
there and of course the bigger labels, and that's that
was the only way. Now you can create your own music.
(13:11):
You can create your own sound, you can create the
way you want to represent yourself, your brands. You know,
you don't necessarily have to have a label to be
out there, and social media definitely does help that. So
and I do think that especially now which a lot
of stuff is happening in the in the music industry
(13:33):
right now. We're not going to name names. We're not
going to name names, but I think there is it
is going to be a big blow up, I do think.
But with that, I think more people are going to
go the independent route.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
I too, I agree with you.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
I think that a lot of people are making on
their own, they are are producing, they and that not
only is it going to help them, but I think
it's going to help for people that are producers out
there that they're going to be available. You're going to
be working with different types of people, you know, and
you could be unique. I mean, is it does Does
(14:13):
it pay.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
To be unique in this industry right now? You think?
Speaker 3 (14:17):
I think so? I think so. I mean, well, you
know what, you know what it And I think that's
what sets the independent artists, you know, apart of just
just signing with the label, because sometimes you could just
kind of just sound like you know, the the popular artists,
and the independent artists are like, no, we're going to
make this sound or we're going to create music the
(14:37):
way that we want to create music. And that's why,
you know, I'm able to do this now, the way
that I want to, like, I'm able to work with.
And I have folks in Brazil, folks in Argentina, folks
in Africa, folks.
Speaker 4 (14:54):
In countries there there they love American sick so much
and they're being inspired by a lot of.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
Uh singers from here.
Speaker 3 (15:09):
Yea, So.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
It is amazing. I've seen it. I've seen it in
a lot of people are coming from this country. Is
you know, coming out with some songs and putting it
out there and.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
Amazing music, amazing music.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
Yes, it is.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
It's unbelievable. So I agree with you on that, you know.
But but you know that that's the good thing about
being you know, like we influenced people, you know it,
you know, regardless of what it is. You know, it
kind of feels good when people are like, you know what,
I heard that sound from this particular single. Let me
(15:45):
just start working on this. Let me see if I
could turn this around so that the creative aspect of
it is so so fulfilling.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
I love it. I love it. I mean not only
just you know, with with the songs I write the songs.
I collaborate with the songs that would have you know,
I commissioned, you know, for written for me. But I
love the the creative you know, moments where we're put
piecing it all together. So for instance, with running in Circles,
(16:17):
it's with thank You. It was a Brazilian team, Zeka
and and Leo, and what they did is, you know,
they came back back and forth. I think it was
like ten times around the music and I'm like, no,
that's not it, No, that's I was very specific on
what what I kind of wanted. I wanted something. I
(16:37):
wanted to ballot, I wanted something in three three quarter time, right.
But they they came back and and they were hungry
because they wanted to to serve. They wanted to make
sure that they got it right. So literally we went
back ten times before getting the right sound that that
I wanted.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
You know, I always said that when you rush projects,
they just don't come out with the same a sentimental
feeling or this or whatever projected.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
Message that you want to put out there.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
And even though it gets frustrating, I can imagine, oh
my god, another time and like you mentioned, ten times,
but you know, what at the end.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
It was a beautiful project. It was a beautiful song.
And it's just I think that the collaboration came out wonderful. Honestly,
you know, I go to work again together.
Speaker 3 (17:36):
It's coming. Something's coming, Something's coming.
Speaker 1 (17:41):
So yes, okay, you hear it here first something? Oh man, Yes,
my fingers closed out everything. You know, A new projects
come out because I think that that it was. It
was a beautiful song. It was a few would be
a beautiful song. And I just hope that more come.
Speaker 3 (18:03):
More come, yes, yes, yes, But.
Speaker 1 (18:07):
Like I mentioned before, I know you have been influenced
by the theater. I know that you took the theater
when you were in high school. And uh, do you
think that the early training has cultivated and add to
your your storytelling, richness of the songs and anything like that. Definitely,
(18:29):
definitely it could be you know, tragic and and.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
But I think it helps, it.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
Does it does, so, yes, So theater in college and
high school and definitely in all the music groups like
whether it's the Gleek Club or or apropella and all that,
and and what I love about about theater right of course,
is the dramatic way of telling a story through music,
(19:08):
not that I intentionally went into into as I'm creating music,
but I think because of the background, Like I also
hear folks saying I could totally see or hear this
song in a in in a show, I could win
it meaning a theater or even in a film, yes,
And and I was like, oh my god, that's that's great.
(19:30):
Of course I would love for that to happen. And
that's what it is, is to take you on a journey, right.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
I think that's what you did in your last LP.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
I think that's what you did, because now that you
mentioned that and I'm remembering, you know, listening to the album,
I think you did take us all in our journey
and at different you know, different stages of your life.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
You know, it was it was, it was. It was
the first time where I became more vulnerable into my life,
into my emotions, into what I was feeling. And so
much came, you know, from from that, and not only
(20:13):
just because of the creation. There's healing that came from
from that. And I can tell you how it all
started if you want to hear. If you want to
hear how that started.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
Okay, let me get my one and let me know
you can, you can let us know, you.
Speaker 3 (20:35):
Know sure, So well, I'll tell you how it started.
Started from actually just just a you know, a divorce
and and break up. And I remember the title of
the whole album is enough, and the song enough was
I wanted to write something where where if it started
(20:57):
with me, but I wanted to wrestling for me where
I felt like I was enough, that I'm worthy, right,
I was going through my own grieving process and this
is where I felt I wasn't enough, So I said,
I want to I want to create something, you know,
with that and for me, because music is my therapy.
I went right there. And then you know, I was
(21:19):
able to work with Antonio Marquee and she was able
to to kind of bring the lyrics to life with
melody and also works. And then I worked with a
group in Argentina to create the music for it. And
(21:39):
you know, I didn't know this was going to be
an album. I just thought it was just going to
be a song and that was it. And and then
I shared it with a good friend of mine who's
in the industry, Marchina and Bruno, and she was like,
you should create an album and I'm like I guess, okay,
(22:00):
I don't think about this, but I'll do it. And
then and then with that, the next song was get
Ready Ecstasy. So I wrote that one and again you know,
worked with the couple in in Argentina.
Speaker 5 (22:17):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (22:18):
And and that one is more seductive song and because
I was like, I want to write something where you know,
where just feel sexy and powerful, but yet it's not
you know, it's it's it's also consensual and all of that, right,
so it's not it's not it's not like nasty that way,
(22:38):
but you know, so that was important to me around
like again, like this is also part of my work
of like how do I feel, you know, in my body?
And this is what I want to come across. And
and then from there moved into you know these the
other songs. I think that The next song was Learning
(22:58):
to Cry and that song actually took a year and
a half oh wow to create from beginning to end.
And it started with writing a love letter to my
younger self. Wow, so my kid, you know, as as
a child, and I was working with a coach to
(23:20):
do so which to do it?
Speaker 1 (23:22):
Because I know you wrote a book, did you write?
Didn't have to was it in between what you know,
you writing the book, because I know you took a
little you know, and.
Speaker 2 (23:34):
Like two years ago you wrote this book.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
And was that in the middle of you writing that
book that you started writing this lyric?
Speaker 2 (23:41):
Lyrics?
Speaker 1 (23:42):
And you know, like you said, you wrote a letter
to yourself. But did it turn into lyrically you know,
into song?
Speaker 3 (23:52):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (23:52):
Yes, yes, things are funny when they develop.
Speaker 2 (23:56):
It's like you know, the mindstarts.
Speaker 1 (23:58):
Working it does I mean, yes, you can inspire you
to It all.
Speaker 3 (24:04):
Kind of happened at the same time, right, So I
so it's an action journal. It's called Boldly Bound, an
action journal on self love and body confidence, and it's
a thirty six day action journal. Talked about the five
self love techniques, right and so so yes, kind of
(24:26):
it all kind of happened around the same time. So
I started the let's see, I started the the music
in twenty twenty one, and actually I also started the
action journal in twenty twenty one as well, So they
were both kind of happening at the same time.
Speaker 5 (24:40):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (24:41):
But yeah, but Leria the Crime took basically about, like
as I said, you know, a year and a half
to create from start to finish from the love letter
to my younger self and then you know, again working
with Antonio to create lyrics around it, and then my
voice teacher David R. Sissy I work with him to
(25:03):
create the music, and then Nicole with the melody. So
like all these people to help with this, and that
song for me was the hardest one to actually do
because it was the one where I felt the most vulnerable,
basically sharing parts of me that I haven't done before.
Speaker 2 (25:23):
And it's so hard.
Speaker 1 (25:24):
It's hard to share when it comes to I mean,
you you could be a performance and you could tell that,
tell a story whatever, something that happened, But when it
comes from deep inside.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
Your own memories, your own what you.
Speaker 1 (25:37):
Lived through, it's kind of like you put yourself out there.
You become vulnerable, you know, So I applaud you for that.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
It's hard to do. It's hard to do, honestly, thank you,
you know.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
And you know, and the funny thing is with that song,
a lot of people didn't know what I was going through. Wow,
And this song you know, there there's there's verses of
it around, Like you know, I've sat in many dark
corners feeling like I didn't belong sat and alone, saying
(26:14):
sorry to my soul for taking so long to let
it all go. And then it goes into learning to
cry right. And I had to share that with my
parents first. Wow, And they didn't know about just how
I felt, you know, along the years, and they you know,
I wore a mask, you know, I wore a mask
(26:37):
a lot, and you know, we had conversations around it,
like I didn't know how this you know, any of
this right? And what it did, is it really it had.
It gave me the opportunity to have deeper conversations with
my parents. And then also with that, they saw me
(26:58):
in a different way, which then when I did a
concert for the for the EP, you know, there were
such special moments that I've never seen from them, never
seen from them, and seeing them in this moment, in
this light, you know, the emotions that came through them
(27:21):
were so beautiful that just because of just this song
or really the album, we were able to create those moments.
Speaker 1 (27:32):
Oh my goodness, I am so happy that you had
that moment and then you were able to share that
with them. And because sometimes it's like you mentioned, you know,
we we wear masks.
Speaker 5 (27:46):
We we go through so much and we don't show
it and when we release it, two loved ones and
just to receive that love and that except I could
just imagine.
Speaker 2 (27:59):
You know how you will you were feeling that day.
You know, you know it's healing. Healing takes time.
Speaker 1 (28:07):
And it's just you gotta just gotta believe in and
take your time, take your time and let the healing begin,
you know. And you know, I'm so I'm so glad
joy that you know, I got I got to talk
to you, and we got to talk to you about
your your project, your your things and and good things
(28:29):
that are coming even though you but you know, and
you let us, you know, view what was life during
that time. So I appreciate that a lot. And I'm sorry.
I I, oh my god, I murder your mommy, Please tell.
Speaker 2 (28:47):
Her to not.
Speaker 1 (28:50):
O my goodness, the real talk of music.
Speaker 2 (28:59):
But I think it was because I was thinking about
my mom, you know what. I apologize again. No, don't
be mad at me.
Speaker 3 (29:07):
I am not.
Speaker 2 (29:10):
Yeah, look you're making me cough and everything. So before
we go, anything new that you're working on.
Speaker 3 (29:19):
Yes, yes, I'm actually working.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
Bless you, thank you.
Speaker 3 (29:24):
So I'm actually working on on an album and it's
so it's gonna be part affirmation music, so going into
a totally different genre altogether. I'm working with this amazing
affirmation music coach. Her name is coach Marie. And you know,
(29:48):
there's there's definitely vulnerability in here too that's coming out
and you know, and and I hope that it really
touches folks, you know, at their core. So I'm I'm
excited about about that. And then also I'm gonna be
working with with some folks that I worked on with
(30:08):
the other album as well.
Speaker 1 (30:13):
So I am so happy. Thank you so much shoy
too for being here with me today. Like I said,
my apologies again, but I think that that's that shows
you how your music touches everybody. And it brought us
into you know, like those feelings and those you know
(30:35):
listening and just reminiscent about the little things. We're family,
were friends, we loved ones, whatever you know your situation is. So,
you know, thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (30:48):
With me today. And so I'm coughing listen.
Speaker 1 (30:51):
This is like I don't know what's going on, and
with all this, you know, everybody's getting sick. But thank
you so much. I appreciate you so so so much.
Like I said at the beginning of the show, I
was very blessed to me too to to even like
got to hear you live, Okay, let me just live
(31:15):
and I got to hear your beautiful voice. Thank you,
thank you, thank you so much. Appreciate it so much.
And listen everybody out there. His music is available on
all social media platforms, is available in every am a song, Spotify, everything,
So please reach out, listen, you know, give him some love, support, support, please,
(31:39):
thank you so much, joy, thank you so much, love
and blessings always already
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