Tempo Talks: A Conversation with Naomi Cheyanne

THE RELEASE

RnB Pop musician Naomi Cheyanne's song "Sip" is a dynamic and emotionally driven track. The song has a strong emphasis on overcoming addiction and taking back control of one's life from negative influences. Despite its vivacious music and enticing melodies, "Sip" conveys a powerful message of persistence and self-empowerment. Naomi's soulful vocals are well complemented by the song's production, which was handled by Daniel Robert of Home Music Group, Cuest Audio, and Irvin Johnson at Columbia Mastering. This results in an engrossing and thought-provoking listening experience. As the sole writer and singer of the song, Naomi's sincerity comes through, turning "Sip" into a potent platform for addressing significant concerns and igniting good change in addition to a demonstration of her vocal prowess.

With its emotional message of perseverance and change, "Sip" represents the pinnacle of Naomi Cheyanne's artistic expression. The song attracts listeners in with a lively and captivating sound before revealing its powerful and poignant message about overcoming one's own troubles and having the strength to heal and grow. The emotional weight Naomi's deep vocals carry gives the songs more sincerity and forges a strong bond with her listeners. As a RnB Pop musician and co-founder of Each Measure, Naomi's dedication to inspiring people is reflected in the inspirational themes of "Sip," making it more than simply a song and a transforming and uplifting experience for anybody who listens.

THE INTERVIEW

If you had to create a Mount Rushmore of inspiration, what four individuals molded the artist you are today?

Based off my admiration for music, I would say that my Mount Rushmore is constantly evolving because I continue to be inspired by new artists. However, if I had to choose four people that set the foundation for me, it would be Michael Jackson, Alicia Keys, Chris Brown, and Drake. 

Michael’s music was a big part of my upbringing and someone that was constantly being played in my house when I was a kid. I admired his soft yet powerful tone and his ability to implement such an emotional connection in his music.

Alicia Keys was a dime in a dozen to me growing up. Her musical abilities were beyond admirable and she was a big part in how I started teaching myself simple chords on the piano. Her songs have helped me challenge myself vocally and played a big part in my initial love for singing and writing. 

There are so many great memories I have growing up listening to Chris Brown. My sister and I absolutely loved his music and we would constantly play his songs everywhere we went. I remember being obsessed with some of his vocal runs and trying to mimic them the best I could. Till this day, I still believe he has one of the best male RnB voices out there.

Drake has remained relevant all throughout my youth. I can name any period of time in my life and think of a Drake song for so many moments. The simplicity he has in his songwriting to make such catchy music is admirable. And now that I’m learning the music business side of things, Drake is someone who is not only inspiring creatively but also business wise as well. 

Were there any personal experiences or stories that influenced the creation of your Song/EP/Album, and if so, how did they shape the final product?

I wrote “Sip” during a time in my life where I was transitioning from a girl into a Woman. I just moved to Los Angeles from my hometown and it was my first time living on my own. The experiences that I had during this process shaped the way I started to think about the people in my life. I started to understand the good and bad effects that alcohol has on people and how it played a part in my family’s history and on me. I recognized that good people and good help is far and few between and we oftentimes find ourselves being led in the wrong ways. 

“Sip” is a song I created based off an epiphany I had that bad habits can be hard to break especially if the blind are leading the blind. Revisiting the song a year later, I had a whole new thought process about the record and how I wanted to release it. It originally started out as a four on the floor dance song. I didn’t want the song to feel so heavy and I wanted it to be fun. However, that original production did not capture the true essence of the song, so I worked with my producer Daniel Robert to develop a new sound. He recommended giving the song a live feel which would help keep that upbeat element but in a more articulate way. Once we added the live instruments, the record began to powerful yet enjoyable like I wanted.

How did you approach the selection and arrangement of the songs on this project to create a cohesive and impactful listening experience for your audience?

In the beginning of the song, my lyrics, tone and the production are reluctant in order to capture the nature of someone dealing with alcohol addiction. After the first verse and pre-chorus, a temporary happiness is built in the hook until it reaches the second verse. This verse focuses on recovering from addiction with someone who is also going through the same battle. That brings me to the bridge of the song where it is meant to express the pain of recovery from addiction. We had the engineer shape the bridge to sound like my voice is moving in and out of a bottle by using various effects on my vocals. Finally the end of the record almost feels like a relief. There is peaceful and tranquil element to the bareness of this part only having my a cappella and the piano which shares a feeling that the battle has been overcame. 

How do you see this Song/EP/album representing your artistic evolution or progression, and what new elements or techniques did you experiment with during its production?

The final product of “Sip” was everything I hoped for and more! Conceptually the lyrics, effects and production matched what I was emotionally trying to capture. My producer and I hired a group of musicians to play the piano, drums and bass over the record. We actually hired all female musicians which is really cool to point out because I felt like it totally fit the nature of this song. To me, the message behind “Sip” is so powerful yet nurturing just like a woman. The live instruments added a hopeful yet soulful element that really glued the song together. Also working with the engineer to create different vocal effects played a big part in creating the overall sound of this song as well. 

Can you share any memorable or profound moments from the recording or writing sessions that had a lasting impact on you personally or creatively?

This was a record that really taught me not to be afraid. I stepped out of my comfort zone to release something that is emotionally uncomfortable for many people. I learned to stop caring about what people think about me and my art and just release what I want. I also learned about the importance of patience with art. We went through multiple changes with this song in order to align the music and the concept of my vision.

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