What version of Zonnique are we meeting in this new era?
I would say the version of me that people will be meeting in this new era is the grown-up me. I think that a lot of people, because the world has grew up with me, to see me as a kid or they just keep me at this one age and it’s like, I need you to stay there.
But I think with this, they’ll be like, oh, okay, she is grown. And I think a lot of people are surprised to know that I’m turning 30. We were like, oh, I didn’t know you was that old.
So I think that with this era, it would just be brand new Zainique, almost like fresh new era, meeting me for the first time.
What does grown mean for you?
For me, I would say just being true to who I am, how I feel, speaking up, not shying away from the other side of me. I think that a lot of people only know the very sweet, poised side of me.
A lot of people don’t even know. I talk a lot of shit. Can I cuss on you? I talk a lot of shit.
I have very much two different personalities, but a lot of people only know one or are so they love that side of me that sometimes they don’t accept the other side. It’s like, okay, I like her when she’s quiet. People say stuff like that, but it’s grown up me.
I don’t care. I’ma just be me truthfully.
How did you separate expectation from identity to fully step into your own sound and story?
I would say that I separated expectation from my full identity by trying different things. Growing up with famous parents or in the industry, people put you in their own bubble of what they want you to sound like, what they expect it to be. But I’ve been able and blessed to try different things.
And especially being in a group, doing solo, I’ve been able to grow and just find myself in what I like, what I don’t like. And I think I’m always pretty true, especially when it comes to music. I’m pretty true to myself. When I put out things, I’m like, this feels like me, or this is where I am right now.
So I think that I’m always not, I probably don’t always give what people expect anyway. And yeah, I just stay true to myself.
What changed creatively or emotionally that allowed you to unlock this level of artistry?
I think what changed for me as far as unlocking my artistry would be becoming a solo artist, a full time solo artist.
Since I was eight, I’ve always been in a group. My first group was called QT Posse when I was eight. And then by the time I was 14, 15, we start developing OMG Girls.
And I did that all the way up to 18, 19. So I was able to always lean on somebody else. And I got extremely comfortable with that.
And when I became a solo artist, I had to, I was forced to do everything by myself. So I just naturally grew. And the more I grew, the more I wanted to be better at everything, okay, let me work more on how I talk in interviews, because this was my weakest point to me, I hated to talk.
And going in the studio having to be in the booth the whole time, I was pretty much forced to grow in all areas. And then I enjoyed the growth so much. I’m like, I’m gonna keep doing this. But definitely being a solo artist is what helped me grow the most in my artistry.
How do you mentally shift between Star and Zonnique the Solo Artist and which space feels more authentic?
I would say the way that I switched between Star, OMG, and Zanique, the solo artist would be, it seems natural now.
I think just because I’ve always done music. For me, whatever that I can do as far as music, I’m gonna do it. And I feel most comfortable doing music anyway.
But also being in a group, for someone like me, I love being in a group the most. Disclaimer. But sometimes I need me time.
And my group members know this. I’m like the one, they’ll know, okay, Zanique is getting a little irritable. She might just need to be by herself type thing.
So for me, it’s easy to go from being in a group to doing solo things, even though I enjoy doing both. And like I said, I enjoy being in a group more just because I love having my girls with me. And I love being able to experience things with other people that I love.
What personally changed that you feel like you’re starting to get a little bit better now?
What changed as far as me doing interviews? I hate watching myself back. I’ve been on a lot of shows, but I haven’t watched a lot of T.I. and Tiny Family Hustle, and I didn’t watch almost any grown up hip hop because I couldn’t stand to watch myself.
I didn’t watch a lot of those episodes because I’ve been shy for so long, and grown up hip hop for me was to watch it back. It’s almost traumatizing because I was such a different person and I was my weakest self. I didn’t speak up for myself. I didn’t stand up for myself type thing.
But I always tell people watching yourself back is really the best way to learn things about you and see like, oh, I didn’t like that. Or sometimes you don’t even know you’re doing things until you see it back. So I would say the things that I did see make me feel like, I’m going to change that or I want to get better at this.
And because in my solo career I had to do these things, I progressed over time. I want to fix this, so I’m going to get better at it because I’m also still doing it. It’s not like I got a chance to sit back and be like, I’m going to work on this. I was working on it as I was doing it because it was something that I saw I didn’t like.
How has your daughter influenced your music, your business decisions, and the way you move in this industry?
I would say that being a mother has influenced me entirely, just as a person, in so many ways. First, because before I had a kid, I was doing a lot, but in my mind it was very Lexi Daisy. I’m doing it and I wanna do it, but I don’t have to type mindset.
And there were days where I just be at home, watching TV all day when I didn’t have anything to do. And it’s like, no, I need to have purpose. I need to get up and want to do things.
And my child made me every day think, okay, what can I do? What can I do to be better? What can I do to set an example? And before her, it was just la-di-di-di-da-da-do.
I’m so grateful to be her mom and be able to do my best and set an example for her. Every day I wake up and I’m like, oh my goodness, we are the adults. I have a lot of days, my child is in school now and I have a lot of days where I’m just like, I can’t believe I got to get her to school today and then tomorrow and then the next day.
And I’m like, she might just have to skip, but I can’t, but I am also the new adult. It wows me every day. Every day I’m like, wow, this is my life, but I love it.
In your eyes, what makes someone the “Best” in today’s industry?
I would say what makes someone the best in today’s industry to me is having the full package. In today’s world, we just have so much thrown at us at one time. You can scroll and see 10 great talents right then and there.
And that is a lot, but being able to sing, dance, have the stage presence, know how to work the camera, that to me is the best as far as the industry. But all in all, a person who has confidence and is really confident, stands in what they love and is passionate about that, I also feel like that is the best.
Where do you feel like you rank in right now?
I feel like if I could rank myself, I would definitely put myself as the best.
I feel like I have the full package. I’m very confident in who I am. I’ve had time where I was not my most confident self and I was still working on a lot of things.
But right now where I stand today, I am my best self.
Who produced the new record?
MLK and three other producers. There were three producers apart of this record.
And the only one that I know name is MLK. MLK is my family and I think he worked on it with two of his other friends. So as far as an album, I pretty much have enough music to make an album or to put out a project.
I actually wouldn’t say album. Album is just so much pressure. So I wouldn’t just say album, but I definitely have a solid and good amount of music for a project. But I don’t know if I will put out a project this year only because I’m gonna mostly be focused on OMG things. And it’s my birthday and I want to be able to drop a song cause I have a lot of good music, but I do want to focus more in on one this year instead of trying to balance both of them on the same type of level.
So I’ll probably just single, maybe hit them with some a little later type thing. I don’t know. A project could also be in, I just don’t know.
We don’t know what the rest of the year holds. For this song, Best, I don’t have a visual yet as far as a music video. I have some quick content. Everybody’s doing quick content.
I have some quick content. But I do plan to do a music video.
Do you have any collaboration with New Atlanta even though you’re still young and fly yourself?
I appreciate that. I actually don’t have any collabs right now, but I have a lot in mind. I talked to my mom, me and my mom talk about it a lot, but when I think about it, they’re not all in Atlanta.
They’re really mostly not in Atlanta. When I think features, I try to think outside the box sometimes because when it comes to Atlanta artists, people are going to already expect that. Of course she’s on the song with, and I can do that as well, but I also been trying to think outside of Atlanta, but Atlanta is always home.
I’m always going to hit the Atlanta artists too. I’m most likely going to hit everybody and we’ll see who likes the record enough and wants to jump on it. It may be Atlanta, it may not be, but Atlanta is home of music.
Atlanta is home of everything. Everybody know, they be like, Zonnique love her city. Yes, I do.
My dream collab is the dream. My dream collab is the dream. I love everything the dream. He’s everything to me.
Let me see, other than artists, Dream is an artist, but he’s in his producer right bag right now. And if I could have a dream collab right now, I kind of would love to do a song with NBA Youngboy.
I love NBA Youngboy. He has something for the streets that I cannot get enough of. I’m going to say NBA Youngboy.