Critically-acclaimed hip-hop star Naya Ali has proven herself to be one of the most versatile and talented rappers to emerge from Canada. The Ethiopian born Montreal bred rapper is the one to watch in 2023.
You are releasing a new hard-hitting single “More Life, Less Names” this month. Tell us about the title.
It’s the first release since my last project that came out about a year and a half ago. I had quite a bit of time to just soak in life and write something really honest and impactful, and let out some emotions. “More Life…” is about sometimes you have to remove yourself from situations that are probably taking you away from your purpose. You have to have the courage to walk away from things, people, situations, and circumstances. And that’s you choosing life. Not everybody can be on your guest list. At times, you have to remove some names. That’s what the title alludes to, “More Life, Less Names.”
Does this single set the stage for a bigger project coming down the line?
Yes, definitely. It’s the first single off the next project coming fall 2023.
Do you have a title for the forthcoming project that you can share with us?
I do, it’s called—you’re the first person I’m going to tell—It’s called We Did The Damn Thing.
Everything, including your word choices, phrasing, and delivery, seems specifically intentional. How would you describe your approach to crafting a song?
That is the perfect way to describe it. I try to always be intentional, and to be connected and grounded to either what I’m feeling and what I want to say. It’s a hard-hitting track. Some might call it a little bit aggressive. Life is not always pretty, but you can always find the beauty in it and paint a pretty picture, musically.
You have managed to carve out your own lane with a style that’s all your own. Name some of the artists who have inspired you along the way.
I don’t know if you hear it, but definitely Kanye. I feel that his past work, his keenness to innovation and pushing sound boundaries in trying different things have always inspired me. J. Cole and Kendrick [Lamar] too, in the same light. I love to push boundaries, and just push myself. I don’t like to recreate the same track over and over again. I think that’s one of my pet peeves. I like to challenge myself in finding different colors to paint with.
When recording, which comes first, the writing or the music?
Oh, the music now. I don’t usually go to the studio with anything written. We create from scratch out of a vibe. We chop it up in the studio for an hour or so. We find a sound and we find a pocket in whatever’s fitting the picture we want to paint or emotion I want to convey. We build the track around that. I go on the mic and freestyle and find the melodies and the hook. From that, we structure the record and then I write the lyrics at the end.
Is there a particular thing you look for when choosing which song to roll out?
I have to love it. It has to be like ‘fuck yeah!’ Pardon my French, but you know what I mean. If it’s not that, if it’s a ‘meh’ or an ‘eh’… If my reaction or our reaction, because I’m very collaborative with my producers, is ‘eh, it’s cool’, then it’s a ‘no’. I don’t want it to be cool.
You give your fans incredibly high-energy performances. How do you prepare to hit the stage?
I prepare off stage (laughing). You have to keep the cardio up and workout. More than that, I take it as an opportunity to connect with people. I feel like giving your all right there and then is one of the best gifts you can give your audiences. They, in turn, give me their energy. They give their vibe, their ears, and their attention. It’s a very collaborative thing and then we create a new universe altogether. It’s a cycle of energy that we share. It’s a vibe.
While it may appear to some that you have had a meteoric rise, you have put in a great deal of work to make your career what it is today. What are your thoughts on your success so far?
Nothing happens overnight. You build on your craft, and you work on it. Just because you see the tip of the iceberg, doesn’t mean it doesn’t go all the way down. There’s a lot of effort. There’s a lot of work. There’s a lot of blood, sweat, and tears. I also try to take it one day at a time and one step at a time in making short-term goals. Or else, you know, a lot of things can be overwhelming. So, I’m taking it one day at a time, one step at a time, and doing the best that I can do. The rest I put up to the universe.
There was a point earlier in your career where you took a break from music to pursue other things. Do you have any regrets?
I have zero regrets. I had to live those life experiences in order to become the person I am and do what I am doing today. It’s all about the journey and the journey builds your character. You can’t have any regret in any shape or form. You’re either building yourself up or tearing yourself down. I am thankful that my journey brought me here. I took a break for ‘X’ number of years. It’s all good because I am doing what I love today. I am blessed to be doing it.
You were born in Ethiopia and raised in Canada. How has your background influenced your artistry?
It has influenced it a lot. Being born in Ethiopia comes with the culture. My mom used to play a lot of Ethiopian jazz in particular. She also played Ethiopian spirituals and gospel, which have a very particular sound. So, that already started to shape my ‘ears’ towards different sounds. She used to always play country music as well. In my early life, that is what would be playing in my home. That and Motown.
The area where I grew up in Montreal is very English. I don’t know if you know that Montreal is in Quebec and it’s predominantly French. My neighborhood was mostly English and multicultural. There are a lot of diverse backgrounds, along with the French. I had Haitian friends and Moroccan friends, and the sounds were so different. Just being in that space and environment most definitely shaped me in some way that I just can’t pinpoint.
What are your goals for the remainder of 2023?
Like I said, I’m taking things one day at a time. Right now, I’m focused on the next project and having that released in the fall. I am going back on tour in the summer. Honestly, just connecting with more people and giving more good vibrations into the world. I want to have the music resonate with more people. I want to do what I can to bring more light into the world.
Be’n Original
