An Interview With Osay
Thank you for chatting with me this week! Please tell the readers a bit about yourself and the work you do.
Osay: Of course! Hey everyone, I’m Osay, I’m a rapper, singer-songwriter from the south suburbs of Chicago. I initially got my musical start as a writer for other artists before I decided to chase my own dream of being a musician. I’m very much inspired by 90s/early 2000s hip hop and R&B and you can hear a lot of old school influences in my sound and lyrics.
I welcome the opportunity to showcase something different in rap music, especially as a female artist because I want to show people that women have something to say. We don’t all talk about the same things, we like to tell stories and have fun, and show our personalities and be true to ourselves and that’s what I intend to do.
Your newest single, Funk Freestyle, is awesome. How did that track come about?
Osay: Lol, that song was going to drive me absolutely nuts so I appreciate you saying that. I love weird and quirky beats so I was drawn to the Funk Freestyle beat immediately when I heard it online. I wanted to channel my inner Eminem with my approach.
The wacky beat inspired the wacky lyrics, so I wanted to say some really funny stuff while giving the listener a little taste of my personality. The chorus was definitely the most difficult element of the entire song and I probably had like 4-5 different iterations of the chorus before I found something I liked. This song was easily the most involved of any song I’ve released at this point but if people like it, the challenge was well worth it.
Making music takes a lot of time and energy. What do you do to stay productive?
Osay: For me, it’s definitely an internal drive and motivation to create. I almost feel bad when I’m not creating or doing something within the realms of music each day. Because this is my dream, I want to work at and eventually be the best and the only way I can do that is by constantly working and developing on my craft. And because creating music is what I love to do, it never feels like work to me. Every day just invites a new opportunity to be better than I was the day before.
RELATED: Gabino Grhymes Talks Hip Hop
How do you approach your own creativity? Do you work at it, wait for inspiration, or something else entirely?
Osay: I’ve always been the type of person to be inspired by life itself. I can see someone else go through something and create a whole song about the experience whether I have been through it personally or not. I love that about myself because I enjoy telling stories and I think being able to talk about a wide variety of topics helps me to be more creative. When I have to force it, it doesn’t sound as good, so I let things happen organically. That’s when my best work happens.
Burnout happens to the best of us. What do you do to maintain motivation?
Osay: Great question, the biggest thing for me to maintain motivation is remembering why I do it. I love music, it’s been a constant presence in my life. So when I find myself at a breaking point, I take a step back from the creative process and do something mind-numbing like watching dumb videos on YouTube or take a walk.
But then after a while, I’ll have this need to want to create, as corny as it sounds, it’s a release for me so I dig deep and remember all that music has done for me and I push through those difficult moments to create something or to be inspired enough to create something I’m proud of.
Between COVID and the internet, we are looking at a shift in the way music is consumed. What do you think will happen in the future of music?
Osay: One thing for certain is that there will be more creators looking for opportunities to showcase their music because the barriers to entry get smaller and smaller each year. It’s really encouraging because, in the past, there was no way you could be a successful artist without a major label backing you.
Now, you can create, upload, and distribute your music all in the comfort of your own home. I think accessibility to music will continue to get easier. Platforms are going to adapt to these changes in order to accommodate this do-it-yourself attitude of today’s artists.
Outside of hip hop, what do you do for fun?
Osay: I’m a very simple girl, it doesn’t take much to entertain me. I love to eat, I could eat all day if my stomach would allow it. I also love to spend time with my friends and family. They help keep me sane when I feel like I’m going to lose it, but my family especially is really important to me so whenever I have time to hang out and be with them is time well spent.
What advice can you give to those who want to start making their own music?
Osay: Just do it!! Seriously, I spent so many years doubting myself and waiting for some magic A&R or music exec to take me to the promised land when I should have been creating for myself from the jump. Don’t allow things like fear to stop you from creating and being you. There’s always going to be people who don’t see the vision or understand you, create anyways, push past doubt and limitations. If it’s what you want to do, you’ll stop at nothing to do it. Life’s too short folks, create and be merry! If you don’t like it, create something else.
Do you have any upcoming events or releases you want to promote?
Osay: Yes, I do. I just released my first 4 singles: Off Brand, Shimmy Season, Bad Girl, and the aforementioned Funk Freestyle. I’m so excited for them to finally be out because each song showcases different elements of who I am to a certain degree.
Off Brand and Funk Freestyle show the sillier and more playful side of my personality. Shimmy Season is a more flirty, fun, easy-going song. And Bad Girl, if it isn’t obvious enough, kinda shows the naughtier side of my personality that I usually keep hidden because I’m a good girl at heart. But I’m really excited for listeners to check out these songs and learn a bit about me in the process.
Thank you for taking the time to chat with me this week! Please tell the readers where they can find you and your work.
Osay: Thank you so much Aaron for allowing me to speak on your platform and share a bit of my story with you. You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @osaycantsee and my music is on most major streaming platforms where music is available: https://fanlink.to/osaycantsee
Check Out Osay!
A huge thank you to Osay for chatting with me this week. Make sure to find Osay’s work at the following locations:
