Today we’d like to introduce you to Sanura.
Sanura, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’ve loved music for as long as I can remember. My father is a drummer and my grandmother was an opera singer so it’s been in my blood for generations. My mom and stepdad are also true lovers of music, there was always singing, dancing, and jams blasting in our house and it’s like that ’til this day. When my brothers and I were younger, they would take us to jazz concerts and on family trips to the CD store every weekend, where I would spend hours listening to all kinds of albums from all different genres. Little did I know, I was fully immersed in my art before I even knew that I wanted to pursue it as a career.
I officially started singing and writing songs when I was about 9, and at 15 I began recording and performing with a local producer on the weekends. When I finished high school, I decided to take a break from music and enjoy the college life in sunny Miami, but I could never fully shake it off. I came back home to Virginia after a year and a half of school and decided to focus on my true passion again. I auditioned for one girl group and didn’t make the cut, then joined another a few months later but that didn’t work out either. I was devastated by what appeared to be two failures in a row, but it ended up being a blessing in disguise, as “failures” often are.
Soon after the breakup of my group, my stepdad encouraged me to book studio time and record my own demo. I was intimidated by the thought of the task at first, but once I completed it, it was the most empowering feeling ever. Months later, I began working with producer Cito On The Beat on my first album, “Ultimate Accessory”, and once that was done I took it to the streets. I would go out after work selling CD’s on the beach, in clubs, at open mic nights- anywhere anyone would be open to listening to and supporting this random girl selling her music. Making those rounds with my album began to get me some buzz in my city, so from there I was getting calls to model for local brands, appear in videos, host parties, perform live, and do interviews at college radio stations. It was an amazing experience but I inevitably wanted to spread my wings, so in 2012 I moved to NYC to take things to the next level.
Almost immediately after moving to New York, I was offered a few modeling opportunities and began recording an EP with Singer/Producer Kata Kozma. She was the first female producer I had ever met– working with her really opened me up to the possibility of producing my own music. I wanted to for a while, but I pushed the thought to the back of my head for months on end, telling myself that “girls don’t produce” or that I should just “stick to singing and songwriting”.
Seeing her dive into the production game headfirst gave me the confidence to do the same. After we completed work on my EP “View From The Q”, I decided to get my own home studio setup and began crafting songs for what would be my 2016 EP entitled “SAGA”. I eventually grew tired of the hustle, bustle, and struggle of NYC, so I moved to Los Angeles in 2015 and signed with a talent agency six months later. From there, I appeared in over a dozen commercials and print ads, namely Microsoft, Verizon, Old Navy, Levi’s, and more. With the money I was making from commercials, I was able to fully fund and release my first self-produced EP, “SAGA”, all on my own.
In 2017, a friend from my hometown referred me to sing background vocals for Stevie Wonder, as her uncle was one of his security guards at the time. I was called in for an audition about a month later and got the job. For two years, I toured, performed, and recorded with Stevie, soaking up all the experience I possibly could from a living legend.
Since the beginning of this year, I’ve been focusing all my attention on my music and releasing my own singles. I put out a track called “Don’t Ever Talk To Me Again” this past May, and I’m currently working on another EP. I started a lingerie brand called Little Kitten last August, so I would say my plate has definitely been full lately.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Most of my struggles along this road have been with my own self-confidence, as well as trusting others enough to help me on my journey which, as it turns out, both go hand in hand. When you first start out, especially at a young age, and DEFINITELY as a young girl in this industry, everyone around you is trying to tell you what to do and who to be. In the beginning, I listened to those people, thinking maybe they knew better than I did. That only caused me to build silent resentment, which eventually led me to lash out and rebel against everything and everyone that I felt was a threat to my creativity and independence.
It was from my rebellion that I bloomed most as an artist though– making the decision to only go with my own flow and create what I wanted to create was probably the best choice I’ve ever made. But after being the self-proclaimed creative lone wolf for so long, I realized that I had no one in my corner anymore, that I had pushed away the people that had been interested in helping me out of fear that they’d eventually try to control me.
I only recently found that the key to this whole thing is balance. It’s having the confidence to know that you have the power to create art on your own terms if you want to, that criticism is just other people’s personal opinions that you can choose to listen to or ignore. Nobody can stop you from doing you. But it’s also about understanding that you’ll still need the support of people who understand and are passionate about your art in order for it to grow.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I’m a Singer, Songwriter, and Producer best known for my soulful, nostalgic tracks. My music is heavily influenced by Jazz, Neo-Soul, and the Soulful sounds of the 60’s and 70’s. I splash a few house tracks in from time to time because it’s one of my favorite genres, but I’m mostly known for keeping it smooth and sexy.
I’m most proud of my evolution as an artist. It’s been a very long journey getting here, but here I am, and I’ve learned so much along the way. I’ve found my style, my voice, my everything as an artist, and it’s dope to compare my music now with my past music. I love that I can hear the growth with every single song.
What sets me apart from others is… nothing really. I’m just a girl with talents, dreams, and goals like so many other people are. Perhaps the only difference is that I made the decision a long time ago to go after what I want and not stop until I get it. That’s really it. I want every young girl and woman to know that whatever they see me doing, no matter how old they are, no matter their skin color, their background, whatever… they can do it too.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
There’s been so many great milestones, but I’d say I’m most proud of deciding to produce and record my own music. It’s the ultimate in creative freedom; I was able to figure out my sound and style simply by giving myself the space to experiment and make mistakes, unapologetically.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.little-kitten.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sanuraofficial/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SanuraOfficial/
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/sanuraofficial/
- BANDCAMP: https://sanuramusic.bandcamp.com/
- SHOP LINGERIE: https://www.little-kitten.com/
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2KoEQq7EEpdOLErZi1K2eL?si=kYQbEzuvRSGAGGA6fmKrcQ
Image Credit:
– Bria Celeste, VC Visions
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