BESTIEEEEEEEE-uhhhhh! How have you been?!
First off - you’re real one for keeping up with your girl. Whether a quick check-in on the site or even rocking with me on insta/the clock app, you are a gem.
So…new music happened
September was a vibe tbh…
Plotting the next steps
Scrolling though the short film I always seem to pull together, but forget to “schedule,” or post because…what is life and then my phone dings…
Hey! She’s looking at Marquette too, so I am doing the virtual tour now….
Says my mother as I sip my “green drink.” Time flies when you’re having fun, honestly. As I continue to sort through my nano selfie shoot (because the Knicks weren’t giving the level of cute I needed), from the previous day…I stop. This short text exchange allowed me to briefly reminisce on my hunt for the best education, and college experience overall. But wait - who is it that Miu is referring to? My baby sister is about to finish up her Junior year, and it cannot be more exciting! She’s the sweetest, smartest and most unique kid - I swear she’s a gem.
Conversation goes on in the text and I make parallels with my own university, naturally with me making mention of “options.” I said “although my high school counselor was sweet, he didn’t present any real options…” meaning that he didn’t exactly aid in the search for the next step. The options I had, I sourced. I did that research. I may have half-heartedly listened to what was available, given the fact that everyone around me was mostly interested in state schools, or nearby in Indiana or Michigan and had interest in other studies - I still looked into their (at that time) Music programs.
But you went to such a great school
“Oh of course,” I responded. “I think they prepped me for life in realtime, which - is typically not the case for university students. Where things are mostly setup/provided for the college student, Saint Xavier made us go get it.”
It didn’t help that I had teachers who inspired me or fed into my natural drive to strive for greatness - as an individual. As a creative. So where is this going? Sometimes, I feel like I was my best self back then. LMAO! Does this make sense? Like not that I am not a vibe now, but I never missed a beat with “going out and getting it,” creating it myself.
This is literally what I am getting back to, a better version of myself. Over the past month or so, I’ve had the opportunity to pick up a new language (commit to it consistently I should say…), get back into running (which if you know me, you know this is life for me) and work on next steps for my brand overall - yes yes yes it incudes new music LOL. But seriously though, I’ve given so much thought into how I’m about to go about these next opportunities and I am just going to what I do best. Me.
If you’ve fallen off, forgotten, missed a little bit of that drive, edge or passion to get back to “it”… I hope this finds you at that point - especially with the start of a fresh month and brand new week.
Feel free to comment, like and share. Love you all, always!
I think I’m back outside…
“Back outside…”
You said you outside, but you ain’t THAT outside… - Beyoncé
I mean, listen. Let me step out now before Pandemic: Season 3 shuts us down, LBVS! But seriously, I think this weekend was exactly what I needed. Although I was stepping out to a meeting, I wanted to feel, cute but simple. Like when I say, I am in my comfy bag right now, I mean it, Beloved.
But anyway - I actually felt accomplished this weekend. I am technically typing this on a cool, Sunday evening after having having a successful meeting yesterday, wrote a song this morning, played Yakuza: Like a Dragon and now prepping to get to my language studies. But let me just tell you how accomplished I feel though, ok?! Accomplished. I haven’t felt this free in quite sometime so being able to even have this conversation, is the whip cream topping to my strawberry shortcake. No BS.
The Look
Pulled together something light, but season fitting as we are getting back into cooler weather here in Chicago. I love mixing vintage and this was one of those, “you know I haven’t worn these in a while” moments, so pulling out the pearl earrings and one of my favorite bags really amped up somethings for me :D! Just a super simple “let’s go,” look. Deets on the look below and thanks for checking in! See you all again, soon!
Sweatshirt ( vintage, Fat Tiger) nice and light. Something I could layer under or over, it’s a favorite of mine. The skirt, a new one from Winfld. Recently wore the full set for my performance in LA and I love the fabric of it. Sweatpant material, but comfy and easy to wear in cooler to warmer weather (like you know you aren’t going to sweat through it). The Diadora’s (N9002 Rainbow) were sent by the wonderful folks over at Foot Locker Chicago and they literally bring everything together. Love them!
Well, guess who’s back!
New Single, “Maybe (The Rain)”
June 17th.
Who’s hype? Who’s excited? Who’s ready for the next installment?! Me. LOL. I know, I know. You all are amazing and I couldn’t say anything against the level of support you all have lovingly given with the previous single, “Paradise.” You all still send me screenshots, tag me, send me smoke signals and quite honestly - it makes my day every time. Did ya’ll see me on The Ebro Show, though?! That was crazy, right?! Who would’ve thought that after a 7 year crafting period, that it would go that far? A blessing.
Now Maybe is a bit of a step away from Paradise, as it has sultry sliding 808s, moody chord progressions and some harmonies - but guess what? It’s still a vibe, beloved.
So go ahead and pre-save here and get excited for June 17th! : https://connect.ffm
Love ya’ll!
It has literally been what seems like forever. I think I saw the last time I updated this blog, was back in January of 2019 (yikes)! But these past few years have been so jam-packed. Looking back at what I’ve done and of course where I am now, it has been a long time coming.
So - what have I been up to? Aside from what feels like traveling through my head and building a fancy mansion there, I’ve been building a library of work and trying to figure out what is next for me musically. I can say that after I released Looking Glass, I wasn’t sure what the next step would be. I’ve never stopped writing, recording, networking - but I did waltz into what we will refer to as the “stuck place.” The biggest reason that came to mind “what’s the plan? How are you gonna go above what you’ve done?” After promoting Looking Glass for so long, it was almost as if I couldn’t hear anything else. But, we kept going on the writing tip until pieces began to fit into a new picture…starting with a little bit of a rebrand. It helped shape a few things for me and although I (and several other beautiful ladies) will always be Asia Monique, I new I needed to set myself apart. Updating the music and everything that comes with it though…ya’ll! LBVS. Like - so difficult. Still trying to get things were they need to be with some platforms, but for the the mot part it is done!
Bringing us back to the present - I have quite the announcement! New music is dropping on Feb. 18th! Pre-order/save should be available at/on Feb 2nd. This particular track, Paradise, is super sexy, sultry and quite honestly - an experience. I cannot wait to share and I hope you’re as excited as I am. Thanks again for continuing to rock with me and it won’t be 2+ years before we speak again.
Love ya’ll! <3
(Artwork: Josh Lee)
Ok so what happened with the songwriting boot camp?
It’s certainly a new year, but there were a few more important things I wanted to capture, before I brought you all into my wonderful start to the new year!
I wanted to take a moment and recap a few major points, in a small series.
I still have a great deadline ahead of me to make and doing so, I needed something that would realign my focus.
It’s been a busy, but not so busy (if that makes sense) kinda month, this past month - so I will start backwards with the amazing weekend I had with MUA, Mercedes Smalls.
Should push us past a certain point...
Or, well - remind us of a great time. Even a not so great time, and the performance solidifies it all...or should at least.
The above thoughts are the very things I think of when I write and then record. I have gotten into such a mode that I think, “oh a demo is fine.” But that same mindset puts me at a disadvantage when it comes to actual, professional session time.
So, to help flush out alllllllll of my thoughts: we enlist the help of my vocal coach and singer/songwriter Molly Lehr of Red Cloud Studiod here in Chicago. She levels me out, brings a fresh perspective to this process and simply where I’m at with a track.
We sat down for a few hours in front of a huge bag of leftover Halloween candy, myself, Molly and manager/producer iProduceWNDRS to go through current pieces and to see what we come up with in the setting.
This part of the process is fun, yet challenging because we all hear something different. So we talk and vet our ideas out. 🤗Rinse. Dry. Repeat.
Love y’all!
Asia Monique
When it’s not only nearing the end of yet another month, but seemingly another quarter...
_____________________________________
You kick it into high gear.
Honestly, these last few months have been nothing short of amazing. Truly. I’ve been moving and grooving, jumping into this last quarter and chile. Honey. Sugar pie I had to take a true moment because my body shut down, ok? But I’ve also learned how to pace myself in this quarter with several things.
Music.
Content.
But I’ve also been in planning mode. From small shoots, to overall projection for next year - I am slowly piecing this thing together.
How you end the year, is how you begin the new one - and I want to have a great foundation to work from.
Love ya’ll!
-Asia
So I hosted a pageant this past weekend 🤗
Over the years I’ve become as much of an assistant on this aspect of our music practice, as Kyle has been on mine.
_____________________________________
We’ve found a great partnership in sitting with the overall process of him starting out with an initial pattern and asking me “what next?” Like what about the drums? Does that kick feel good? Does this instrument fit over this? Like we will sit with my latest material and instantly I’m like, “that needs brass.” I’m good for saying “I hear guitar on this. Electric.” Like things of that nature.
It’s just that there are so many different aspects of the whole picture and it’s not even relatively with my sound, but in helping him craft the best for any artist.
What about you all? Who’s your partner in crime and how do you all/where do you all find yourselves assisting the most, creatively?
-Asia
I realized I needed a break this week.
Literally was uncertain as to how this would go.
I literally just felt my face shift into a perfect side-eye situation as I wrote that.
It has been a full on week since we’ve spoken, and that has been mighty rare for me, I know! But I have been putting somethings into action and hitting the ground running.