Diandra Interviews Pheeyownah: Silvering Empowerment Into A Persona

Prepping for the release of her new album, Silver, on May 3, Pheeyownah opened up about the meaning of this record, and how it redefined vulnerability and freedom to her. For most artists, their work is transformative; not only in process but in projection. Their songs take up different meanings as they make, publish, perform, and hear them through time. Thus, in our interview, Pheeyownah reveals how her persona is the music manifestation of the self-empowerment she seeks.

Diandra: Your music has always approached issues of prejudice, from race to gender. How do you think SILVER has furthered you as an empowering force? 

Pheeyownah: For me, it’s about practicing what I preach. Reminding myself of my power and strength is a mantra that I have to repeat over and over again until it becomes my truth. Writing songs on the subject is my way of feeding my soul and artistry with the right fuel and tools I need to continue to grow. 

Diandra: As an artist promoting love, how have you seen this term grow for you through the years? 

Pheeyownah: You can approach love from so many different angles. Over the years, as I’ve gotten older, my perspective on love has widened and I have a better understanding of how important loving and being loved is to me. 

Diandra: What are some issues you plan to approach with SILVER and messages you hope the audience will receive ? 

Pheeyownah: Some issues I approach on this album are; insecurities, self-doubt, different nuances of love, empowerment and vulnerability. I always want the audience to interpret my music the way they want to and hopefully it’ll hit home and mean something to them. My hope is that people can relate to it and help them cope with stuff in their lives the same way many artists have helped me.

Diandra: What was the inspiration behind the album’s title? 

Pheeyownah: I wrote “Give me that silver, even though I’m worth the gold” as a way of expressing that life doesn’t always turn out the way we want it to. Silver (the song) is the track that sums up all the different feelings of the album in one. Side note: I’ve only ever worn silver jewelry; so I guess it was written in the stars. 

Diandra: Your music is all about vulnerability: from physical to spiritual. What is one song, from SILVER, that left you most vulnerable?

Pheeyownah: Ironically, a song called Vulnerable. 

Diandra: Why do you feel there has been a rise in DIY artists, and what has having such control over your sound taught you about clarity and creativity? 

Pheeyownah: With easy access to internet and the whole world literally at the tip of your fingers it is easier than ever to educate yourself and dive deep into your passion without spending tones of money. Loads of distribution services have surfaced in the last couple of years and as soon as people realized that releasing music and being dependent on a record label don’t necessarily have to go hand in hand, the sky was pretty much the limit. That’s how I started out producing music; it was by watching youtube tutorials. The biggest challenge starting off was finding the right tools to craft my visions that were so clear in my head. After many trials and errors, you learn and you continue to evolve. I’ve learned that my creativity is bottomless and in order for me to dig deeper and broaden that horizon I have to be optimistic and curious when it comes to trying new things. 

Diandra: You are all about the freedom of expression. What has being an artist taught you about the value and vastness of such freedom and how you represent it? 
Pheeyownah: Tough one. I’ve put a lot of time and energy into creating an artist persona that stands firmly on the ground and unapologetically embraces the person she wants to be. I later realized that my persona is the perfect version of myself, and the things that she masters are the things that I lack in my personal life. Freedom is only a mindset away and, when I check in to it, I become vivid and fearless!

Diandra: Dance is such an important aspect of your artistry. How did movement and what styles of dance influence SILVER? 

Pheeyownah: Dance has always and will always be a huge part of my life and for me it always goes hand in hand with music. While making SILVER, I wasn’t bound to any specific dance styles and I never am. My goal is to create music that makes people want to move their bodies in however way they please. 

For More Information On Pheeyownah Click Here, and Buy Silver on May 3.