As Northwest musician Akinola Pedro prepares to culminate his three-city tour at Songbyrd Music House, he shared with The Informer hopes to put on a show reflective of his mission as a musician: honoring his D.C. roots and the storied influence of Black women.
Performing his sophomore album on June 29, Pedro is bringing the raunchy lyricism, intercultural beats, and ethereal flows of “POMEGRANATE?” to Northeast, D.C., in a timely parable of man versus pride – illuminated in just 10 songs and 29 minutes of play time.
With Black Music Month in full swing, Pedro’s candid journey to “understanding a woman’s worth” portrays a reflection of the industry he hopes to change, backed with support from some of the artists he hopes to do it with.
“From a very, very early age, I was given the idea of [who] a Black woman is,” said Pedro, touting his mother and older sister as the blueprint. “As I got into music, the very people who’ve been pivotal in my life, in the music business, have been Black women…that’s taught me how to be the best version [of myself], whether it’s in music or as a person. And you have to appreciate that.”
Making Room for Black Women to Creatively Express
“POMEGRANATE?” was originally released in February, and is candid in a journey of self and ego and a displaced yearn for love. It is a work as vulnerable and introspective as it is diverse and enticing.
Now, following stops in Los Angeles, California, and New York, atop the June 29 bill are DMV musicians O-Slice, Cecily, Kyaira, and Melan, with the latter two also being featured collaborators on the album.
Melan’s soothing melodies on the album’s opener, “through the lookin’ glass,” set the tone for a production overcome with vulnerability and a desire to heal, something the songwriter explores shamelessly within her own work.
As an artist who prides herself on defying genres and experimenting, Melan underscored the importance of embracing an industry resolute in redefining limitations often imposed by society.
For Black women, she pointed out, those barriers often have nothing to do with the music.
“We’re at that place where diversity [and] visibility is present, and there’s so many beautiful representations, but I do think there are still a lot of boxes,” Melan told The Informer. “Especially Black women artists…there’s just a lot of standards that kind of take up more space than the creative expression.”
O-Slice and Pedro both noted this disparity being particularly evident among the hip-hop/rap community, despite a growing presence of Black women whose bars have topped the charts and paved the industry for decades.
Evidently, Pedro believes changing the narrative starts with a different demographic.
“If anything, I would love for men, specifically, to actually be fans of women in music,” he admitted. “I feel like sometimes they’re not in tune with the music, and they’re more in tune with the image, and…we need to focus on [Black women’s] skillset.”
A Maryland-based, by way of Nigeria, rapper herself, O-Slice emphasized the positive impact that can be derived from artists that exist in a realm of freedom and authenticity. She cited the evolution of the Afrobeats genre, which has delved into distinguishing groups such as Afropop, Amapiano, Afrofusion, etc., when “just as recently as two years ago,” many were not aware of the differing variations.
Further, the rapper shared a personal anecdote of life imitating art, referencing a line from the 2004 song “Through the Wire” by rapper Kanye West, also known as Ye.
“I remember when Kanye had his accident, and then in his song, he was like, ‘Thank God, I ain’t too cool for the seat belt.’ And ever since I heard that, I wore my seat belt,” O-Slice told The Informer.
Within her own craft of intentional lyricism and experimental music, the Prince Georgian hopes to wield a similar connection.
“I just hope that my music – especially when I’m talking about things that are really important to me – connect with people in a way that impacts their lives positively as well,” O-Slice said.
The DMV in Me: D.C.’s Unwavering Musical Influence
Amid sharing excitement for the June 29 performance, each artist touted the significance of the DMV in not only the culminating performance, but their connections to music as it stands today.
Alongside the productions of fellow Washingtonian THE22FALL, Pedro told The Informer the album shares hints of D.C. in its note of go-go influence, as well as the narrative to strip the destructive forces of egotism to “appreciate the women around you” – which, the Northwest artist added, has been critical to his own journey.
Pedro lauded culture shapers like bassist Esperanza Spalding and singer-songwriter Janelle Monáe as integral aspirations of measure, while highlighting those in his circle that continue to inspire and influence his sound, including other DMV namesakes like Alex Vaughn, in addition to his publicist Lena Lavonn and the four women on the bill.
“D.C. is the best place in terms of culture: music, arts, fashion, style, influence. There’s [so much] rich talent…And when we talk about the lineup for Songbyrd, that’s what I mean,” he told The Informer. “I want people to experience that, experience how talented they are.”
Meanwhile, O-Slice commended the unique sound of go-go as a propellant to lead DMV artists to transform genres and amplify an appreciation for various aspects of music, particularly the use of live instruments.
“I don’t really think that there’s much music in the United States that sounds like go-go. So it’s really cool that we’re able to find unique pockets and unique patterns in the way that we create,” said O-Slice. “And I think that it leads to us having a more eclectic sound to even begin with.”
Melan, who’s debuting her set with a diverse band of women and non-binary individuals, noted the need to continue building resources for DMV artists to thrive and “boost the creative economy,” driving a motto of “collaboration and support over competition.”
“There is that other side to it, building musicality and really seeing how it can take different forms,” Melan noted. “We’re all doing different things but we can connect the dots where we can.”
For Pedro, connecting those dots is to amplify the culture of creativity in D.C., and the empowering women who continue to shape it.
“Whatever possible type of help I can be, I’m here to do that,” Pedro said. “I’m here to uplift my hometown. That’s all I care about.”