La Shana Latrice

Q. Tell everyone who you are and what you do?

A. Hey, guys. My name is La Shana

Latrice, and I am an artist from the

UK, Birmingham.

Q. Well, tell everybody how you got into the music industry?

A. So, I've been singing my whole life. I've loved music from a very, very young age. I started to take it professionally rather than as a hobby at the end of 2018. And since then, I've just been putting everything that I've got into it.

And I've grown up listening to my favorite artists, Mariah, Brandy,

Monica and Destiny's Child, and

I've just taken what they've done and just been inspired by it and just trying to put it into my own art and do what I love to do, which is to sing. And that's how it came about.

Q. Well, let's talk about this new single you have?

A. Yes, let it flow, baby. Let it flow.

That is the new single. Visual dropped, both on the same day. So, for me with that song, it was about just expressing how

I want things to be. Expressing how I want the people around me to be, and that's just letting full things flow. I think just letting go and just dealing with whatever it is that's happening, and just letting it go basically. That's kind of the inspiration behind it. And I just put it into a song. I actually wrote parts of it before. And then when I heard the beat, I was like, yeah, this is the one. So, we just created it from then.

Q. I see you were raised by a single mother. So, how hard was that being that you were raised by a single mother dealing with the industry and music as well?

A. Well, at the time, as I said, I wasn't really taking it as seriously. So, it was just like a hobby. I went to school, I studied it there. And it was just still all fun. It wasn't that serious. I did a few actual talent shows as well. And just little things

that I used to attend to as far as music goes. But it just was fun to me. So, it wasn't really anything that big of a deal really. My mom always wanted me to take it seriously, but I just saw the fun in it, to be honest, growing up. As I said, it wasn't until recently where I was like, okay, I have to take this seriously now. But having no siblings and it being me and my mom I've always been just always creating regardless whether it's been acting, dancing, drawing, or writing, I did modeling, makeup, and hair. I've always been doing something that has nothing and is turned into something. So, that's just always been me.

Q. What are your plans now that you are in the US?

A. I'm actually pushing music both in the UK and the U.S. I still see myself as a UK artist 100%. So, I'm back home quite a lot as well. So, it's just that I'm based here now, and really just going hard internationally.

Q. How is the music in the UK different than the US?

A. Well, obviously, with my sound

R&B, it's quite mellow. It's quite laid back and just chill. It's not really 100% appreciated back home. Back home it's very, like whatever's popular, whatever is trendy, that's just the wave. And that's just the time until something new comes in. And then that's whatever is going to be the buzz around for the time being. But as far as just R&B, I think it's slowly coming back. I think it's slowly getting its time. It's getting a

“ Stay unique, stay true. Dont let the industry change you." 

little bit of light shined on it now. But we still have a long, long way to go with R&B becoming a household genre in the UK, in my opinion. So, I just felt like it was something that I really wanted to just come over here, where I know it is appreciated, and just make my mark, and then bring it home basically. That's kind of what I really want to do is just bring all the achievements and all the things that I succeed in and bring it home and show everyone home looks like, you guys need to take it in. Because everybody else is so why are you not taking it in? So, that's kind of what I'm really looking to do. But music as a whole in the UK the vibe is really good. I love UK music. It's a nice vibe. But again, it's really just about what's popular now. And it's kind of been like that for a hot minute.

Q. So, what goals do you want to accomplish in the next couple of years?

A. Wow, I haven't had that one asked.

Well, I would definitely love to headline a big tour. A big, big, big tour. That's the main focus right now. But I just want to achieve so much, I want to be the best I can be. And I'm not doing it to stay mediocre. I'm doing it to go all the way. And my achievements will speak for itself really. I have goals.

But they're the obvious goals like

Grammy and BET awards, and stuff like that. Mobile awards and all that stuff. But my main goal really is just to make a change in the industry. And to just bring something that's different and new, and just make a name out of that really.

Q. Lets talk about this song Get up?

A. So, Get up, I feel like I've always tried to do something, and then

I'll just get stuck. I'm like, okay,

I've got this far what is the next level? I've done so many things as I said before. And it just gets to a point where I'm literally like, okay, what is the next level? I've done this, why is it not continuing to get higher or grow, and I just get stuck. And then it turned into being lazy and not really wanting to promote myself or put myself out there. And just stayed in the house, didn't want to do anything.

So, Get up is just basically me looking back at those times where I just felt stuck, and I didn't want to get up. So, it's basically me telling myself I got to get up. And then that's what led me to then start something new. And now I'm back to where I started, which is music, and I'm definitely not stuck.

I think the moment that I just got stuck, and then I fell into a funk, and then I got out my phone it was always like, okay, on to something different. I just did something different, really. Something I know I'm capable of, can it make me money? Maybe, let's give it a go. That's kind of was just my mentality, basically. But I kept seeing this constant cycle repeating itself repeating yourself repeating itself. But I don't regret it, though. Because at the end of the day, it brought me back here. So, I can now speak about it through my music and hopefully, people can relate to it. And also resolve the situation the way how I did.

Q. So, I also see that you use to model. So, what experiences did you go through when you were modeling to make you want to say, okay, I'm going to stop here, and then pursue going to music?

A. I think for me, the turning point was when the social media editing game, the apps game just all got turned up to a whole different level.

People are out here looking like catfish and getting bookings that I should be getting. And then there are people that are doing things for free. And just this whole perception of just wanting to be seen, and just wanting to be famous quickly. I think that was a big turn off for me, because it was like I really grafted years to work my way in the model industry. And as far as the glamour side goes. In the UK as a darkskinned woman, we get overlooked in the modeling industry. So, I was able to really start making money and making a name for myself, and something I was proud of, as well, because it wasn’t many that was doing it, to be honest. They were doing it, but they weren't really out there the way how I feel I was putting myself out there every single day, going hard going crazy. It was my main job. It was all freelance. I was with an agency, but I was getting the jobs last, to be honest. So, it was just one of them ones. And when I saw the apps of editing, and the fillers and all these different things and it's like, I can't compete with that. I'll be honest I don't want to compete with that. I don't want to turn myself into a clone. I'm not going to do that just so I can continue to get booked. I'm not going to compete with that. So, I just had to look within myself again, and do another brain check. And then from there, it was just like, it's time to do music again, really. At least I can be myself without trying to look or be like anybody. I'm just me and people are going to take me in because I'm just being myself.

Q. So, let me ask you out of all the songs that you made, what is your favorite song, and why? A. Definitely, I choose you. I've got a lot. By the way, I don't have one.

If I had to choose one probably, I choose, But I choose you, where do

I begin, Exhale love, my songs and

Let it flow. They're like my favorite so far and just because all of them that I just named they're fun, but I'm still saying something meaningful, and that's true and honest and vulnerable as well. And that's why I like those more because they were the most challenging ones for me to write and to put together.

Q. Who are some people you would love to collab with?

A. I would love to collab with Sabrina

Claudio, Daniel Caesar, and

Summer Walker. They're my top ones so far, and Chris Brown as far as who is current and relevant now.

Definitely.

Q. What has been your biggest accomplishment you had so far

in your music career. A. To be honest, I think my project that I released last year was a big accomplishment for me because it took a very long time to put it together. But in my opinion, it took about 14 months, so a year, and some change. But to me, that's like forever. It took a long while to kind of make sure that it was just the way how I wanted it to be. A lot of stress, a lot of blood, sweat, and tears, literally. I would say that's a big accomplishment so far right now. And it's received a lot of good reviews. And it's reached Africa, and so many places I wouldn't even expect it to reach. And people messaging me and like, oh my gosh, I love this song. It's my favorite song from all these different parts of the world. And I'm just like, what the hell. I still consider myself just completely new to the industry and to the game. So, I was really only expecting UK and America. Obviously, Europe because it's still tied into it all. UK's small. But when we talk about these big countries, like Africa, Canada, and Australia. People messaging me and I'm like, where are you from? I'm like, wow. That's really nice. That's a really good feeling. Now,

my achievement next would be to headline my own show. And then go from there and just keep building up. That's what I wanted to have this year. This year definitely to headline my own show. That's what we're working towards.

Q. What's the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

A. I have no idea. I don't think I have a best. Advice? I guess just staying unique, stay true. Don't let the industry change you. I think that will probably be the best. It's something that most people say, but it still is so important to take it on board.

Q. Is there anything you want to tell the audience or do you have

any upcoming events that you would like to share?

A. So actually, we'll be performing in Atlanta on May the 15th at a showcase there. I have a show in

New Jersey on the 23rd. And I will be performing in DC, I think the 2nd of July, but all the information will be available on my website very, very soon.

Q. With your music being so deep, or whatever, does it really give you any problem sharing music when you go deep into whatever you've been through?

A. No, because I feel like that's what

I'm supposed to do. I don't want to just do music, because it just is something that I just want to do. Or it just sounds cool. I want it to actually make sense and have meaning in it. And, again, something that's honest. So, it gives people a way to know who I am without me having to really talk to anybody. I can just say, listen to my music, and that person will get an idea of the kind of person I am or what I'm about, or the type of person I am. Because I think a lot of people will see you and they'll judge you based on pictures or videos or just first impressions. But then they listen to the music, and if they're really listening, they're like, okay, wow, like she's actually been through some stuff or she's really got depth to her. It's not just all glitz, glam. There's a lot more than just that. And that's what I try to show. Because I feel like I do get a lot of judging by a cover. What's that saying? Don’t judge a book by its cover. And it's not that I'm trying to prove a point, but I feel like I'm just being honest. And I'm just being true. So, it helps me knowing that, well I’m not like this, but I'm actually like this. If that makes sense.

I just enjoy talking about real things. When I'm listening to music, I want to hear and know the artists. It's all good going on interviews and stuff like that. But when you actually hear it through the music, I feel more connected to them. And that's how I want people to be with me. That's what makes me love Sabrina Claudio and Alex Isley and HER. That's what makes me love them so much right now. Because I don't even have to watch an interview, I feel like I know them. I feel like I can be real with them and have real conversations with them just through their music alone. So, that's the type of guys that I want to be in that company. So, I just take that, I'm inspired by that, and I try to say to myself, okay, this is what I love about them. And that's what I want to be. I want people to be able to connect with me, just from our music alone. And then the interviews and all that's just bonuses.

Q. Tell everybody where they can follow you?

A. So you can follow me at La Shana

Latrice. My website is www.lashanalatrice.net.