10 Jun Interview with Aquaya
Aquaya is a singer songwriter and recording R&B artist based in New Orleans, Louisiana. She started her professional music career in 2015 and was one of the first artists signed by Whatalife Music Collective in New Orleans. We reached out to Aquaya and her team for an interview after a successful FanFlex show to learn more about her artistic process and where she finds her inspiration.
What is it about music that makes you feel passionate? Why did you want to pursue a career in music?
When I hear music, I cannot get the beats and tunes out of my head. I think that it is a beautiful experience for me as it is a way for me to be able to express who I am. As a person, I do tend to be a little shy sometimes but as an artist, I feel freer to express myself musically.
How does your background affect your music?
My background does affect my music a lot. In the beginning, I couldn’t figure out what genre I wanted to sing in, so that was difficult but once I kneaded it on me, I started focusing more on R&B and Neo-Soul.
Who would you say are your biggest artistic influences? Where do you find your inspiration from?
My biggest influences include Betty Wright, Mary J. Blige, Whitney Houston, and Aretha Franklin. I love old-school and hip-hop artists. These artists made me horn in on my gift of music and let my big voice shine on stage. This is where I get my creativity and inspiration from. They represent what art is for me.
Are there any artists you would want to collaborate with in the future?
Yes, I do have a couple of artists on my mind. I would love to collaborate with artists like Monica and Mary J. Blige. I would love to do something with rap artists like Nicki Minaj and Qveen Herby too.
As an artist what are your techniques for overcoming creative blocks?
One thing I love to do is self-care. I like to sit in the bathtub for a bubble-bath with a glass of wine. Sometimes I just sit there and meditate. Other times, I like to listen to music while I’m doing it and the tunes just come to me. Some days I’m just in my room drinking tea and listening to different beats and I try to capture how I feel in that moment. I turn on the recorder on my phone and start freestyling and that’s how I start making more music.
Do you have any favorite venues you have performed at in the past? Are there any venues you look forward to doing shows for?
I have performed at the Jazz Fest over the last two years. I really enjoyed performing at the intimate spot called Nola Art Bar and FanFlex helped me book that show. I would also love to go out of the country and perform at international venues in places like London, Paris, and Africa. I want to travel all over the world to perform.
What are your as an artist?
I have been working on my EP that has been long over-due! I am a perfectionist so that delays the process of me releasing it. My new EP is called “Growing Pains” and it should be out sometime during summer 2022. Because of the songs and the vibe of the EP I feel like it’s perfect for jamming out to in the summer. It’s all about having fun and women empowerment. It’s going to have something for everybody.
How did you hear about FanFlex?
I was looking up on ways to enrich myself as an artist online and the FanFlex platform pretty much fell on my lap.
How do you think FanFlex has helped you advance in your career?
FanFlex made it very easy for me as they booked the shows for me and all I had to was show up and perform. I didn’t have to worry about anything else besides being a musician. They let me know all the important details like the time of the show. It was a very effortless process.
Where do you see yourself going using FanFlex next?
I can’t wait to get up on a stage at Coachella! My experience on FanFlex has overall been great. I am excited to advance in my career as an artist and to keep working with FanFlex and building something amazing.
You can stay up to date on Aquaya and see more of her work on her Instagram and Spotify. Keep an eye out for her new EP as it’s going to be a banger!
Interview by Tasnim Samiha Hossain
Tasnim Samiha Hossain is a PR intern at FanFlex for Summer 2022.