Not many 20-year-old aspiring female singers could be mistaken for the sage vocals of Billie Holiday or Nina Simone but Cleveland soul-stress, Lorine Chia, is an old soul with all the makings of a seminal female artist. Her rumoured cameo on Kanye West’s new album sent all the right attention her way following her poignant take on Holiday’s classic, Strange Fruit; a case of mistaken vocal identity, nonetheless, but one which generated enough attention in the lead up to her latest second LP release, Naked Truths.
As a Cameroon-born artist she remains close to her heritage, grounded firmly by family ideals which have strengthened her mind and heart as an artist, allowing her to find her home in music as a soulful vocalist and producer.
As a Cameroon-born artist do you feel a need to connect to your roots creatively?
Absolutely. Growing up in an African household would mean all I would hear was African music. I want to find a producer that can incorporate African drums and sounds with the type of music I make now. I think my family back home would be extremely proud of me for always representing my culture.
Naked Truths, your second LP, was released recently. Was the recording process for this any easier the second time around?
The recording process was a bit easier simply because throughout making my first album I was able to pick up recording skills and how to really control my voice on a track. You can tell the difference listening to the two. I sound a lot stronger and sure of myself on Naked Truths. It’s the best part about being a musician; being able to grow pick up these skills that really help make a song sound better. I almost want to go back and re-record my first album just to see how much better I can make it sound.
Which is your favourite song on the album?
Lost in My Mind and No New Friends are my favourites. After making them I would replay them over and over again as if I just heard a new Cudi song or something. I really like the production on those two tracks as well. Vitamin D and R!O killed it with the instrumental for Lost In My Mind, as well as Nate Fox with the instrumental for No New Friends.
Your cover of Strange Fruit also features on the album, which had an exceptional response for you earlier in 2013. What do you think is timeless about Billie Holiday and what in particular connected you with this song?
At first I did the cover because it was rumoured that I was on Kanye’s Yeezus album. When he had the listening party someone tweeted that they thought they heard me and I was really excited only to find out that it was Nina Simone and Kanye just sampled Strange Fruit. After that I thought that I would try to get Kanye’s attention by doing a cover to the actual song - which didn’t work by the way! However, during the time of actually recording the record I realized how deep and depressing the lyrics were and just started thinking about what Billie Holiday must have gone through (or seen) to even sing those words and the tragedy that must have occurred for Abel Meeropol to write such a poem. Usually with covers I never recreate the whole entire song but this one I just had to. The lyrics touched me in ways I couldn’t have imagined. It was like all the pain and hurt that was felt was launched inside my soul for that moment to bring it back to life through this song. I’m glad I was one of the three women that was able to keep Abel Meeropol’s story alive.
You consider yourself an old soul. What life lessons are you thankful you learnt earlier in your life rather than later?
There are so many lessons that I am thankful to have learnt at such a young age. Coming from Cameroon I was taught how to survive which is why my drive is as strong as it is. I had responsibilities at the age of five; I had to wash my own clothes and do chores. Here in America that is basically unheard of. I was also taught how to be disciplined. Teachers at school were allowed to hit you when you did something wrong. I remember one specific incident where I was playing with my book bag while the teacher was speaking and she came over and beat me with a stick. Ever since then I’ve paid attention in class to avoid being a trouble maker. My parents kept it pretty straight forward too. I appreciate these lessons because they’ve kept me away from trouble and have made me stronger when faced with tough situations. I’m constantly pushing myself forward even when I’m down simply because I want to survive and make something of myself before I die.
Which definitive artists or albums which have forever been a constant in your life?
All of Kanye West’s albums, The Fugees’ The Score, all of Bon Iver’s and Coldplay’s work, Man on the Moon series by Kid Cudi, the first four Gym Class Heroes albums, and all of the Cool Kids' albums. These artists are all heroes to me.
What’s your favourite quote that’s travelled with you across the years?
This may sound a bit vulgar but I would have to say, “Fuck ‘Em”. I’ve spent a lot of my life worrying about what people thought of me, trying to please others, and trying to fit in places I didn’t belong. My attitude towards people now has changed. I’m very friendly and an all-around sweetheart but when people overstep their boundaries I can quickly step out of situation and keep it moving. I now understand what it really means, and that is to forget everybody (or anything) that stops me from achieving anything I want to do in life.
