“love, vulnerability, understanding, openness”
When I first got in touch with vox I felt a sense of release (which doesn’t usually happen when it comes to interviews)! Her nature is immediate; its purities, impurities, perfections and faults, and it is this honesty which radiates light even within the darker subjects. In searching the nooks of the world, vox begins within herself, an example we should all follow, and this new single is the accumulation of this journey. How Do I Connect To The Spirits, looks into the notion of ancestral trauma, particularly in relation to the Black Lives Matter movement- connected oneself to our history as well as the connection between body and mind. When embodying the inner quarrels many are going through, vox’s sincerity is untouchable. This conversation is one which will certainly remain prevalent in my mind, so enjoy reading, watching and listening below.
Hey there, how are you going today?
Today is a tender one, for sure. I have been having a bit of a down week actually, I think i’m homesick for my loved ones and getting to be near them. I’ve also been feeling afraid of the future, the unknown of it all.
Thank you for talking to me today, even within this down period! Could you tell us a little about your newest project?
I just released a new song! It’s called How Do I Connect To The Spirits? It’s a very special single and is a part of my up-and-coming EP.
It is a very beautifully harrowing song, one which will impact those who listen. Could you dive into the meaning behind the song for us?
Last year, a friend taught me about ancestral trauma. I learnt how it can live in your body on a cellular level. This knowledge really sat like a pit in my stomach. As a white person, the history of my family is something I haven’t wanted to face, but that’s our privilege- to ignore the suppression and hatred that’s within our lineages. It is this ignorance which has doomed us, so the song is about grappling with this fear and same, whilst also realizing how useless living in these feelings is as amends are only useful when followed by action.
What action would you like to see?
The first step is informing ourselves about the history of white supremacy. Once we are armed with that information we can then teach others around us. It is together we need to follow the lead of Black organizations that are fighting for systematic change.
In this song, you explore this disconnect to our history but also the disconnect between the body and the mind: could you explain the notion behind this disjoint?
This idea is an overarching theme in my upcoming EP and is something I’ve been working on for years- this action of bringing my body and my mind back together. I believe disconnect can happen because of so many different things, but for me, it was through sexual trauma. In order to survive, I had to pretend my body was not important to my mind or my soul, creating this disconnect as the things that were done to it were too much to bear.
Thank you for sharing with us. Your honesty in who you are also led to an intense level of serenity within your art; is this an intentional form of therapy for you?
I think that being a person who struggles a lot with anxiety and often feels as though the world is too intense that this makes sense. I am naturally drawn to calming sounds.
With you feeling the weight of the world so intensely, how much does your environment influence your work?
In every way! I can only ever write about what it is I’m feeling. These emotions come from all of my experiences in the world
Your creativity flows down the path of many different mediums, is there a place within this your energy runs most freely?
I believe that being a musician is about so much more than just the music, especially today where many of us work independently. I feel lucky to be able to enjoy so many different forms of expression, so I really just put my creativity where it’s needed. I create to build a world I want a project to live in. I love making music and crafting the visual world alongside this.
This visual world is certainly present within the video. How was the process of creative direction in building it, as well as working alongside Michael [Tyrone Delaney]?
Working with Michael is always a dream! We had been following each other on social media for quite a while, and actually shot this during quarantine (keeping a safe distance) so that informed the creative direction as well. I did the makeup and the styling myself using looks from Area, Y/Project, Rombaut, Ottolinger, and Western Affair. I was lucky enough to meet Courtney from Ritual Projects at Paris Fashion Week earlier this year, and she let us shoot the amazing fashion brands she reps.
Thank you so much for talking with me today, it has really been an honour! My final question is, what do you hope to see in your future after this newest drop?
Thank you! I hope to see love, vulnerability, understanding, openness. Oh, and the abolition of the police.
More from vōx here.
Words by Grace Powell
