7B - Kenyatta Rashon at the Leon Loft | The Seven Series
Many people are familiar with music artists from Detroit. From Aretha Franklin and Big Sean to The Temptations and Stevie Wonder. Powerhouses, heavy hitters, and legends have captivated and inspired the music world.
Kenyatta Rashon, our feature artist, calls many of these artists her groundwork for her sound. From being born and raised in a city 45 minutes away from this RnB/Hip-Hop hotbed to traveling the country. Kenyatta brings her hometown with her wherever she goes.
In our interview, she said, “Ypsilanti has created a lot of confidence within me. I feel that I am an oxymoron of the city because I fall into a category of my own. There are so many avenues you can go down in life, and I chose the one of success.”
When asked how her musical influences have inspired her creativity, “I was studying my favorite artists ever since I was a child. I studied their lifestyles, singing techniques, their performances. And I took the little things I adored about every artist and made them my own. I carved it out to be the style of Kenyatta Rashon, and it was so well-loved and respected. When I did my performances of artists like Aretha Franklin and Adele, I even did some Lenard Skynyrd. They were so engaged. They couldn’t believe that I was replicating the actual artists on stage. So I was always watching them, seeing if I can replicate that and how I can put my little twist on it.”
When asked about her choice to sing under yellow lights for her performance, she said, “Yellow is one of my top four favorite colors, and I also know through Psychology because that is what my degree is in. Certain colors bring about certain vibes and energies; it is the epitome of happiness, and I want to be sure that was a part of the performance. I like that yellow hue felt in the summertime. It is just positive. It's good energy. So, I’m always gang yellow."
When asked about Tiny Disk and what it would be like to perform for them, she said, “I love live instrumentation. I can’t play live music to save my life, but to see it all in such an intimate space and setting, watching a Tiny Desk and doing a Tiny Desk, I see the energy within a 4x4 space." Rashon continued, "We can do it, so once we did it, I felt the intimacy amongst other musicians. We were just so entertained by everything sounding so well together. If I got the opportunity, I would kill it. I think any artist should have a Tiny Desk performance. And I want to be one of them."
The last question I had for her was regarding her most recent album being three years old, and what about that project that she felt comfortable making her fans sit on for so long in a climate where artists are encouraged to constantly release music.
“When I created that body of work, with every song completed, I sat back and spoke with a few people and said this album is timeless. My goal is for this whole album to do enough damage that it could bring in new people to prepare them for what I have coming next. How the algorithm works, and building up my network so I know the next time I put out some work. It can follow up from that album. You can catch me at a show if you want to see me do my thing, but as far as on wax, I make sure it's top tier every time.”
This is TJ from the 7 Series. To check out more Kenyatta Rashon music. Check her out through any popular streaming platforms.
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TJ Boykins III is a recent graduate of Eastern Michigan University with a degree in journalism, completing over a dozen articles in his final semester at the institution.
As a reporter, Boykins's coverage across the Washtenaw community ranged on topics from EMU sports, with reports on baseball and basketball, to political news, with lengthy articles examining Ukrainian challenges amidst their ongoing war.
As an interviewer, Boykins displays poise, understanding, and a knack for relating to his interviewee. For his interview with Kenyatta Rashon, Boykins chronicled the singer's albums, career influences, and love for her hometown. You can find articles from Boykins in The Eastern Echo.
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The Seven Series is a seven-episode performance and interview production for up-and-coming musicians and journalists.
The Seven Seires allows local artists around the area to showcase their talent and offer aspiring journalists an opportunity to sharpen their on-camera and writing skills by engaging in entertaining interviews with the featured musicians following their performances.
Sponsored by The Ann Arbor Observer, Destination Ann Arbor, Leon Speakers and FedUp Ministries, the Seven Series showcases an abundance of local talent, The Seven Series will highlight local arts-based businesses and venue Leon Speakers as the primary venue for shooting locations.
The series is being powered by The Amplify Project, a 501c(3) nonprofit that identifies and mobilizes resources for independent Black musical artists in Washtenaw County. The initiative has supported Washtenaw County artists like Ki5, and London Beck, to release critically acclaimed projects.
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Antonio Cooper, Executive Producer
Antoniocooper88@gmail.com