Hiya folks thanks for joining us in the virtual RGM lounge today, grab a brew and take a seat.
What made you decide that music is a thing for you?
It’s been decided from the womb!
Introduce us to you / all to the members and your musical history.
Hey ya’ll! I’m LaQuinta Prince aka Bad Ass Beauty. I attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA and from there it’s been a mish-mosh of bands, studio session work and multiple starts and stops and tears and chaos, and living for my dreams!! That’s the abridged version. Lol!
Name me your 3 favorite Albums.
Evanescence – Fallen
Beyonce – Beyonce (the self titled album she dropped from the sky in 2013)
In This Moment – Blood and Black Widow (pls don’t make me choose)
What was the first song you heard that steered you into a music path?
I can’t really say for sure…my dad was a musician and my mom loved music so music was always in the house, and as a kid everywhere I went and everything I did involve music. As I said before this is something that has been in me since birth. I can’t really explain it!
The music industry is the hardest industry in the world to progress in, How do you feel you are doing?
That’s a loaded question. I’ve had too many false starts and “close but no cigar” moments to count and I’ve called myself “giving up” more times than I care to discuss. But it ALWAYS draws me back in. I have sacrificed so much for my craft and just the sheer love of the art. It’s in my soul. I’m gonna say at this exact moment in time I think I’m doing ok. Ask me that in an hour or so and you may get totally different off wall answer cloaked in disaster
I’m seeing a lot of debate about women not feeling safe at music gigs, any thoughts on what we need to do to help?
Yea. I can look and perform and feel any way I damn well, please. Whether it’s considered provocative or not…that does NOT mean I’m trying to fuck you. If I am you will know it beyond a shadow of a doubt. That’s just my personal opinion/experience. So all I can suggest is the old adage of NO means NO. Not maybe, not keep trying and eventually, you will talk me into it. No is no. Period. Don’t take it personally. Thanks for your musical support tho!!
As you develop as an artist and develop using socials what ways do you get new ears on your music? Any tips?
Oh boy. Well…I notoriously break out in hives over having to document my life on social media. I’m a super private person but know full well that social media is the way to build a hardcore fan base and engage fans. I am literally building this thing from the ground up and have about 2 fans who are my close friends….LOL!!! BUT. I’m seeing that consistency is the name of the game here. I went from posting about twice a year (I’m so not kidding) to now posting on all platforms 5 to 6 times per week. I’m starting to see over the course of a month and a half that people really are starting to take notice and the radar antenna is going up. So yea. Just keep plugging away!
Tell us Two truths and a lie about you.
I was born with 6 fingers on each hand
The way to my heart is coconut
My Bad Ass Beauty Album 4 Horsemen was turned into a rock opera
Whats your thought on Spotify’s monopoly on the music industry?
Like death and taxes, it was unavoidable. Record labels were not gonna go out without a fight. They had to figure out a way to regain control of the industry and they used one of the most dominating forces in streaming to do it and was able to turn it into the most dominating.
Do you sign up for any conspiracy theories?
Yup. The Illuminati is a thing. Fight me. I said what I said.
Did you buy anything you don’t need during the pandemic?
I did not because I was saving all of my money to move to California!
What was the worst experience on stage?
Completely losing my voice ½ way thru the set. It’s mortifying. So I try not to speak at all the day of shows
Tell us something about you that you think people would be surprised about.
I’m a crybaby. But please don’t try me like I’m a weak ass bitch…
What makes you stand out as a band/artist?
A black woman doin’ hard rock with r&b layered vocals. I’m writing about my trials and tribulations and just being fabulous. It’s hard and it’s fun
I hear you have new music, what can you tell us about it.
It’s my debut single release “Me”!!! I made the transition from r&b to rock music and it was at a stage of my life where I was done taking shit from anyone or anything under any circumstances. Everything just came pouring out. I’m no longer asking for permission to be me and do me. Any issues with that is a YOU problem…not a ME problem.
Talk me through the thought process of the new tune/s.
There are constantly ideas flowing thru my head at any given time. I’m always writing down notes of lyrics and voice recordings of melodies. I have to always have things notated since I have the attention span of a goldfish. Then I kind of put things together bit by bit and a song emerges. Sometimes I can go months without a single idea and other times ideas are swimming in my head constantly or waking me up out of deep sleep.
What was the recording process like?
It was fucking fantastic! My co-writer and co-producer on these tunes Anthony Gemignani has a studio in Flemington, NJ so there was a lot of time and space for ideas to flow and develop. He just kinda let me do my thing and didn’t try to mansplain and dominate which is a problem I have encountered way too many times in the studio. Add plenty of vodka to the mix and a mutual respect and comfort level, and it was a recipe for some ass kicking music!
What was the biggest learning curve in writing the new tunes?
I don’t really have a said learning curve. I do my thing and if something works then great! If something doesn’t I revamp until it does or let it go and come back at a later time, date or opportunity. Wait. is that considered a learning curve? LOL!
Would you change anything now it’s finished?
Nope!
Is there anything else you would like to share with the world?
I’m just really getting started so I hope the world is ready for what I have to offer. It’s a lot. I’m a lot. So let’s be a lot together!
FOLLOW HERE HERE