A new single release from Desiree Stevens brings out a lush dance-pop soundscape that floats smoothly around you so that you can swim through the track and all the atmosphere that comes along with it.
"Miles" certainly has layers that can be peeled back delivering a certain kind of warmth and vastness that lets the track feel almost alive and breathing and gives it a little bit of a cinematic backbone as well.
There's something about this song that feels incredibly welcoming to me and that's something that I haven't felt in quite some time no matter what the genre.
I absolutely love a track that presents so much character in such a short time span and this track really gives you a lot of that Persona and a lot of that character naturally.
This is a thinking song and at times makes me feel like I'm floating face up in a lake staring at the night sky and thinking about my past.
There's something so connective about it all and it does present this dreamy aspect as well so you're easily able to both get engulfed and also washed away with its soundscape.
Again, there's most certainly this sort of dance-pop undertone going on, especially with the beat provided but it's bigger than that and has a little bit more impact and meaning than that as well.
You can easily hear this track in the scene of a film or TV show and it puts you at such an entranced state of ease that you find it relaxing.
The way the track is arranged and built really provides great textures that flow into each other and complement each other so it does indeed have a whole different atmosphere to it and within that time that it plays, you're sort of whisked away to a different place altogether and away from your reality.
I think we all need songs like this. Songs that both make you think and reminisce in certain ways, but also that you can escape into for a moment in time because it feels good to do that and I think that's what some music is meant for.
The vocals across the span of the single are soulful and delivered with a certain level of passion and heart that shines through and let Desiree's presence as an artist really pop.
I feel like for her, this track also has some deeper meaning and perhaps was even at some level cathartic for her to record.
Either way, when you listen to the track you certainly feel connected and even grounded in certain ways which is very refreshing.
Upon listening to this single, I had to take a little bit of a deep dive into her catalog of previous releases on Spotify and was very pleased with the styles that she has released on previous tracks.
Each one shows a little bit of a different side of her personality and lets her give her best as an artist.
With the release of such a well-woven single, we wanted to have a sit down with Desiree to find out where this track actually came from and what might be coming up next for the artist.
Here's what happened.
Buzz Slayers: Okay, let's start with "Miles"! This track was lush and wonderfully performed with soul!! How did this release come about?
Hey everybody! Desiree Stevens aka BlaQb’rd here! Thanks so much for having me! “Miles (Studio Version)” is my baby. And thanks so much for your kind words, I definitely pride myself in bringing soul to all of my musical projects.
I was in a really dark place when I wrote this song, and I felt “Miles” away from this resilient, carefree person that I’d grown to love and cherish. When I first produced the instrumental, I originally called it “No More Bad Daze”. I wanted to envelop myself in a daze of creativity, positivity and self-love.
I want listeners and music lovers, to feel instantly elevated and uplifted when they hear her. The refrain “we let go & we finally feel it” at end of each verse is a brave invitation for us to find ourselves liberated of the many things that can weigh us down—trauma, confusion, depressions, anxieties, worries, etc— and to release the weight off of our wings so that we can soar!
Buzz Slayers: How did this all start for you as an artist?
When I came out of my mother's womb. *Laughs*. Honestly though. I have 3 siblings, and music was deeply integral to our upbringing. I listened to the classics, like The Temptations, Earth Wind & Fire & the Temptations! I have memories of sitting in my grandma’s backseat, and just feeling the bass emanating from the speakers, and falling in love. I grew up singing my whole life — in church & school choir — and won a trophy in high school for the Most Outstanding Senior, performing in our school's elite choir.
The summer before our freshman year of college, my twin sister & I would travel and busk all around different areas in Southern California to raise money for university fees. It was a great way to prepare for what’s been happening.
Since then I’ve been in the studio, I’ve done performances and music festivals with my former band (DxA) and as a solo artist in different states across the US, facilitated music workshops for national organizations, been invited as a guest vocalist with funk and soul bands in Buffalo New York, performed in North Hollywood, at The Walk of Fame, worked with organizations to record and feature in music videos, participated in virtual singing competitions, performed for churches, markets, hosted events, I make beats… I do it all, honestly! Music is essential to my world.
Buzz Slayers: What kind of things really inspire songs for you?
Mainly what happens internally is what inspires the music that I put out. A lot of the time I am writing myself into liberation and freedom, and wanting to remind people that those things are possible in our lifetimes. A lot of my songs center around resilience, triumphs, victory, and perseverance. I also have rap songs where I am hyping myself up and bragging about my greatness. You have to! Buzz Slayers: This release has some great approaches to it! Can you give us some of your biggest influences musically?
So many! My biggest inspiration is probably Beyoncé, but I’m also inspired by a lot of classic Gospel and soul singers, like Aretha Franklin, Tasha Cobbs, Yolanda Adams, Mary J Blige, lots of hip-hop artists, like Nicki Minaj, Chance the Rapper, DVSN, N.O.R.E, Ludacris, Chingy, so many!
I also like some softer, more ambient, R&B artists, like Sabrina Claudio, Summer Walker, SZA, and I love Drake! I also love groups like Tank and the Bangas, Florence and the Machine, Paramore, The Killers, The Fray, Yellowcard, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Kaytranada & more!
Buzz Slayers: What are you doing when you're NOT working on music?
Working on building my empire! I spend a lot of time networking, developing my brand and my business and philanthropic projects. I have two projects that I’m executing: One is called Heavens Rose Productions, which is my independent entertainment company, through which I contract my performing, music, production, hosting, songwriting, and other music and event planning services.
The other is Camp Tarabu. Tarabu is a fusion of Arabic and African languages meaning music, performance & joy. My plan is to offer music programming and performance opportunities that illicit joy in my community and beyond!
Buzz Slayers: Who's in your headphones right now?
Me hahaha. I make more music than I listen to these days, but I’d like to see what Drake has been up to. I have been listening to a lot of instrumentals this year, so on my Spotify and YouTube wrapped, there’s a lot of the instrumentals. Soft and ambient to hardcore, I listen for freestyle and melody instrumentation.
Buzz Slayers: Are you doing any live performances right now?
I am, thanks for asking! I just had my debut performance at the Festival of Lights in Downtowm Riverside, one of the largest and highest-rated holiday light displays in the country. I’ll be there on December 9th at 6pm and December 30th for a New Year’s Eve performance! I have some shows and podcast interviews lined up in January in Los Angeles, and a show in February as well. I’m not sure what else is in store for me, but I hope to have a regular praise and worship opportunity, and I am submitting my recent Star-Spangled Banner performance to be considered for National Anthem performances at minor and major league sports shows, so stay tuned for that!
My Festival of Lights & National Anthem performance are both on my YouTube @blaqbirddd — please subscribe and Let’s Fly Together!
Buzz Slayers: Do you record these at a big studio, or do you have a home studio set-up?
It depends! I’ve been blessed to have been gifted & sponsored free studio time from different music collectives and organizations in my community. My most recent single “Miles (Studio Version)” was recorded at the Harvard Street Recording Studio in Hemet, California. Some of my content that I’m currently working on was recorded at a professional studio supported through Music Changing Lives, a non-profit organization in San Bernardino. Shout out to community! I record a lot of demos, and content in my home, and previously was recording at the LaunchPad Studio at the Erie County Downtown Public Library in Buffalo New York, which was also free to the community!
Buzz Slayers: What can your fans expect from you in the near future?
My RAPPING! I do a lot of live broadcasts on my Instagram channel, where I should resolve on beats, and I have a couple posted on my YouTube channel and my old ReverbNation accounts, but they are coming to streaming platforms near you!
Look forward to features from other artists, me on other artists projects & more music that I’ve produced!
Buzz Slayers: Before we go, what would you like to say to fans of the music?
Hey everybody!! Thanks for flying with me! Let’s continue to soar together — & remember, greatness has been written in the stars for you since birth!
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