AQYILA INTERVIEW: Toronto based R&B rising R&B artist Aqyila landed her first JUNO Award nomination for ‘Contemporary R&B Recording of the Year’. Last year she played London’s Jazz Cafe for Mahalia Presents in October, and she’s back in the UK in May to play at The Great Escape. Get familiar…
What five words define your sound?
Lush, Unique, Versatile, Unique, Soft.
Tell me something unique about your creative process
I always have to take off my shoes, it’s definitely grounding for me in order to start creating. I also love to brew/bring a tea for sessions as it just helps me relax as well. I also love to start off the sessions with an ice breaker just finding out where everyone is from and how we all got to this space.
Which song of yours would you like people to hear first?
I would say if I had to pick three I’d choose; ‘Bloom’, ‘Most Wanted’ and ‘Unbothered’. Three different vibes that showcase my versatility well.
What inspired you to make that song?
Out of the three, ‘Bloom’ was inspired by love. I am truly a lover girl at heart and I love how that song makes me feel. Creating it was such a special time in my life.
What’s the most vulnerable you’ve allowed yourself to be when writing/making music?
‘Hello’ is such a vulnerable song for me because I really am sharing with the world how I’ve come to full self-acceptance, being fully content with where I am in life and knowing it’s okay to let go and release what doesn’t serve me anymore.
What’s the best/worst experience you’ve had on stage?
The best time is hard to narrow down because it’s between the North American tour I just did with Pink Sweat$ and my first hometown show in Toronto. Both times I received so much love from the Toronto crowd. On tour for the first time the entire room lit up with flashlights and I had a super long meet and greet line.
What is your favourite song to perform?
My favourite song to perform is ‘Bloom’ but with my debut album out, it’s going to be all of the them at this point [laughs]. It’s a great problem to have.
Which artist/song/album made you want to make music?
Fantasia! I watched her entire American Idol journey when I was a toddler and I vividly remember her singing and just enjoying herself. I think that’s what I love the most and the habit I always carry with me. As long as I am enjoying what I am doing, I’m where I need to be.
What’s the meaning behind your name?
My name, Aqyila, is my middle name, just spelled a little differently.
If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing instead?
I’d love to be a full-time blogger and travel the world. In a way I am able to do both, so I feel I’m doing what my heart desires.
What’s success to you?
Success to me is growth. I’ve elevated so much in the past four years, from winning awards for my songwriting, to winning my first JUNO and now performing at the JUNO Awards; I’ve elevated every year. I feel like even physical accomplishments aside, I know how hard I’ve worked even beyond singing as a career, so I’m so proud of where I am in this moment.
What moment in your life/career forced you to change direction?
Going viral for the second time definitely made me realise I shouldn’t ignore the call, and just take that leap of faith; I’m so glad I did. It’s always a scary feeling, stepping into the unknown and not knowing where you’re headed. I remember the day I signed with Sony Music Canada and not knowing what was next, but just being fully optimistic and confident I’ll get there. Artist development is so key; when you’re being guided into something new, getting that room to mess up, learn and sharpen your skills more professionally is a great asset to any developing artist
Where can people keep in touch with you?
You can find me on all platforms under my name, Aqyila. I’ll be in the comments too [laughs]!
