On today’s Artist to Watch, we go all the way to Zimbabwe where we meet Cerise West(7vengoddess) an ambitious music rapper who has been in the music industry for a while now. She has been on the constant rise in the music industry after dropping several mixtapes and her latest single being Bad One. We caught up with her via mail to hear how her musical journey has been and get to know about her latest project
How would you best describe Cerise West?
I would best describe Cerise as an ambitious, hustling bad a** female with the heart of a Saint and the spirit of a soldier. I can say I am very hard to beat down because I come back up harder than any fall. Also, I’m sexy and cute. What else haha😆.
What first got you into music?
Music got into me haha. I remember seeing my mom’s cassettes and CDs in her room and listening to the Explicit ones like Busta on the low when I was alone. Lil Kim CD, Foxy Brown, Brandy, that Usher confessions album with the lyrics on the back. I thought I was merely enthusiastic about it till an experience with deep meditation and isolation made me realize who I really was, why I skipped school to stay at home and write or downloaded lyrics and burned CDs, or why I wrote lyrics in my school books instead of studying haha😆.
How would you describe the music that you typically create?
Good music.
What is your creative process like?
Sometimes it’s getting my feelings and write and sometimes it’s Irie vibes and I’m going off the first thought no matter if it’s good or sad. The beat, I just try to make love to the beat as much as I can.
How did the stage name “7vengoddess” come about?
Cerise is actually my stage name. 7vengoddess is my alias, it’s supposed to signify my complex personality(s) haha😆. It came about after concluding I was totally for the number 7 and what it stood for spiritually also after listening to Rebirth Of Slick, those guys are trippy. Spiritually It means complete or perfect, check the Bible lol. So I am enough. I am not poor in spirit…I have many sides to me. And one of them might be a bitch Haha😆.
How long would you say you’ve been in the music business?
I would say all my existence.
How and when did you make your debut in the music industry?
Whew! Let’s see. I dropped out of school and moved back home with a master plan haha. I met and got involved with my former record label Mob Ent, which went left and I’ve been unsigned but doing the most ever since. Even got Nominated for best female on a popular local award show in Zimbabwe called Changamire awards, my first year in I got more than 100 plays on my first song in a year and I went on air at Star Fm radio.
What would you be doing right now, if it wasn’t your music career?
Trying to figure out humans lol, psychology dropout, not grad, unfortunately, or fortunately. Time will tell.
‘Bad_One_’ is your latest single, what inspired it?
Failed friendships. I’m a very caring person and I feel on my way up I have met the worst kinds of people for that time in my life. I’m not saying they are terrible people but for that phase in my life, they were setbacks. So it’s like I’m like nah, lemme hype myself up coz I’m showing me what my capabilities and weaknesses are early on in the game. I’m giving myself my flowers basically.
What is the most challenging aspect of music-making in your opinion?
Staying focused. Nothing more. Nothing less
What are you working on currently?
My debut mixtape. No name yet but I’m actually working On it on my own, with some pointers from colleagues and YouTube tutorials. I mean I’m literally behind the music and working on the computer with all the technical stuff. It’s pretty fun but intimidating at face value.
What has been the most challenging or surprisingly easy aspect on your music career?
Let me answer both questions by saying, it’s been both a challenge but so easy to just invest in myself. Treating myself like a business-like Nicki said.
What does your music say about you?
Fun, crazy, smart, darkish lol, loving. In my own opinion.
What drew you to your preferred genre?
The music I listened to on my Walkman back in 8th grade haha
Which famous musicians do you admire?
Riri, Bey, Saweeti, Meg, by the way, I knew the latter 2 would blow up before the world knew that so I think I got good taste idk Hahaha😆.
How do you feel the internet has impacted the music industry?
It made it soo much easier to be heard and seen and also hard if you’re like me and still on the come up and probably not even trying to be in people’s faces with anything other than music.
What’s next for you?
Let’s see what God says, my guy.
Before we let you go what’s one message you would give to your fans?
I am soooo grateful for the support, I believe in all of us.
Lastly, your social media handles, Where can people reach out to you?
It’s Cerise on Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram(😉)
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