Today we’d like to introduce you to THE BLVCK BUTTAFLY
Hi THE BLVCK, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
So I have been into music since I was 11 years old but I started doing music professionally at 15 years old.
I grew up around music my entire life. My parents had me as teenagers so of course I was always listening to the latest records, in combination of the timeless music my grandparents listened to. My dad was a rapper and he had a group called “Hold Up! Wait a Minute”, his stage name was Dolla Bill. The DJ of the group was my godfather who was also my godfather, his stage name was DJ Outwest. And he actually continued to DJ after the group and DJ’d many of my middle school dances. The other member of the group was my dad’s best friend who is also the father of Trina Braxton’s children. Both of my parents went to school with the Braxtons, and today I carry a personal relationship with Trina Braxton.
On the flip side, my grandmother is a pastor. SO, church is a BIG deal on my mom’s side of the family. I was always in church whether it be for the dance team, the choir, regular service, fellowship, vacation bible school, you name it I was there. But has and still has an influence over the way I make music, whether it be singing or arranging my vocals.
My mom, along with two of her friends, one of them being my godmother, connected dots in the entertainment business and managed artists. One of those artists being my Aunt, R&B Singer/Songwriter Lil’ Mo.
I got to see ALOT firsthand. From being in the studio, touring, on set of a music video, how to use my voice, how to harmonize, you name it, I got an early peak at the business and what it was like to be an artist in the business. I also got to see the business before social media has such a large influence, which I am so happy about because I know how to have a balance of traditional, new, and innovative strategies or methods when it comes to the entertainment business.
And I was definitely different as a kid. Instead of asking for autographs I was asking about what kind of clauses I should have in my record deal contract (laughs)! Definitely a different little being growing up (laughs)! So when I say I was surrounded by music or entertainment, there was literally no escape (laughs)!
My top inspirations are Michael Jackson, Beyoncé, Usher, Missy Elliott, Janelle Monaé, Brandy, SWV, and 702. Whether it be singing, dancing, my choice in expression, my choice in fashion, stage presence, how I work on my craft, or how I handle my business, I have always drawn inspiration from them.
But outside of my upbringing, I like to say that I got my spark in January of 2022. I had never been the artist to share my ideas online unless they were fully registered and uploaded on DSPs, but one day I was on TikTok and I saw that Timbaland had all of these beats uploaded on his TikTok page. And I’m like WHY AREN’T PEOPLE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THIS (laughs)?!
So I made a video singing a song I had written to one of his tracks and I uploaded it, tagged him, and I asked my followers to tag him. I’d say about two hours from that upload I was on FaceTime with Timbaland (laughs)! I was like man I know it happens fast but, THIS IS FAST (laughs)! But no seriously, we were talking about he was just asking me questions about how serious I was as an artist and he was like “How serious are you?”, and so was like “Oh I’m VERY serious”, so then he was like “Okay make a video EVERYDAY”.
So you know me, you can’t challenge me and I not accept (laughs). So that’s what I did, I accepted the challenge, made one everyday for 7 days straight, then dropped Send Me The Beat Part 1: The Mixtape on SoundCloud. I even went to a production set a few times to shoot some videos, but I was very serious, and I mean how could I not accept Timbaland’s challenge (laughs)?
And it was cool because beyond those 7 days I started to spread out my posts, and Timbaland would continue to post me for the next 6 months so it was awesome. I also got to see a lot of support from a lot of vets in the game like Macy Gray, Brandy, and a ton of others. I was invited to Lovers and Friends in Vegas the year he performed, I met him, made some great connections, and it was a phenomenal experience. It was very special and be forever grateful.
Also, shoutout to Bill Pettaway. Bill was very monumental, gave me a lot knowledge about the business and so much more. Really great and honest guy.
So from working with Timbaland, doors just started to open. I had the opportunity to do some work with Fab from Milli Vanilli, which was really cool! I love his energy, great guy, and he actually has a really nice voice! He sung me Happy Birthday and I just thought that was out of this world. He’s always sending me motivation messages and showing me support. From then on I started to work with Stephen “Bud’da” Anderson and Derryck “Big Tank” Thorton. That relationship allowed me to place songs with Sesame Street and PBS, The Chi, and Power: Raising Kanan, and Power: Ghost. And I really needed those experiences to elevate as a writer!
Today, I’m working on my third project METAMORPHOSIS. It is the 3rd installment of my 4 part sonic trilogy “THE MAKINGS OF A BUTTAFLY”. I am still writing for TV/Film and have also branched out to other endeavors. I am also in the midst of writing an animation series, side note thank you to Hank Shocklee and my dad for putting me up to the challenge, a featured length film, and a TV sitcom. I keep saying whoever really takes the time to sit down, listen, and invest in me is going to be a serious billionaire a few times over! I have written, and honestly I’m still not done (laughs), a 100 page business plan that has a timeline of a minimum of 12 years. I’m reaching beyond the music, the music is just the vehicle! I have some other things moving in the background and I’m very excited to share but of course, when the time is right (laughs)! I now have my own recording studio space which is a big deal for me! For years I have recorded inside of my home. From time to time I would record in big studios like Quad Studios or The Hit Factory, but I found myself to be more productive with a home studio. However, fast forward, now I’m at a point where I needed to have an actual space, which is great because now it’s my basically my office, and the rent ain’t free (laughs). So this will make me ten times more productive and so I’m excited for how this will turn out.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Some of the struggles I’ve faced include being told that there is “no market for you” or to “make music for everyone.” These suggestions ultimately took away from who I am as an artist. But despite these challenges, I have continued to make good music, focusing on themes of love, specifically love for women. My songs are relatable, just predominantly for women who love women, but I also have songs where I don’t mention a gender at all. And let’s be real, there are songs that we love that may not relate to us specifically, we still love them because they are good songs. And quite honestly, it’s impossible to make music for everybody. I don’t think Jehovah Witnesses’ are singing happy birthday so there is that (laughs). So the bottom line for me is making good music, and if I’m doing that, then I’ve accomplished what I set out to do.
I’ve struggled with trying to be myself when others were telling me not to. However, now I’ve reached a point where I say, “screw it!” Ever since I tapped into that mindset, I’ve experienced more success than ever before in my entire career.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a singer, songwriter, dancer, and producer—a true creative. However, what people love most about me is my vocal arrangement and songwriting abilities. I am a lesbian so my songwriting comes from the perspective of loving a woman. This is not to say that there aren’t other artists who do this, it’s just not as common. My vocal arrangements are another standout aspect of my work. I build them like crazy (laughs)! 90 percent of the time I use about 45 tracks just for my background vocals alone. Many people ask, “What is your secret?” There is no secret—I just let my ADHD run wild (laughs)!
I like to say that if there were a visual representation of my vocal arrangement, it would look like butterflies fluttering. This is something I am most proud of because when I first started out, I didn’t sound like this at all (laughs). It took a lot of growth, studying, practice, and learning about myself as an artist. Once you hear my vocal arrangements in combination with my songwriting, you’ll definitely understand, firsthand, what sets me apart from the rest.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
Call me crazy (laughs), and it wouldn’t be the first (laughs), but I believe I will be one of the artist to bring a huge shift to the entertainment business. So, yes, I am a singer-songwriter -producer etc, but I am also a writer. For the past four years I have been developing my animation series. My animation series is big, and I’ve created it to be a franchise. I’d say it’s worth about $40-$60 billion dollars. It’s a game changer and my approach in collaboration will definitely shift the entertainment industry, allowing both sides of entertainment (artist, non-artist), to land on a happy medium.
In addition to the animation series, I also have a feature length film and another TV series in the queue. And all of the material I’ve created is stemmed from my experience in the business, whether it be as an artist, songwriter, writer, producer, whatever — I have really sat back and thought about my intent with all of my creative endeavors, while figuring out is missing.
On top of all of this, and this may sound insane, BUT, I have written out a 12 year business plan, and this at minimum, of my entire career. This plan consist of ventures from a yes, entertainment perspective, but also a technological, economical, and overall progressive perspective. So to be clear, music is just the vehicle for me. I plan on getting knee deep into the entertainment industry, but also crossing over into industries where artists rarely crossover. Anyone willing to sit down, partner, and take me on will be a billionaire, times over.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://theblvckbuttafly.com
- Instagram: theblvckbuttafly
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/100063950655995/
- Twitter: https://x.com/blvckbuttafly?s=21
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@theblvckbuttafly?feature=shared
- Soundcloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/H5Dy17g5fdGA63WB9
Image Credits
MOTIONTOGRAPHY LLC
Photographer: John
