Ethiopian-born Songstress Wayna clearly carries clarity in what she wants out of life. While working as a writer in the White House for the Clinton administration, Wayna decided to strive for her dreams of becoming a singer, and we are definitely glad that she made the move! Compared to Syreeta by legend Stevie Wonder, Wayna showcases her beauty to the world with a fresh, unique, and soulful voice. She has opened for those such as: Common, Amerie, Fantasia, Bobby Valentino, and Kindred, just to name a few.
Her latest album Moments of Calarity really highlights the range of this ladies peaceful and serene voice. She leaves your soul with no choice but to feel happy throughout each track, especially while listening to the colorful words of Lady Bug Lullaby, which laces your energy with peaceful bursts of happiness, love, and purity. Wayna gives us a moment of clarity about what inspires her throughout her career, her life, and tells us what things we as women should never take for granted.
Wayna: I like to write about the unspoken things we all experience and observe but for whatever reason tend not to express...those private thoughts or feelings that motivate a lot of what we do, but stay hidden whether its because they painful or socially unacceptable or just really private. Telling those stories is liberating to me.
Wayna: Its really very different every time. The other day, I had a late night studio session, and a friend of mine called me while I was driving there to tell me about a horrible experience that happened to her. It was so tragic that I almost cancelled the session because I was so distracted I didn’t think I could work. But when I got there, the beat had a sample in it that said ‘together’ and a DJ cut that said, ‘its all good,’ It felt as if it were almost destined to be a song to her about how we’d get through what she was experiencing together. Other times, I’ll have something on my mind that I know I want to write about and maybe even a melody and the producer will build the music around it. It really varies. But the best songs write themselves, and the extent to which you can get out of the way and not really analyze it, is when the best stuff happens.
Wayna: I think just getting past my own fears or limited thinking about what I can do or what can come to me. Really, any obstacle we encounter is, on a deeper level, a reflection of something internal, something we need to learn about ourselves. I think that’s why some people who are so deserving haven’t achieved what they know they can or others, who have a lot less to work with, accomplish so much. We all choose whether or not to make it happen for ourselves...period, so if you can get past your own self-imposed limits, the rest is probably easy.
Wayna: Musically, the album is a blend of jazz, hip hop, soul, and R&B, and lyrically it’s very introspective and thoughtful. The songs tell a lot of stories, which I think women especially can relate to. Its about our learning to love ourselves, reconciling those things we’ve lost or never had and/or balancing our responsibilities to ourselves with who we are in the world...daughters, mothers, friends, lovers, etc..
Wayna: “Courage is not the absence of fear but the belief that something else is more important.”I have a friend who sends me quotes on the regular, I love them, but this one sticks out for me right now, because it reminds me that we are allowed to be human while we are striving to be superhuman, if that makes sense...
Wayna: My first performance at the renown California soul spot, the Temple Bar, is still my most memorable stage experience, because one of my musical heroes, Stevie Wonder, was there. I got a chance to meet him after my set, and he was so gracious and kind and encouraging. And while he was introducing my colleague, Ayanna Gregory, he said to the crowd that my voice reminded him of Syreeta’s Wright,’s his former wife and collaborator. That was enough for me to float on cloud nine for a few weeks, I don’t think I have yet to totally grasp that, for real. But we’ve kept in touch since then, and he’s told me how much he enjoyed my album, we’ll hopefully work together very soon.
Wayna: I would hope that they would relate to whatever experience or emotion I am conveying and perhaps have new insight into their own feelings. I would hope that people feel empowered by the music and that in spite of the range of emotion it might evoke, they would feel capable of moving through whatever is challenging them.
ymib.com: What 3 things would you tell a woman to never take for granted?
Wayna: Her talents and abilities…we all have gifts, and they are specific to our purpose. Sometimes we can get comfortable resting on our potential and not really test the limits of our abilities. We can’t let fear or a lack of discipline, or other circumstances prevent us from realizing who we are or accomplishing what we were meant to. Her peace of mind and/or emotional well-being…we are truly resilient beings, but we are vulnerable too, and we can’t forget to nurture and protect ourselves the same way we do others. We have to learn to walk away from people and circumstances that drain us of love and energy without giving back. We need to ask for help when we need it, take breaks when we need it and say no when we need to. Our emotional health has to come first or we won’t have anything to give to others.The people in her life who love her with no strings…we sometimes spend more energy and time on people we are trying to win over and pass over the people who we know will be there. We need to know who our real friends and supporters are and nurture those relationships with the level of priority they deserve.
Wayna: My mother is really the foundation for everything in my life and has been the one to really teach me how to love. My late aunt, Yeshi Imagnu, was a dream-chaser, who was very hard working and outspoken, and who believed for big things for herself. She taught me to be brave and to really step out there. In the public arena, I would say Oprah Winfrey is a huge inspiration to me. What an incredible testament to one person’s ability to impact the world, and what she’s done with her power and success is also a huge inspiration.
Sensitive, because I am very tuned to my own feelings and usually to other people’s feelings.Intuitive, because I use my feelings and instincts to make decisions about people and situations. Brave, because usually I don’t allow my fears or insecurities to prevent me from doing what I want, or know I need to do.
Visit Wayna's website at: www.wayna.net
