What encouraged you to pursue music as a career? 

There was never another career I ever thought of doing for one second. That sounds cliche, but it’s true. Singing and music has always been my road.

What influences your sound and how would you describe it?

When I was younger I only listened to the divas: Celine, Mariah, Whitney, Shania. I loved musical theatre and classical music as a kid but as I got older, power pop music (big inspirational songs with massive vocals) stayed with me along with the discovery of delicate heartfelt songwriting. I would say all of those things can be heard in my music.

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What message do you want to promote with your debut single “Unlabeled”?

“Unlabeled” for me personally is a battle song against all of the judgement of my body and against the stereotype of what I’m supposed to be as a female artist in the music industry today. However, this song is for everyone who doesn’t feel accepted or is feeling broken down, and I think that applies to everyone. “Unlabeled” celebrates owning who you are and not apologizing for it.

Was it hard to make this record having to face everything that could’ve discouraged you over the years?

There was nothing hard about making “Unlabeled.”  Everything has led up to this song. I have been told everywhere that I wouldn’t succeed in the music industry because of my weight. I was sick of hearing that, and that’s where this song was born. There needs to be more voices for the people who feel like they are stuck or torn down.

How did you come up with the concept for the video?

There were so many ideas for the video, but I knew it had to be real and raw. The most important thing was that the video concept was genuine to the song. I had mentioned to my good friend Cece Frey (creative Director of “Unlabeled”) that I was set on making a video for this song. She was so inspired by the message that we decided to move forward together. We wanted to tell not only my story but stories that were incredibly moving and relatable. The other characters are people with different stories to tell of different battles they had faced — burn survivors, rape victims, and more. Hearing their stories gave us the inspiration to really make this video something special. We wanted to reflect in the video that the song is an anthem for everyone who feels left out… and everybody does.

Should we expect more of this from a possible album to come?

You should expect a lot of new music soon! Not every song will be like “Unlabeled” but all my songs are meant to empower and heal people in different ways.

As a curvy artist, what challenges do you face pertaining to your field?

Being a curvy artist is not a norm in the music industry. We don’t have many female artists who are vulnerable about their real actual body. I want to be someone who is proud of all of me (cellulite,stretch marks and all). The frustrating part about the entertainment industry is that a lot of women can buy perfect bodies instead of being proud of what they have and owning it. Those are the boundaries I’m trying to break. I want to be the example I never had when I was younger. I want girls to look at their body and not think that there is something wrong with them because they don’t have the filter of ‘perfection’.

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What sparked your confidence to your body activist approach? 

I don’t necessarily want to be a body activist, but I feel like I have to be until we shift the narrative to the message in the music. However, Ashley Graham started it all for me. She didn’t care about the risks of pushing the envelope, she put herself out there. No one in the music industry has taken the steps Ashley has taken in the modeling industry. People talk about it in the music industry but never really let you see the un-retouched version of themselves. I was adamant that there would be a scene in my video that I would embrace a part of my body that most people would look at and possibly be disgusted by. My body activist approach is because my body has been a battle my entire life, and it is part of my story, but it does not define me. I think we need to stop focusing on what people look like but what they have to say.

How do you feel about the word plus-size?

I don’t like the word plus size, and to be honest the definition keeps changing and is extremely ambiguous. The fashion world has a completely different definition of plus size than a department store, and that is sending a negative message to women everywhere. And while I have claimed it as a point of pride, I shouldn’t have had to in the first place, because size shouldn’t matter as long as you are healthy (health is very important to me, by the way).

Do you feel that social media could be detrimental to one’s confidence nowadays? Why or why not?

Absolutely, especially for young girls who choose social media as their standard of beauty. However, I make it a point to only follow people who want to uplift others through more than how they look in a posed, filtered picture.

I think it’s a step in the right direction that some celebrities are coming out on social media to celebrate their bodies as they are. Social media is still a very specific platform for people who are interested in it, but we need to be celebrating different body types across all mass media for the message to really sink in.

What are your top brands for the thicker women?

ASOS Curve, Addition Elle, and debshops!

What are your keys to reach self-acceptance?

I believe in taking everyday as it comes. I try to take care of not only my body but my mind and spirit too. Part of doing that is exercise, meditation, and eating healthy, but also indulging in all of my favorite things cause I am a Papa John’s girl at heart! I don’t always practice great self acceptance, but the point is I try to every single day, and it’s hard but it’s the most important thing we can do.