Prinssella
“I'm so spontaneous, But as in, just anything - it doesn't even have to be music related”
Born into a musical family, Prinssella started singing at the tender age of 3 years old and then developed into writing her own music by the age of 7, and had her first recording session at age 9.
The bilingual singer, is a soulful and versatile vocalist who comes from a deep gospel background, after starting off her journey to continuing pursuing her dreams of becoming a R&B singer. We sat down with Prinssella to find out about her music journey and what is the most daring thing she has ever done.
NEO: How would you describe your music journey?
PRINSSELLA: I'd say, magical because the way it all started, it’s like my life just became aligned. Before that I've always wanted to do music.I was in gospel. I was one of the lead singers in my choir. I just knew that making gospel music wasn't going to be for me. I do still make my gospel songs and all that stuff, but it's more for lack of my private life, less spiritual life and everything, which is more personal and like more dear to me. Not to say that everything else is not dear to me. I didn't want to mix business and God, so that was a bit, you know what I mean?
But then I knew that, um, R&B was very close to gospel as well, because of the same sounds, it still talks about life, relatable stuff. I definitely want to do that. My friend, literally that I've known since year nine; he's a very talented writer and he did not know that I could sing. So when he heard that I could sing; about a few years ago thats when he decided to write for me.
He actually wrote, I'm learning. Ever since then, like he's just been writing music for me. Like everything that's coming up soon. It's all him. It just happened like, boom, boom, boom. That's how it just felt so aligned and everything just fell into place. It so weird.
But that's how it's been so far. It's just really nice, even though it's hard because especially because of the lockdown and everything, I'm alone a lot. So you do need to be your own cheerleader. So one thing that I've learned to really, really stay encouraged and not get too into your head.
NEO: How long have you been making music?
PRINSSELLA: So I wrote my first song at the age of seven. Actually it was a gospel song. It was for children's day back in France. I was born in France, grew up there and yeah, I wrote my first song and I made my friends learn it. So it was a group thing. We sang it in front of the adults and everything. I was like it was all me, I was so gassed! That's when I knew obviously that I could write music already. Like I've been doing that. Music is in my family as well. My cousin also tours; he's a backup singer, so he just tours with celebrities and performs. I've always looked up to him!
NEO: Who are your top 3 present artists and why?
PRINSSELLA: Summer Walker. She's number one. I've said it so many times and I think everyone knows now how much I love her. She's just so relatable and that's who I'm trying to be like as well. Not that I want to sing like her, or be like her… no. But more like you see the effect that she has on people. She is so perfectly imperfect and important and you can see that she is so raw and real. So many women can relate to her nowadays; and she's just so real. She closes the gap between celebrity status and the average person. Her voice is crazy! The second I would say is Jhene Aiko I like her voice, her music message, everything. I can relate to a lot as well and I get really inspired by her riffs as well. So in a lot of like songs or even covers that I do are always, incorporate her riffs and stuff like that. I just love it. She just gives me chills. I love that girl.
NEO: What three words would your friends use to describe you as?
PRINSSELLA: well I'd say spiritual, talented cause I sing so tying in this spiritual and trustworthy.
NEO: What is something you used to believe in that you do not believe in any more?
PRINSSELLA: I used to believe that people could come in a way of your success. But now I actually don't believe that anymore. As in, not in a way as in the can come stop your success. More so I used to believe that if certain people weren't to support me, I wouldn't be like out there and successful , but actually it doesn't matter. if one person or hundred people's support you. What is yours will be yours! So I believe now that I can basically do anything and everything.
NEO: What’s the most daring thing you’ve ever done?
PRINSSELLA: I'm so spontaneous. I went parasailing. Is that daring? I was right in the middle of the ocean.
NEO: Give us 3 things on your bucket list?
PRINSSELLA: Skydive, even though I know that I might tap out the last minute. But I really want to do it. I want travel to a lot more countries, in Asia; I want to go to Japan and Korea. Meet DJ Khaled, Drake, and I want to Doja Cat to creatively direct my video; and a song with Summer!
NEO: What is the first thing people notice about you?
PRINSSELLA: To be honest, it was crazy. I'd say my aura. I realised last year, I attract random people and they will tell me everything about themselves without even asking, because they just feel like they can. I always ask; how can you tell me all of these things like that? You know, private stuff like that, they'll say, “I don't know. I just feel like I can trust you or I can just feel you have this warmth. Or they will always say that I remind them of a relative. All the time!
So that's the first thing that people would notice about me. I took a cab to work and I was literally sitting behind the cab driver and he was just talking to me having the longest conversation… He was like what do you do in your spare time? Because I can just feel your aura and I don't even know how you look like. So that's when I realized that. I like that people can open up and just feel so comfortable. I try and be like that as much as I can because you know, when you haven't really had that growing up too too much, if you want to be that person for others.
NEO: If you had a controller that had the power to rewind or fast forward which one would you press and why?
PRINSSELLA:I don't know if I would choose anything because I let everything that's happened to me even though, while I was going through it. It was so painful and everything. I literally am so grateful that it did happen because it's made me who I am today and I know that if it didn't happen, I don't know where I would be right now. Everything that's happened to me really has pushed me to who I am right now. I wouldn't change a thing and I don't want to fast forward because I want to enjoy the journey. I'd rather just stay in the present and live in the moment.
NEO: Let us know where to find you on social media
PRINSSELLA:@prinsellaofficial