Missterious

W.E Nasty

Interview by Lissha Sadler of Hardcore Grind

Missterious was born in Chicago, Illinois, and raised in North Carolina, now residing in Augusta, Ga. Writing for her has always given her peace of mind. She started writing poems and lyrics but never thought about pursuing being an artist until her adult years. In late, she reached out to several producers and engineers, and from there, the magic happened. Missterious learned to have her own swag while telling her story. She branded herself as “Real Raw & Nasty.” As an artist, she wanted not only to be known as an entertainer but also a boss. After networking and building musical relationships, Missterious met artist Ike Dawg. Together they released her second single and video, “Pop That,” which won the Best Video award in 2020 for the CSRA Indy Artist Award Show. Missterious was determined to build a separate brand with him and soon after was introduced to artist Rocket Slym. With his work ethic by December 2020, the three of them teamed up and created a Label. W.E Nasty LLC.

Lissha Sadler: How would you describe your musical ear?

Missterious: Very diverse, so not just hip hop. I like R&B and country music as well. Music is music for me, as long as it’s good and I can feel it.

LS: Where does your creativity flow?

M: Oh, my creativity flows the most inside the studio or inside of my vehicle. And I know that’s weird. When I’m in my car, I’m in my own space, and nobody’s around me. And it’s just more soothing to me. As an artist in a studio, it gives me the vibe, and it’s all about a record. There is something about just being in an atmosphere of music.

LS: How do you avoid burning out?

M: I would have to say it’s a mental thing. I work hard every day now. But I don’t overwork myself. I tried to kind of level everything out, you know, put everything into the right spot.

LS: What was the most defining moment for you in your career?

M: I would say, coming together with my partners, and building the label we have together.

LS: Tell me about the vision behind your music and your brand?

M: My vision for myself is sexy, raw, and authentic. I’m a strong woman, so when I say nasty, I mean we’re all grown, and we all know what’s going on.

LS: How has COVID helped or affected your music or brand?

M: It helped a little bit because it gave us time to build our label as a team. And time to grow as individual independent artists. No matter what, you still have to continue to work, and you can’t let it set you back. I was put in a situation to grow, and it just gave me more time to sit down and focus on so much more.

LS: There’s a heavy cost to pursuing and pulling your vision together. Who is your biggest support system throughout your journey?

M: I would have to say my partner’s and my husband. Out of those three, they are my biggest supporters. When I first started, my husband was helping me pay for Studio time and helping me buy things for performances. When I got in with Rocky and Slim, they kept me up like a family unit. So, between the three of them, they are my biggest supporters. Most definitely.

LS: You inspire so many in the music industry. How does that make you feel?

M: That feels good to be an influencer of someone. This goes back to me as a person being raw and straightforward. You don’t want to sugarcoat this to people and make them think you’re fraudulent. So I’m the type of person who can’t sugarcoat anything. I influenced many to do what I do in music and come outside of their craft to grow.

LS: What advice do you have for aspiring artists?

M: The advice is to keep grinding and not give up because it will get hard. The hard times do get easier, so make sure you stay focused and invest in yourself. And don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t or discourage you. Because as long as you keep that mindset that you can, you will.

LS: What is next for Missterious? What will your top priorities be moving forward in your career?

M: Right now, the top priority for me is these new projects and making sure that I get myself out there as an artist and continue networking in different states.