“My life has modified quite a bit,” notes a joyful Joyce Wrice. Since she landed a spot on Hypebeast’s New Gen Spring 2021 listing, the San Diego-bred, Los Angeles-based R&B sensation has made nice strides because of the discharge of her debut album Overgrown final 12 months.
From opening for Lucky Daye’s Candytrip tour to being the voice behind The Proud Household reboot jingle, modeling for the primary time at New York Style Week, acting at worldwide reveals and festivals, and most lately dropping her Motive EP, Wrice has firmly set herself on the trail to success.
Although fashionable pundits wish to bemoan the purported “demise” of R&B, Wrice pays them no heed by respiratory new life into the style. Her old-fashioned sounds hark again to Aaliyah, Brandy, Mariah Carey, and Missy Elliott, whereas her up to date spins, an emphasis on her part-Japanese upbringing, and love for dance music have solidified her as a promising star.
Motive is each a short interlude and a sneak peek of the place Wrice’s head is at. “I’m on this flirty, enjoyable, grown, divine female mindset proper now,” she proudly asserts. Songs like “Spent” and “Tempo Your self” are lyrical reminders that Wrice is aware of her price, whereas “Lookin for Ya” and “Bittersweet Goodbyes” hear her lay down the legislation. Rounding out the five-track EP is the breakout hit “Iced Tea” alongside KAYTRANADA.
Hypebeast caught up with Wrice on what making Motive was like, how she needs to make individuals dance, and what’s nonetheless but to come back.
Le3ay Studio
Hypebeast: There’s a renewed sense of vitality on Motive that makes it fairly totally different out of your debut album Overgrown. What would you say units them aside?
Joyce Wrice: Overgrown was extra reflective and private. I used to be nonetheless discovering my voice again then and feeling issues out whereas Motive is extra flirty, carefree, and enjoyable. Because it’s an EP, I used to be in a position to be extra experimental than with an album which feels a bit extra severe and thematic. By means of creating and performing Overgrown, I additionally realized that I wished to make extra dance music as a result of I like doing choreography for reside performances. With these new revelations, I used to be in a position to be extra strategic with Motive.
What was it like working with KAYTRANADA? How have been you capable of finding the candy spot inside each of your artistic processes?
I really met Kay earlier than I launched Overgrown and I actually wished us to have a full file [instead of an interlude] on it however the timing didn’t work out. Proper after that although, I obtained within the studio and he performed me the “Iced Tea” beat — which I beloved immediately. I teamed up with Mack Keane to jot down the observe and in addition had the prospect to open up for a couple of of Kay’s reveals across the similar time. Since then, I fell in love with the thought of constructing extra music with him.
Mike Orquia
I used to be in a position to take him away for a pair extra classes and create this uptempo type of music impressed by Britney Spears’ “I’m a Slave 4 U,” some Afrobeats, some Janet Jackson, Aaliyah, and Missy Elliott sort sounds. I additionally set to work with some gifted writers like Miraa Could, Hadar Adora, Anthony Watts, and Trey Campbell. It was a very enjoyable time.
Who’d your dream collab be with?
I’d like to work with the Neptunes. There’s additionally this author, Sean Garrett, who I’d actually like to work with. He’s accomplished loads of hits from the 2000s and he really labored on a few of Summer season Walker’s new album which I actually favored.
So far as different artists, I feel collabs with Afrobeats stars like Burna Boy or Wizkid can be so cool. I can hear Tems being on “Bittersweet Goodbyes.” Artists I grew up listening to love Brandy, Mariah Carey, and Usher can be unbelievable to work with too.
“I like the thought of collaboration and the way songs may be made higher by bouncing again concepts.”
You’ve talked about loads of songwriters. What’s the greatest lesson you’ve realized in relation to songwriting?
That two heads are higher than one. I like the thought of collaboration and the way songs may be made higher by bouncing again concepts. So far as what’s helped me with my creativity, I take loads of my classes from simply how different individuals work and use these as inspirations for future classes. By means of that, I additionally consider to find what works greatest for me and that observe makes good.
There’s been such an emphasis on being in contact together with your Japanese aspect. How has being half Japanese influenced your music?
I actually need to faucet into my story extra and present what about my identification is exclusive. It’s additionally necessary for me to be consultant of my tradition and neighborhood, so with the ability to incorporate that intention into my music has helped me join with different people who find themselves Japanese, or Japanese and Black, or Black.
I simply carried out a couple of reveals in Japan and so many individuals have been thrilled to listen to this type of music from anyone who speaks the identical language and is a part of their tradition. That brings me a lot pleasure as a result of I need to be a supply of encouragement for others.
Are there any Japanese artists you’d wish to work with?
There’s a bunch known as D.A.N. that opened for Mndsgn once I carried out with him in Japan a couple of years in the past. Different loopy gifted artists embrace one known as Sirup and a rapper named Awich. I additionally need to make Japanese variations of songs from Motive, form of like how I remixed my single “That’s On You” from 2020.
As somebody who’s been altering the soundscape of R&B, the place do you see the style heading now?
I really feel just like the style has gone in so many instructions. It additionally seems like loads of artists don’t even need to be labeled or for his or her work to be categorized. It’s simply music. So so far as R&B goes, I feel it’s going to only preserve unfolding into no matter type artists are making it into. , we’ve got SZA killing it by making R&B but additionally what individuals need to name it as various R&B. The style’s going to go within the route everybody takes it and I really feel like that’s extraordinarily thrilling.
You’ve hit fairly a couple of milestones this 12 months together with your latest Tiny Desk live performance and some worldwide reveals. What else do you hope to attain within the close to future?
This upcoming sophomore album is a large precedence of mine. When it comes to a good higher image, I need to carry out in stadiums and arenas. I need to do world excursions. I need to be primary on the Billboard charts for consecutive months. I need to get into TV and movie ever since I did The Proud Household jingle earlier this 12 months. I’d like to additionally get extra into vogue.
The largest factor for me is that I need to be the very best entertainer, vocalist, songwriter, and performer that I may be. It’s necessary for me to do every part it takes to perform that so this can all the time be my predominant precedence.
Motive is accessible for streaming on Spotify and Apple Music now.
