East London-born Jamaican R&B & Hip Hop songstress Tiana Major9 has truly affected the culture as such a versatile artist with her own hypnotic hybrid of R&B, jazz, soul, and rap.
The uniquely talented artist has now released her ‘Fool Me Once’ EP while simultaneously being on the ‘Heaux Tales’ tour with Jazmine Sullivan.
From MOBO Award nominations to Grammy nominations, the new neo-soul leading light shows no signs of slowing down.
Tiana Major9 previously garnered a Grammy nomination for “Best R&B Song” for her collaboration with EARTH-GANG on “Collide,” from the Queen & Slim soundtrack.
With widespread acclaim and hundreds of millions of streams to-date, Tiana Major9 has certainly made her mark across genres.
AllHipHop’s Rea Davis had a chance to speak to Tiana Major9 about her new EP, tour life, her Grammy nod, biggest influences, and much more.
AllHipHop: You are such a versatile artist. Who are some of your biggest influences?
Tiana Major9: I would say Lauryn Hill, D’Angelo, and Amy Winehouse just to name a few.
AllHipHop: What was it like growing up in East London?
Tiana Major9: I would say normal to me, but I guess that means nothing to you.
Tiana Major9: What do mean specifically?
AllHipHop: For those who’ve never been to London, take us there.
Tiana Major9: We wore our school uniforms. Um I went to a mixed school. It was very cold. We used to watch a lot of American TV.
AllHipHop: How old were you when you learned you wanted to do music, and how did your upbringing affect that career trajectory?
Tiana Major9: I was five, and I learned to sing or I loved singing in the church. So going to church every Sunday just solidified the fact that I wanted to sing, and just like sing for the rest of my life.
AllHipHop: So how did it feel when you received the Grammy nomination?
Tiana Major9: I didn’t believe it. I mean I understand why it received the nomination, “Collide” sorry because it’s a beautiful song, and it really touched people. It really reached people, but I think at the time I was just like I can’t believe this is happening because I was like a baby in my career, and no one knows me yet. People know me now.
AllHipHop: How did you celebrate?
Tiana Major9: I just had…it was like a virtual Grammys, so I was just at home. I ordered from this place called Sushisamba which is like Japanese and Brazilian sushi, and I got my dad to go pick it up because they weren’t doing delivery. I just got dressed up at home and ate sushi and drank.
AllHipHop: So how has pandemic life been for you?
Tiana Major9: Um, it’s been cool. I’ve been able to work. The first half of it was quite hard because we couldn’t really do much. We couldn’t travel, but as things started to ease up around the world, I was able to travel, come back to LA and just shoot videos and content and just be in the studio and be around people, but the first half, it was really tough, especially because I was living alone as well. It was very hard.
AllHipHop: What can we expect from the ‘Fool Me Once’ EP?
Tiana Major9: ‘Fool Me Once’ we can expect or you can expect a song called “2 Seater” featuring Smino which was one of our first ever sessions. It just became this song. What else can you expect… You can expect two other songs. I’ve been performing these songs on the road. There’s a song called “Try Peace” and then another song called “On God!” and yeah some of my favorite writing that I’ve ever done.
AllHipHop: How has tour life been so far?
Tiana Major9: Tour life has been good. It’s been good. I think we’re on our fourth show, fifth show; LA’s tomorrow. Um it’s been very… I feel like it’s been exactly how I expected it to be kinda thing. It’s nice being able to see different parts of America. Being able to say that I’ve travelled and performed for my fans that I probably would’ve never done if I wasn’t on this tour, at this point.
AllHipHop: Of the cities that you have left on the tour, what are some of the cities that are your favorite to visit, or you are most excited about visiting?
Tiana Major9: I’m excited about going to New Orleans. Never been there before. I can’t wait to go back to New York. I love New York. Where else? Um, I think Houston. I think Houston’s on it. Houston. Atlanta. I love the south.
AllHipHop: Who are your Top 5 favorite rappers dead or alive?
Tiana Major9: I would say Biggie definitely. Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar. Top 5 ooh, top five, top five. Um, I would say Cole. I think Cole’s definitely in there. Fourth one though, I meant fifth one. I don’t know. It’s quite hard. I only have four.
AllHipHop: Who are your Top 5 favorite singers dead or alive?
Tiana Major9: Lauryn Hill, Amy Winehouse, Beyonce, Whitney Houston, and Ella Fitzgerald.
AllHipHop: Who would you like to see in a Verzuz battle?
Tiana Major9: I would like to see, I think Mariah Carey and Beyoncé.
AllHipHop: Who are some of your dream artists to work with?
Tiana Major9: I would love to work with Giveon. I’d love to work with Beyoncé. Jazmine Sullivan too. I think it would be dope if we wrote a song together. Lizzo as well. I think Lizzo could be a dope collaborator.
AllHipHop: Who are you currently listening to right now?
Tiana Major9: Who am I listening to? I’m just listening to my own stuff at the moment to be honest. I’m just so like tunnel vision right now with my own music, so mainly my own stuff, and the stuff that comes on from Apple Music suggestions, but just mainly my own stuff right now.
AllHipHop: So what’s next for you? We know you are on tour, we know you have the project that’s going to be preceding the album. What else is next for Tiana?
Tiana Major9: Next, again more new music, um visuals. Hopefully my own tour with headline shows. Just more work.
AllHipHop: What do you want your legacy to be years from now?
Tiana Major9: I want my legacy to be like I’m being true to myself; I’m being honest. I want my voice to be strong on the things I say to be something…I just want my inner self and my honest self to come out. I want my legacy to be honesty.
AllHipHop: Who do you feel are the most impactful Hip Hop artists over the last decade?
Tiana Major9: Ooh, I think Kendrick. He’s just; I think he’s the full package. Like he has lyrics. He has great music, He has his visuals. He has something to stay. Yeah I think Kendrick’s just one of my favorites.
