QUIÑ has been fired from every job she’s ever had. “Apart from the GAP, in SF,” she says. “Lol.” Once the LA-raised and based songstress embarked on an illustrious career in telemarketing, but they let her go her because she kept falling asleep on the phone. “They were finally like, ‘Why are you here? Go home,’” she says. It’s a good thing she’s not the best at holding down a regular job. If she was, we probably wouldn’t be talking about her career as a popstar.
Despite feeling too shy to take her true love — singing — seriously, heartbreak provided the motivation to push her out of her comfort zone and into a new place. Now she is teaming up with Syd and Compton-based rapper Buddy, playing Afropunk festival, and inventing a whole new genre to describe her sound, “Fantasy soul”.
What is fantasy soul? “It’s a safe place to be infinite; where anything is possible.” So, what does that sound like? A hypnotic blend of RnB inflected melodies and minimal beats, all smothered in her breathy Californian drawl. Collaborating with Syd on Sticky Situation , the fit is a neat one: electric slow jams to get laid to. Obviously listening to music during sex is often a terrible idea, but if you must, this isn’t a bad shout.
The concept for her latest EP, DREAMGIRL, came from wanting to release a three-piece project for Valentine’s Day that grew into something bigger — which explains its very un-Valentine’s release of September 1st. Reader, it’s worth the wait. The Beginning harks to a Goldlink-esque funk — the kind that makes you nod your head with such vigour that your deskmates ask if you’re ok hun. Happened to Happen, the collaboration with Buddy, is a similarly upbeat bop. Sailboat features a cathartic cascade of watery sound effects — conjuring up visions of waterfalls, while BB is as bad(ass) as the Bad Bitch she sings of. But the standout is arguably Sticky Situation ft. Syd, with its sparse production, addictive hooks and vocals as cruisy as the track’s beginnings: “I came over to her house to hang out and we ended up making it. No pressures, just a regular chillin’ day. It’s easy when you’re making songs with your friends.” Musical mates — the best kind, right? Dreamgirls indeed.
Given her expertise, we thought it was only fitting to get QUIÑ’s checklist of the essential components of a dream human. Number one: “Be aware that you are already your dream person at all times.” Two: “Have confidence in yourself, your taste and everything that is you.” Three: “Remember the child in you, and make sure you’re making that you proud.” Four: “Live your best life.” Guess we should all keep hanging up on telemarketers then.
Credits
Photography Sam Hellmann