Vaeda Black - "Face Down"

Released in November, Long Island based singer-songwriter, Vaeda Black’s new single, “Face Down,” hit the market with a mix of sonic trip-hop and deep indie vocals. It’s hard to believe with such a mature sound comparable to Banks, Lana Del Rey, and Georgia Nott, that she’s only sixteen years old.

This track starts right off with a catchy guitar riff paired with block chords on the keys and a strong hip-hop backbeat that keeps the groove moving forward. The tape stop four bars in leaves us in anticipation for what’s to come, and she doesn’t disappoint.

The music video portrays Black alone in a forest with a blurry haze filter in slow-mo. It cuts back and forth between scenes of her wandering through the trees and her figure surrounded by faded lights contemplating the esoteric nature of her subservient conscience. The beginning lyrics, “You stay behind the shadows of my frame, secluded from the light,” evoke a dark mood in the listener.

With “Face Down” being her first single, and an EP coming out soon, she’s bound to catch the ears of an active audience. You can check out her music on SoundCloud here: https://soundcloud.com/vaedablack

What’s the story or inspiration behind Face Down?
When I write, I like to just start singing and writing down whatever the music makes me feel. When I wrote Face Down, I was singing along to the track and the words and melody flowed perfectly with the vibes the music was giving me. I didn’t realize what message I was sending until reading my lyrics after the writing was done. The song is about accepting your deep dark desires and that they’re not something to be ashamed of, because everyone has them. I wanted this song to be directed at the listener like I’m speaking to them. A quiet reassurance that whatever thoughts you’re having or whatever you’re going through mentally isn’t something to hide, but is something to embrace. When I listen to this song it makes me feel at ease. I think it was subconsciously inspired by the things that I’m afraid of and what I need to accept about myself. Writing this song brought me to a place that I’m afraid to go to sometimes, but being able to put out a record that is so real to me set me free. It’s amazing how one song can change a person.

For those that are new to your music, what is something you want them to know about you?
Well, I’m 16 and I’m from Long Island, NY. I’ve been singing for as long as I can remember and writing has always been a passion of mine.

I want my listeners to know that any music I put out is a piece of my story. I know how cheesy it sounds, but I mean it. My lyrics are all emotion driven. I feel like being an artist is showing the world all of your colors. Truth, to me, is the most important part of being a creator.

I also want everyone to know that I’m really grateful for every person who supports my music and I can’t wait to share more with everyone!

What does the industry need more of?
I think the industry needs more variety. Of course there are so many genres and different artists all around the world, but I think the way people listen to music has changed. A lot of young people have very little variety in the kind of music they listen to. You can discover literally any type of music on the internet in seconds, yet people gravitate to the biggest and hottest songs on the radio. I think more mainstream radio stations and media outlets need to help broaden people’s exposure to different types of music and I think that big producers should try new unique things instead of putting out songs that sound almost exactly the same. I don’t know about you, but I want to hear something other than trap at the next party I go to.

What is your definition of making it?
For me, making it is growing a fanbase that connects to my music. It would be the greatest accomplishment to know that there's someone out there listening to my songs and feeling something. Just the thought of it inspires me.

Connect with Vaeda Black at: 
http://www.vaedablack.com/
IG: @vaedablack
Twitter: @vaedablack
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vaedablack

Written by: Ashley Avicolli
IG: @AshleyAvicolli