Interview: Houston Based Afro-House Songstress Skyrah Bliss
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Our latest exclusive interview is with Houston based Afro-House songstress Skyrah Bliss. This talented artist on the rise, of African-American and Salvadoran heritage, has been featured on Matthew Knowles’ MTV reality series, Breaking From Above, and was showcased at Revolt TV’s Local Love Tour: Houston, and will be dropping her LP, "Vacate" in the next few months. All these past highlights and what's to come have placed Skyrah Bliss is a great position to be the next big thing in the music industry, so it's only right that we connect with her for this Q&A.
What do you enjoy most about being an artist and what do you hate the most?
What I enjoy about being an artist is being able to express myself freely and through those expressions, I'm able to make others happy! It may sound like a cliche but my passion for music is mostly driven by allowing my audience to escape into pure freedom with me.
What I hate most? I guess it would be allowing myself to be vulnerable enough to ask for a helping hand when needed. I'm learning to embrace it more because the further I go in my journey, I realize that I can't do this alone. I have the best team any artist could ever ask for!
Tell us about your experiences on "Breaking From Above" and at Revolt TV’s Local Love Tour: Houston. How do you think those placements have prepared you for stardom?
My TV experience definitely helped shape my career for the better. I've learned so many things from choreographer Danielle Polanco. She has helped me become an overall better performer. Frank Gatson gave amazing words of encouragement that I still carry with me today. That experience alone developed layers of tough skin and motivation to keep striving for my dreams no matter what!
Revolt TV's Local Love Tour was an outer body experience. I honestly submitted to the tour thinking that my music was to different and that they wouldn't chose me because of it. So when I was selected, you could imagine the amount of excitement exuding from my heart! I was accompanied by my favorite local band called Live Out Loud Band and we put on a great show! Knowing that I was hand selected for this tour was confirmation to never give up!
The style of music you create is hard to pigeonhole, which is a benefit, because it allows you to pull in fans of different genres ranging from Tropic House and RnB to Hip-Hop. Was this always your plan or did you fall into this gumbo of musical diversity?
When I go into a creative space, It's VERY rare that I go in with specific genre in mind. I may have an particular vibe I'm looking for when I sit down with one of my producers but it's never planned. We'd have a jam session and whatever brainchild came out in the music would always be magical. I fell in love with House music during the process of writing this album. Thinking nothing of it, I was dabbling here and there writing and creating on super "vibey" tracks. When I sat down with trusted producers and made a few more tracks, I decided that I couldn't keep this sound from the world. EVERYONE should hear this! So it wasn't my plan but I'm glad I'm open to trying new sounds - flexibility is so worth it!
Your hometown of Houston has provided us many legendary artists and groups over the past 30 years in Hip-Hop and RnB/Soul. Who have been some of the local artists who've made it big that inspire you?
Being that I'm a young lady and grew up with Destiny's Child, I have to put them as my number one influence. All of the members have grown into their own and shine in their own way and I love that about them. Beyonce's work ethic and quality productions she puts together year after year is also something I admire. I'm so proud to be a Houstonian and when I travel, I do my due diligence to make sure EVERYONE knows I'm from Houston, TX!
Describe your upcoming LP "Vacate" for us. Would you say that your two released singles “I I I” and “Green Light” are reflective of the type of sound we can expect from it? Also, have you decided on a release date yet?
Vacate is an album you can play at anytime of the day to mentally escape to your favorite vacation spot! "Green Light" and "I I I" are just a sample of what you'll experience with my album. Honestly If you love feel good music, you'll enjoy this project for sure. With the release date - we're shooting for the end of February!
Thank you DOPECAUSEWESAID for taking the time out to listen to my music and get to know me better as an artist - can't wait to hear what you think about the album! All love and light - Skyrah.