We were lucky to catch up with Anawetha recently and have shared our conversation below.

ANAWETHA, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

The first time I knew I wanted to pursue a creative path professionally was in elementary school! We had an assembly in the gym where they invited a steel drumming group with a drum set player. I can vividly remember sitting on the floor directly in front of the drummer. As the groove infused with the rhythm of my own heart, I knew I wanted nothing else in life but to spend my days creating and performing music across the world. I can remember leaning over to one of my classmates and whispering “that’s going to be me up there one day! I’m going to perform music all over the world!”. My enthusiasm was met with the purest annoyance a person could muster. “Shut up, AJ” my peer sheepishly responded. Not even moved by the notion of my dream. From that moment forward, my resolve has been immovable. It’s always been to have a career in music, to create, entertain, and share my art with the world.

ANAWETHA, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Well, I’ve always had an instinctual connection to music. It’s as if I was born with it inside of my bones. It has seamlessly oozed out of me since my conception. Before I even knew what a drum was, I used to bang on my mom’s pots and pans; as a toddler! I joined the school band and began playing drums at church all around the same time. My musical experience prior to this was primarily through consumption, writing cheesy songs about social issues ( which is such a weird thing to be doing at 7 years old, haha), and putting on choreographed routines with my cousin at family functions.

Musically speaking, I’m a spectrum. My music utilizes a lot of different colors and textures. Primarily though, it tends to be very bright and warm. It’s something you can play on a sunny day while taking a drive or either at night when you’re out with friends. My music is the soundtrack to experience.

One thing that sets me apart from others is my performance as well as my foreknowledge of music by way of musicianship/being in the school band. Band opened up a lot of avenues for me sonically. Having an understanding of arrangement, composition, and theory has really played a huge role in how I approach my music. In band, you’re not confined to 1 specific style or genre of music. We’d play any & every thing that was put in front of us. This translated well in my desire to experiment and expand the range of my artistry. The fact that I played tuba also gave me an in depth understanding of basslines which is also a strong point of my music.

The main thing I would want fans to understand about my music is that it’s similar to a restaurant. I can cater. Just as a restaurant with options, I aim to have limitless range in the musical space. Of course there will be the things on my menu that I’m most popular for (rapping, storytelling, and romance), but I also would like to have other options on the menu that suite various palettes. When you think of an author, literary or musically speaking, you don’t imagine a limit or confinement on what they can create. I want my artistry to have that same liberty.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the release. There’s something so indescribably special about creating. Being able to turn emotion into sound is meaningful. Taking thoughts, feeling, ideals, etc and creating lyrics that capture the essence of those expressions is a feeling that never settles. It’s a high, for sure.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

I think something that non-creatives may struggle to understand is that this isn’t an overnight voyage. It requires a lot of time, work, and sacrifice. Although it is fun, it’s still a business. Unfortunately, talent will only take you so far. You have to spend money to make money and investments in this field get costly. QUICK!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://beacons.ai/anawetha
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/anawetha
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ANAWETHA/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/anawetha
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@anawetha?si=YuzUSLCjG-43dWdm
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/anawetha