[PREMIERE]: K Rizz’s New Single #SerenityPost
Meet K-Rizz, our very own Pinay Pop Princess who takes glamour, fashion, art, music and jams them all into an amalgamation of party tunes, feminine power and fun. Her sound can be described as “Kelis meets J. Lo at a warehouse rave party” and today she releases her next single, #SerenityPost.
The song is the epitome of the perfect party song, as it mixes Polynesian beats with melodic chanting and poetic lyrics, it’s perfect for getting ready for a fun night out with your girls.
Along with making feminine power part of her message as an artist, K-Rizz spreads positivity with this track as she says it was written as a poem to honor her friend De Se, who started using the hashtag #SerenityPost in 2012 as a way to bring positive images into social media. So if you’re having a bad day, search the hashtag and crank up the volume – you’ll soon hone out the negativity and be singing along!
Check out these exclusive photos of K-Rizz, our Q&A with the Filipina Princessa herself, and the new track, #SerenityPost!
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First of all, we need the origin story – How did you realize you could make music?
It wasn’t a realization
As much as it was 2nd nature.
Dancing is my motivation
Getting lost in the music and
Becoming one with the beat
Inspires the young child in my heart.
Music is the flavor to our ears
So I decided to become a chef.
Katie Eary reflective swimsuit
Your identity as an artist seems to encompass your heritage, gender, and cultural background. Can you talk about where you were raised and how these things have affected you as an artist?
I was born and raised in Queens, N.Y., by my mother and father who are originally from the Philippines. I used to paint pictures and write poems inspired by the wonderful stories told by my family. Moving from a Roman Catholic middle school to a Public Art high school in Manhattan helped me identify myself as a queer, female, Asian artist. NYC, being the city that never sleeps, its 24 hours always on-the-go rhythm molded my ambition and fueled my determination to become a star.
You had some pretty big success with your song, Salbahe. Can you talk about the choice to record it in Tagalog?
Salbahe is my dream come true. Growing up I had a vision of a sexy, Pinay Pop star rapping over a reggaeton beat in Tagalog in front of Millions! I told my younger self “I cannot wait to see that artist one day! Imagine the song was called SALBAHE!?” The idea kept me excited and inspired for years! Hoping that one day that Pinay Popstar would arise for me to fangirl and obsess over lol. After all the waiting, I built up enough courage to become that exact Pinay pop star I dreamt to see in this world.
Katie Eary jumpsuit
What are some of your musical influences? If you were to describe your sound, like Cyndi Lauper meets Guitar metal, what would it be? If you were to tell someone about your music that hasn’t heard it – how would you want it described?
As a child my father would play big band/swing music, Motown and rock and roll. My mother was in love with disco, freestyle, power ballads, and R&B. As they took turns swapping 8- Tracks, I’d be bumping the Hot 100’s on my slammin’ CD player. I loved the Spice Girls, Korn, Mariah Carey, 50 Cent, Backstreet Boys, Sum 41, Nelly, Pink, Sisqo, TLC, J. Lo, Eve , Brandy just to name few of the artist that were in my CD case book. My sound is kind of like Kelis meets J. Lo at a warehouse rave party. I describe my music as glam, sexy, fashion week after-party popping jams!
If #SerenityPost were on a movie soundtrack, set to a specific scene maybe, what would it be and why? What is it about? Is it an anthem or a party song?
The scene would take place in Miami with me and my girls having a girls only yacht party. Where we jet ski onto a lost Island and Polynesian dance around a bonfire together! It is for sure a Party song! The beat is perfect for getting ready for a fun night out.
What inspired you to record #SerenityPost? What is it about and is it about a specific person or event that happened in your life?
My Art Star and Slaysian sis De Se started her hashtag #Serenitypost in 2012 as a way to bring peaceful, playful and positive images into the digital world to balance out all the negativity. Her singing voice is what inspired me to sing the way I do on this record. The song is a poem I wrote about sailing into my success and watching my influence grow onto the world.
Do you think it’s easier to be an artist in the day and age of digital music and Spotify? Do you think it’s harder to connect with people in terms of getting the music out there?
When I started making music, I had no mentor or no ties to the music industry at all. When social media started booming, I made a MySpace music page where I learned digital distribution and marketing for myself. So I would say yes that it easier to be an artist creatively in this time because you have full creative control, you have a direct connection to your fans and no label cuts lol. But the hardest thing for indie artist now is keeping consistent attention with the viewers. Overall, I am proud to be an artist in these times.
Katie Eary jumpsuit
Your image takes sexuality and shows other young women that they shouldn’t be ashamed of their bodies, was that a conscious decision when you first started performing and making appearances?
No, it was not a conscious decision. I’ve never seen sex as taboo, only as art. Dancing helped me realize how to understand myself sexually and it made me comfortable with my body. All women should understand their bodies to love themselves. I am empowered by my naked body and I like to highlight and accentuate my uniqueness.
What effect does fashion and makeup have on your music and your performances?
I was obsessed with dolls as a little girl! I knew exactly how I wanted to dress as a woman through making my own clothes on Bratz dolls and re-doing their makeup the way I wanted them to look. In time as I got older I learned to do my own makeup and started using myself as the canvas of my dreams. Fashion and makeup helped me manifest the Slayrizz that I am today!
Missguided bikini
What’s next for you? Is there an upcoming tour?
I’m working on an album and I’m planning my first Asia tour. At the same time I am still coming into my own and growing as an artist and as a woman. My best work has yet to come and I am so excited for this new journey.
Where can we find out more about you? Social media links?
I am very active on Snapchat and now the new Instagram stories! You can unlock my world through my Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter @slayrizz. My website www.slayrizzworldwide.com is coming soon! Stay tuned y’all! It’s gonna be one hell of a ride!
Photography by Hannah Diamond
Styling by Louby McLoughlin
Fashion Assistant: Rachel Williams
