COVER

BIA

Knows the Business

By Emily Rosati

Publishing date: Sep 08, 2023

Process,” BIA affirmably tells me, is the one thing she will never take for granted. In an era where the music industry frequently prioritizes conformity and manufactured personas, BIA emerges as a beacon of realness and unfiltered creativity. Her ascent has been marked not by the subtle art of blending in, but by the courageous standing out and knowing the business, charting her path with a seeming dedication to her true self—a testament to the enduring power of authenticity through process and transformation, despite external pressures that often seek to mold and commodify talent. In short, BIA is really her, “outstanding, international icon”, just like she says.

As BIA greets me, I’m immediately struck by the warmth and charm that envelops her, radiating with an infectious sincerity. This is a quality of hers that is artfully woven into the fabric of her music, even our conversation being genuinely reflective of the truths she spits on her latest album REALLY HER. “I try to put what’s really going on in my real life and how I’ve grown in my music,” she says, “If you really listen, you’ll see how [I’ve] been somewhere and it would make sense why I feel like this.”

And been somewhere she has. First discovered through YouTube and introduced to Pharrell, she began co-writing tracks with the likes of T.I. and J Balvin. By 2016, BIA featured on J Balvin’s “Safari”, where she made her acquaintance with the Billboard charts. BIA released her first EP NICE GIRLS FINISH LAST: CUIDADO, in 2018, with her second EP, FOR CERTAIN, following at the tail end of 2020. A year later, no one could open TikTok without hearing her hit “Whole Lotta Money”, which Nicki Minaj later hopped on. Fast forward to 2023, BIA has released her latest album REALLY HER, and continues her streak of co-signs from major producers and artists, working with J. Cole, Timbaland, Swizz Beatz, Juicy J, and Busta Rhymes. Put simply, musical legends rally to BIA and it’s plain to see why: she rides beats effortlessly and real recognize real.

Though BIA finds herself at the center, as distinguished icons amass, she echoes that she seeks no validation, but instead, finds her validation within, anchored by a strong spiritual relationship with God and a daily practice of gratitude.

I seek no validation. The validation comes from me.

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You are one of the most hard-working and dedicated artists in the game right now. How do you manage to stay so present and grounded while maintaining this upward trajectory?

I have a strong spiritual relationship with God. Everybody has their own higher power or things that keep them centered. For me, it’s God, family, and the people I keep around me. My business friends are my real friends. Everything in my life is my real. I move with love and receive love.

I recently heard you say that you talk to God all the time. What does that sound like for you?

It’s always a daily thank you. When I dwell on things that are not so important it doesn’t allow me to be present in the things that are. I try my best to stay grateful and my relationship with God really helps. It reminds me [of] where I came from, how hard I worked to get here, and how I need to be present and thankful for the moment. It’s all a journey. I have a prayer alarm on my phone that goes off three to five times a day to remind me to say thank you.

‘REALLY HER’ suggests authenticity, and as you say, you really are outside. How do you navigate the challenge of staying true to yourself, especially in an industry that often demands different personas?

I seek no validation. I got to a point in my career where I realized that people are going to like what they’re going to like. That’s no reflection of my talent or me as a person. I think once I learned to separate other people’s opinions from my mission, it allowed me to see clearer and do what I had to do and not worry about how everyone felt about it. The validation comes from me.

Can you share a moment of personal growth that has influenced your artistry?

That’s every day. I go through things as an artist but also as a woman. Whether that’s relationships, friendships, family, or whatever the case may be. I try to put what’s really going on in my real life and how I’ve grown from those situations in my music. If you really listen to my music, you’ll see how [I’ve] been somewhere and it would make sense why I feel like this.

Like you said, being a woman, in an already tough industry, could be quite harsh. What is a piece of advice you’d give to aspiring female artists who are trying to navigate the space?

My number one advice is [to] know the business. If you don’t know what’s going on, you can’t play to win. Since I’ve been making music I’ve always become a businesswoman and entrepreneur and it helps you when you have to make music because it’s a career and not fun all the time. And do what makes you happy. Do it for you. Don’t feel like you have to fall into any trend. Do what you want to do. At the end of the day, you have to look at yourself in the mirror every day and you have to sing those songs on stage. You have to do what makes you happy first.

Musical legends flock to you, from Nicki Minaj and J. Cole to Timbaland and Busta Rhymes. What’s a standout collaboration that you feel defines the essence of ‘REALLY HER’?

I’d definitely say my collaboration with J. Cole. When we did “LONDON”, it was a real full circle moment for me because me and my boys—Aziz[TheShake] and [Lil]Rich—executive produced my project, we’re really good friends and also fans of J. Cole. Lyrically, I’ve always been an artist who has prided myself on writing. I take it serious. When I linked with Cole, he made me take it to a whole other level of serious. Cole really made me up my pen. If you listen to the bars from FOR CERTAIN and go listen to the bars and production and transitions on REALLY HER, you see the growth. Working with people like Tim, Nicki, Cole, J Balvin, and Pharrell—all those people helped me develop how to make the best songs and put the best lyrics into them. They help me be better.

You have such a healthy ego. You know that you’re really her but remain incredibly receptive to feedback. I’ve duly noted the way you speak about all your collaborators along the way, whether it be other artists, your DJ, or the directors of your videos. How do you receive and integrate feedback from all of these established artists into your creative process?

Oh, I have no ego when it comes to feedback. For me, I like what I like. I won’t have someone tell me, “That’s not good” if I like it because I’ll be like, “Yeah, piss off, it’s great!” You know? I have confidence. But when it comes to wanting the best product, I have no ego because I want the best song, the best video, the best cover art, the best lyrics—I want the best everything. If someone comes with something better than I am or more inspiration, I’m not going to shoot it down, I’m going to receive it, as well as the criticism because I want to be the best.

If someone’s taking the time to give you feedback, it’s because they want to see you succeed.

Exactly. Or everyone’s just got their own opinion and I’ve learned that everything is not for everyone. But criticism is good. I had a performance once and it wasn’t my best choreography. The feedback was, “BIA, we want to see you dance more, we want to see you do more on stage.” From there, I was like, “Ok, I’m going to work harder and do more choreography and do more rehearsals.” Now, it’s a way better set. You have to have criticism so you can get better.

I know you reshot the “MILLIONS” video with NeNe Leakes to take on a new direction. How do you approach visual storytelling and collaborating with directors and stylists to bring your vision to life?

I think there’s always a vibe I’m going for—I’m not the most visual person—so, I try to tell the director what I want, first. And then, merge their ideas with mine and have something beautiful come to life. It’s actually not easy. That’s one of the hardest parts for me because I already have something going on in my brain and there’s a way I want to deliver it. Everyone else has something going on in their brain.

You showcase an eclectic sound on this album that exemplifies your genre range. I was curious how your experience of touring and traveling influenced that. Or do you think it’s rooted in your upbringing and the music you grew up on?

I’m so glad you asked that. When you listen to this album, front to back, there are elements of my childhood in there, with records like “OH NO” with the Red Rat sample. Or the Outkast sample. There are certain samples in there that when I hear them, I automatically think of my childhood or a time in my life. But then, there are new sounds in there that we might have traveled—like, “LONDON”, we had heavy drill influence, different things we want to put in the music. I think it’s a collection of both. I hear a lot of people, when they listen to it straight through, that bring up their childhood. I wanted to bring that nostalgia to it.

Is there a particular style or genre that you want to try further exploring in the future?

Yes. I have tons of R&B and more pop crossovers. A lot of different records that I can’t wait to put out. Music tells a story. Right now, I’m really her, I’m in this mood. Maybe my next mood will be a softer, more vulnerable mood, or a happier mood, it might be a dance mood. Who knows.

Your music embodies confidence and authenticity. How do you channel this into your fashion and style choices?

Fashion is so important to me. It’s the other half of the music. The style is a feeling, it’s an expression. If there was a way my lyrics could look, it would be me. It would be my style. I’ve always taken to women who have a strong sense of style—I love Aaliyah, I love Rihanna, I love high-fashion streetwear mixed with personal sense. That gets me hyped. It’s all throughout my lyrics, talking about brands I like, and brands I don’t like.

Because of your entrepreneurial spirit, can we expect you to get into the fashion space any time soon?

Definitely. I’ve been working on a lot of things. I’m one of those people who doesn’t like talking about things until they’re here so you’ll see me pop out with a little bit of fashion razzle-dazzle. I’m definitely in the works. As I’ve cultivated my own personal style, different brands, and people have been reaching out to me.

Tell me more about your vision for your brand Beauty For Certain and how it aligns with your artistic values and integrity.

Beauty For Certain is my baby. I love makeup. I love glam. I love beautiful. I love making people feel beautiful. I love making myself feel beautiful. And I think it really starts with you. You have to feel beautiful and good to go out into the world and do your best. For me, I wanted easy products to use on the day-to-day. Easy enough for everybody to glam quickly. There are heat products that can take your look up but not take so much work, like a good highlighter or gloss. I focus on the products that I really use and cannot live without. We’re definitely growing and expanding and I’m having so much fun as we’re testing the colors and being hands-on.

Three things I will not leave the house without—my sunglasses, a purse, and in that purse, my Beauty For Certain No. 17—it’s my favorite lip, can’t go anywhere without it.

What’s one thing you want to invite into your life this year?

One thing I want to invite into my life this year is a husband! Other than that—I don’t need a husband yet—I’d like to invite vacations, fun, really good records. We want people to have fun. And then get a husband. In that order.

And what’s one thing you want to say goodbye to?

Confusion. Anything that feels confusing, get rid of it. It should be smooth sailing. Peace and tranquility all year.

Looking beyond ‘REALLY HER’, past the celebration of this album’s success, what are some aspirations or projects you’re excited about?

I would say going on my own REALLY HER Tour. I’ve never been on my own tour. I’ve been dying to pull up on my fans, see who they are, who they look like, and see them saying the words with me. I want to go hug them.

Photographer: Shaun Andru