Discover... BINA.
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Photo Credit: Lekan Balogun // @lekkyfromse
A mood is defined as “a state or quality of feeling at a particular time.” It’s also a word sprinkled on many an Instagram caption à la Salt Bae. But more importantly, it’s the feeling music can give you for a short while. As the discover series continues, we’re excited to have spoken to BINA., a singer who makes music which allows the listener to float through the songs with her. Earlier in the year, we spoke more about genres and whether we’re shifting into music being more moods-based as well as the creativity behind her sublime video for “Caged Bird”.
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Firstly, these first 6 months of 2020 have been *a lot* — how are you doing?
I’ve been okay you know! I won’t lie and say it’s been plain sailing the whole time, but it’s definitely been a period of inspiration, creativity, and self-expression.
How has Quarantine been for you personally and creatively?
Really productive - I’ve made a LOT of new music. I’ve been painting and drawing more, practising guitar… I’ve also been getting to know myself better.
Now let’s take a look at some of your releases. 2019 saw you release your first EP “Humble Abode” — how long did it take for you to put this together?
That project was in the making for about a year, year and a half, if you count from when the oldest of the songs on the project was made. I actually changed the track list quite a few times, and the six tracks which make up the project now really take you on a journey.
What was the most challenging part of working on this project?
I wouldn’t say this project was all that challenging to me; I really enjoyed the whole process from recording, to mixing, to executing visual ideas. But I [do] think there was a point where my mind was full of so many ideas and I had to learn to just focus so that the project was cohesive; so that it made sense and actually told a story.
You released an ethereal video for the first track “Caged Bird” — what made you want to
create a video for this song?
That video was a result of being open. I remember I randomly got a message on Instagram, from the director of the video; he (Joyal) reached out and said he wanted to collaborate on some visuals, and I said yes, of course. I’m so glad that I trusted him with the vision — he (@joyalantonydominic) and Rhys (@rhysjboughton) captured the story of Caged Bird so well, as well as the essence of who I am as an artist.
Some lyrics which stand out from that track are:
“You stunted the growth of my wings, so all I can do is sing sing sing. I know why the caged bird sings.”
— just so poetic. This song is therapy in a way — when thinking of putting this song together, what did you have in your mind initially and did it come out the way you planned?
It’s funny, because I almost never write my songs down, pen-to-paper, when I’m making them. This song was a freestyle I did one evening. I played the beat and left my phone on record and from the moment when the beat dropped, and I sang “I know why the caged bird sings”, I knew this song was gonna be deeply emotional, and therapeutic. I had actually read Maya Angelou’s book “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings” a few months before, so that planted a seed of inspiration which I kind of ran with. And I’m really happy with how it turned out.
Would you agree that genres are blending more and more into moods? If so, what mood would you describe your music as? If not, does music need to fit into a genre anymore?
Yes! Most definitely...I feel like using moods instead of genres to describe the sounds of today’s artists is a lot more accurate. I would describe my sound as “mellow” and “soothing”. These are the feelings I often feel when I create my music, and I hope that people feel moved, even if it isn’t to those specific moods, when they listen to my music. That said, I still feel like genres can act as umbrellas to house all the moods which we create in music, and I would say the genres which inspire me are Jazz, Neo-Soul and R&B. But I like moods better because they don’t feel as restrictive as genres do.
Lastly, what was your idea of success growing up, compared to now?
I would say that when I was younger, I used to judge success by the career you have, and the status attached to it. What I considered successful was also very limited too: I must have top grades, become a doctor or something similar, because that’s what my parents wanted. Now, I think success equates to being able to find out who you are, [and to] be that, unapologetically, and use the gifts we’ve been blessed with to put more love and healing into the world.
Since I realised that, and all fairly recently, I have felt that my progress creatively, and as far as my career is concerned, has been so much easier to achieve. At the moments when I surrender - to my feelings, to what I feel is my calling - that’s when I create what I’m most proud of; and that feels like success. Everything else that follows, like recognition, opportunities, and so on, is a by-product of just being true to self.
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Photo Credit: Jennifer A-O’Neil