INTERVIEW: PRICIE launches her career with 'too dang good' single
Nigerian-born, Melbourne based singer-songwriter PRICIE today launches her solo career with the release of debut single ‘too dang good’. Uploaded to Triple J Unearthed two weeks ago ahead of its official release, the single is already attracting huge acclaim and has been playlisted across multiple radio stations culminating with PRICIE being named this week’s feature artist on Triple J Unearthed.
A captivating mix of rapping alongside PRICIE’s golden, soulful singing voice set to a addictive R&B-pop soundscape with more than a hint of the 1990s, the track projects a female empowerment theme with PRICIE saying “the message is for women to know their worth and understand that although some things may transpire within their relationship, they’re just way too dang good for it.”
PRICIE first came in attention in 2018 when she featured on Sydney collective POLOSHIRT’s track ‘Too Good To Be True’ and performed with the band and a number of other artists including Winston Surfshirt and Okenyo across Australia. With the sheer brilliance of ‘too dang good’ and further new music to come in 2021, PRICIE has what it takes to become one of the hottest breakthrough artists in Australia this year and we suggest you watch her career very closely. We recently caught up with PRICIE to find out more.
Hey PRICIE! So great to chat with you. How is life with you at the moment?
Hey there, thank you for having me, it's my pleasure. Life at the moment is still a little unrealistic as I have had to spend quite a bit of time in quarantine after attempting to visit Sydney over the Christmas break but still pretty chilled.
Congratulations on the release of your debut single ‘too dang good’ it is incredible! How are you feeling now it is out into the world?
Thank you very much it’s been a definite relief, my management team and I have sat on it itching for the perfect time to release and it feels incredible to have it out. I just feel blessed.
Can you tell us a little about the inspiration behind the song?
My previously wonderful yet tragic dating life .
You have said the song was created almost by accident in the studio when you were jamming and freestyling with Lucianblomkamp. Can you tell us a little bit more about the creative process for this track?
There are a few magical producers I have met so far and Lucianblomkamp is definitely one of them. I went in and just chatted about life and chilled with him and kinda told him the vibe I was feeling that day. He played around with some instruments and kicks and whilst he did that I made up melodies and added lyrics which weren't bad and bang, ‘too dang good’ was born. Best fun.
You’re also releasing a pretty cool video to accompany the song. What was it like to film?
Thank god for my very talented friends and boyfriend who woke up at 5am to be at my shoot for practically the whole day and still vibed with me, they were so much fun to work with.
If we can take it back the beginning, what role did music play in your life when you were growing up?
My Nigerian queen of a mother says it best, I could sing before I could speak and I wasn't a very shy kid so I think they had fun with my hyperactive self. Music is my form of communicating with people I otherwise wouldn't know how to connect to or with. Even now as an adult I write everyday because it’s my way of growing my inner being just as one would keep a journal, I keep multiple song books. .
Who were the artists that inspired you, or who you looked up to, when you were a child?Growing up I was inspired mostly by gospel artists like Cece and Bebe Winans, Andraé Crouch and many more, then growing older my taste went more towards Jill Scott, Mos Def, Donna Summer, Queen Latifah, Mary J Blige and many more.
Your desire to become a songwriter came initially through your love of poetry which you used to perfect your English when you moved to Australia. Can you talk us through how this paved the way for your music career?
I used movies and poetry to perfect my English, I was always and to an extent still am insecure about my writing both in music and poetry because one never thinks his or her or their writing is ever good enough but poetry was like this other language that I could understand and translate really well which often got the attention of my teachers. Over time, I felt more confident to pursue it myself and tried putting sonnets together which I would read to anyone, anywhere.
Are you still connected to the poetry scene?
I am in my own way. I would put on poetry shows before the outbreak where local artists would come and show off their skills and would also include performances by myself and other amazing singers and musicians.
‘Too Dang Good’ is obviously a female empowerment track which we love. The music industry has traditionally been a difficult space for women to work in, due in part to it being run by older, white, straight men for so many years. What are your thoughts on gender equality and sexism in the music industry today?
Thank God for strong women who went before us and fought the good fight. I think there is so much room, love and attention to go around so there really isn't any need for any animosity or belittling towards anyone. Gender or sex shouldn’t be an issue, the art a person brings to the table is all that is to be deliberated over and focused upon. I personally just want to see more Africans and black men and women respected and valued within the industry, it isn't enough that we're in it now I think people must actually know what to do with us and where to place us without the crappy stereotyping and assumptions.
We’ve just come out of 2020 which to put it simplistically was rather difficult - we had bushfires, a pandemic, police brutality, the Black Life Matters protests to name a few. In amongst of the horrible moments, what nuggets of gold do you hope we carry through into 2021?
2020 was insane to say the least but I think our generation truly rose to the occasion and demanded more not only in politics but as well as consumers. I felt a shift in the once very chaotic and damaging advertising industry where unlike before more black and people of colour models were celebrated like never before, LGBTQIA+ communities were protected in new ways and an overwhelming display of civil bravery not only with the BLM marching in America but also here in Australia. Let’s all keep that spark that zest, courage and faith, it'll set all free.
Your debut single is out, what else is on the cards in 2021 for you?
All I can say is there's about to be a never ending PRICIE party and I pray everyone is ready for it.
’too dang good’ by PRICIE is out now via Sweat It Out. You can download and stream here
To keep up with all things PRICIE you can follow here on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
