“Finding your own space in the music industry proves difficult when
your sister inhabits every corner.” Very true, but as the little sister
to probably the biggest star in the world, Solange is blazing her own
trail. The eclectic musician and fashionista covers The Fader’s “Spring Style” issue, doing double duty with punk band Vampire Weekend. The Fader
follows Solange preps her sold out show at NYC’s Bowery Ballroom with
the meticulous precision that comes with growing up Knowles. She’s
become a voice for the cool kids, the crowd you’re most likely to catch
at the Brooklyn Arts Museum rather than courtside at the Barclay’s.
In the interview, she opens up about the evolution of her sound, embracing simplicity, and how her life revolves around her young son: “In
all aspects of my career, simplicity is so key. I think it has a lot to
do with how much the quality of my life has improved since Julez
started school, which pretty much implemented a schedule and a lifestyle
that revolves around a nine-to-five hour.”
Her latest EP, True has gotten widespread love from critics
and fans alike, and she credits her evolved sound to the experiences
that have shaped her twenties:
“[In] four years, there’s been so much artistic growth, so much
growth just as a woman in [my] 20s, but especially as an artist. You’re
exposed to so much more from age 21 to 26, and you sure as hell care a
lot less. It’s been a little weird, for me, getting feedback—the last
album was so different than this one. I am like, Yeah, I was 20 when I
started writing it. Is that supposed to be shocking? If it sounded
similar, that would be really strange.”
Solange fans may be in for yet another treat. She reveals that she’s
currently working on an extended version of her track “Looks Good With
Trouble” is tentatively set to get a guest verse from Kendrick Lamar.
Catch Solange and Vampire Weekend in The Fader‘s Spring Style Issue when it hits newsstands.
