THE WAVE ENTERTAINMENT ISSUE 15: THE YEAR END ISSUE | Page 20

Who are some of you musical influences?
A lot of my influence come from artists who made their mark in
music in the 70's and 80's. I look up to and admire so many artists, but
to narrow it down to a few, I have to say that Whitney Houston is one
of my absolute favorites, the power and control in her voice is out of
this world. Michael Jackson was one of the first artists that I fell in love
with and his drive, passion and dedication to mastering his craft and
outdoing himself is admirable. I'm also influenced by Prince, Stevie
wonder, Patti Label, Earth Wind and Fire, Marvin Gaye. Bob Marley is
an artist who I feel stood for something and used music to really reach
out to people, so he is definitely one of the greatest in my opinion.
Going back a little earlier in time, Billy Holiday and Nina Simone are
artists that I respect vocally, as well as respect for making music in
a time where they had a lot of adversity as women on color. On the
flip side I will go ahead and tell you that Dolly Parton is someone
who I also loved growing up. She writes so creatively. My parents are
Nigerian, so I grew up listening to artists like Sunny Ade and Fela Kuti,
who I also draw inspiration from. It's a broad range, I know, but that's
what makes me love music so much. There are so many different ways
to express a message, and they are equally beautiful!
How would you describe your musical style?
My music is melodic, heartfelt and at the same time edgy. My music
stems from disappointment, heartbreak and a lot of it has to do with
overcoming fears and challenges in love and life. It comes from a real
place.
If asked, and Im asking, how would you describe you as an artist when
it comes to your image?
My image is a reflection of the different parts of me. Sometimes I'm as
sweet and as innocent as ever, and at others times, I just want to let go
and be more risqué and a little crazy with it. That's my real personality,
so that is what people will see. I might wear something a little
outrageous at times but its okay, because that's me expressing myself.
That's me being strong enough to do something a little different even
though I may be judged. For me, its a conscious decision to be free
and to allow myself to grow and explore different parts of me. Its like a
Jekyll and Hyde situation. It's about me being free to just be.
What makes you, Eliza Queen - the artist, different from every other
artist trying to be the next “big thing”?
The difference is that I'm not trying to be the next big thing. Of course
I want to be super successful doing this, however I have moved my
focus from trying to be the next big thing, to just making music that
comes from the heart and that real people can relate to. My music
stems from my hardship, struggle and the lessons that I have learned.
No one else has walked in my shoes, no one else has cried my tears or
felt my pain, so no one else has my story. I am the only one with my
story, which is different from anyone else's story. I have a passion for
people, I want to see people overcome obstacles, face their fears, and
through overcoming my own demons, I want to empower people to
do so through my music. I'm not just trying to entertain, I want to
connect with peoples souls.
If you had the chance to collab with any artist / musician alive right
now, who would it be and why?
I would love to collaborate with Pharrell Williams because his artistry
has no boundaries, and I think that's what real music is about. As a
writer and producer, he's an inspiration because he's so innovative and
refreshing. Anything that Drake touches, turns to gold, so he is another
person that I would work with. He is very good at creating music that
is catchy and melodic. I respect that a lot. Last, but definitely not least,
Usher is someone who I would love to collaborate with. He is an R&B
God. He can do it all, and do it all so well...he's a perfectionist and I
love that.
If you had the chance to collab with any artist / musician that is NOT

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alive, who would it be and why?
Michael Jackson because he is he greatest! I think that being in the
studio with someone like that, you would learn so much, and be
pushed to the point of perfection.
Musically, who would you consider your biggest influence?
Whitney Houston Vocally. I don't think that there was anything that
her voice could not do. The way that she could hit every note perfectly
is amazing to me. And not just in the studio, but live also. She could
sing the hell out of a song.
As a songwriter, where do you draw your lyrical inspiration from?
My inspiration comes from real life, and raw emotion. It comes from
having had love, and having lost love. Having been happy, having been
sad, having good days and having bad days, from wanting to live and
wanting to die.
Being an artist from the UK, what do you see as the biggest difference
in the music from there and the US?
The main difference is simply the level of exposure that you can get
as an urban artist over here is the US is greater than what you can
get in the UK. There are a lot more outlets to showcase yourself,
more opportunity and more room in the industry. In the UK, there is
definitely a glass ceiling.
If you could classify yourself musically, what genre would you be in?
I would say that I am an R&B artist, but I definitely won't limit myself
to one particular sound.
Vocally,