How do you feel you've evolved as an artist since you first started?
I feel like I’ve grown. I can speak on the experience factor; I’ve learned what it takes to put together a full project. I got my hands into producing, directing, and kind of seeing things full picture now makes it easier to create music. I’m excited to move forward with the process of creating the next project or the next single and using the knowledge that I have now I feel it’s going to create a whole different collective.
Since the last time we spoke, you didn't have an album out and now you have your first body of work, how does it feel?
It feels great. I’m incredibly grateful and blessed. I get to share my art with everyone. I get to get feedback since I’ve held on to these songs for so long. Sharing with the people and the fans is kind of the best part. I definitely feel accomplished but now I’m even hungrier than ever. I see the bigger goals and more that I want to accomplish. I’m excited for the next step.
What's the story behind your album?
Basically I’ve been putting this project together since 2019 whenever I first signed to Warner [Records] and when COVID hit, it out a stop to things. I didn’t want to be just an online artist. I wanted a big collection of music. I want people to really feel me, do meet and greets, like a PR run, tours and really get the full experience of this. Behind the title and the name and everything is just the process of evolutionizing to a full fledge artist. I’m always an artist, in the sense of the word, but moreso in the Hollywood terms. Being signed to a label, meeting fans and being on a stage performing. Also, the emotional trials and tribulations that it entails through the process. The music itself, I made it with my original team that I started with in 2019 and even through COVID the music still changed and grew. I workshopped it to make it better, stronger and bigger.
What motivated the name of your album?
It came to me in a dream. I don’t know why. I woke up and I was thinking like, “ah man, I don’t know what I’m going to name this.” I had cried so many tears over it. I get overwhelmed with how much I love what I do and how much I want this and the hours put into this. My managers at the time were always like, “you’re always crying over something” and I’m like “yeah, you know it’s get rich and cry trying.” I don’t know, it feels 100% perfect. I think it accurately represents not only sonically the way the music sounds, almost crying over R&B vocals, pouring my heart out. Keeping true to that R&B scene of ballads. Also, just the entire grind to becoming the best version of myself.
What are some things you're looking to develop in as an artist?
On the music I’m definitely getting more into production. I write and co-write my songs with a group of talented individual. I’m looking more into production and I get my hands into the direction of my music videos. I want to keep growing and keep mastering the craft of song writing, performing, directing, producing and all of that. Just to make it more of a project coming directly from me. I would love to have a self-work project eventually. Maybe just a small EP where I put hands in on absolutely everything. On the side, I’m writing a short film right now and I have my animated shorts. the first one just dropped. I’ve got my clothing line, my naked voodoo brand, just any way I can keep growing as an artist I’m hands in.
I know in your interview with PEOPLE Magazine you said you assist in directing your own videos. Explain how you come up with the visions for your videos, they're very unique.
Spring and summer are coming up, what can we expect from IV4 within these next few months?
I'm a big move fanatic. I've seen hundreds and hundreds of movies. I love to read and I also love art in the full realm. Art in all forms. So anything that inspires me whether its a photo, color, or a poem, I just build off of that or sometimes I have crazy, wild dreams. I like to write my dreams down and I'll give that to my team. I'm like, "hey, I want to build something off of this idea," and they'll help me bring it to life. Larger pictures. They always check back with me and they'll ask if this is what I'm envisioning. 10/10 times they're spot on and the visuals accurately represent my vision.
When people hear or see the name IV4 what do you want the people to know, see or think?
Quality. Quality is the main thing. I want people to know whenever I drop something or whenever they hear my name, that it's going to be good quality. I put a lot of effort and hard work into everything that I do and everything is strategically timed and planned. I hope people can feel something whenever they hear or see my stuff.
You premiered your video for your single 'Bloom' in celebration of Women's History Month, what made you choose this month to drop the video and talk about the story behind the visuals.
I feel like women in the industry aren't represented as much as they should be. Don't get me wrong there are a lot of beautiful, talented and hard working women in the industry that do get recognition but there could never be enough. I just felt like the struggle, process, and grind, there's beauty in all of it. 'Bloom' accurately represents my emotions through that. It's not just representative of me and my artistry but of anyone trying to reach any kind of success or contentness with their life or certain aspect of it. For me, it was about growing into the best person I can become. With the lyrics, "look at the crowd, they're screaming loud," it's a visual description of where I see myself on stage performing. The song, it's got crazy harmonies and it's just so big, I feel that it's 100% emotion. I feel it was the perfect time to drop the song. even though the song is about working, hustling and drive it's more about the emotional side of it, which is really the entire project.
What are some difficulties you face as an upcoming artist and trying to achieve your goals?
It's never enough hours in a day. There's only one of me. I'm lucky and blessed that I have a great team around me that's guiding and helping me to accomplish these goals. They're working overtime as well to make things bigger and grander. instant gratification. I'm not a patient person, that's why I work so hard. I want to see results immediately. As a young upcoming artist and a woman of color, stepping into studio sessions, entertainment fields or rooms I have to be in to be the only woman in the room, I have to prove that I'm there for the same reasons that a man that's been there for years. I feel like I've got a lot to show and I love healthy competition, so bring it on.
Spring and summer are coming up and everyone is excited to be back outside, what can we expect from IV4 within these next few months?
Definitely expect more visuals. More singles. I'm doing a PR run, trying to get out in these streets to meet my fans. Other than that, just quality and for my other businesses I got more stuff coming for my clothing line , my naked voodoo business, and I got my animated shorts coming. Time will tell. I'm a very spontaneous person. I wake up tomorrow, I might want to hop on a TV show, you never know. But definitely expect quality and new music.