Roya from p 18 she never really had a chance to decide what she wanted from life as a working musician. “When I was younger, the first early re- cords I put out were piano and new age,” she says. “Then I started doing more of this pop-jazz thing with the record that I put out in 2015. I’d say that I feel like I wasn’t in control during those times. Like, I was be- ing pushed in a direction that I was ex- pected to fulfill. And then you grew up like that. It was very hard to separate things. What was mine? What was somebody else’s? What was it that I actually wanted to accomplish?” Part of that was, even after she had al- ready left covers behind circa 2006, she still saw the appeal of the old circuit, espe- cially the promise of financial stability. “I definitely feel like it was harder to fo- cus on becoming an artist when you’re try- ing to please crowds and make a living and things like that,” Roya says. More recently, as she’s worked other odd jobs, Roya still grapples with life as a professional musician. Only now, she sees just what that life meant to her. “What I can recognize now that I didn’t recognize then is that I am super grateful that I can go out and gig to make a living if I want to,” she says. “I’m trying to work on that now.” Fortunately, her recent creative efforts have paid off thanks to her latest single, “Ripe,” which debuted in July. The pop- rock jam is a personal triumph for Roya af- ter years of upheavals and uncertainty. It skirts the lines between modern pop — think a more understated Olivia Rodrigo — and the sensual stylings of Beach House. “It’s kind of a declaration of personal freedom through self-discovery, and how I feel free after getting to know myself better all these years,” she says of the single. “And I keep saying this, but this song and this piece of artwork and this new chapter, it’s really an indication of some of the shit that I’ve been able to come out of. It just makes me feel confident about [the future].” The fact that the song’s gained some traction, including plays on local radio sta- tion KWSS, doesn’t hurt either. But it’s not just about building her career and her prospects, as Roya explains; she’s gotten heavy into collaborations as of late; Jesse Zee Peralta Morrison, a.k.a. Killa Maus, co-produced “Ripe,” and Tanner Riccio of Katastro is an occasional songwriting partner. Those partnerships have greater value, and they speak to Roya’s ongoing personal and artis- tic development and how she perceives this stage in her career. “I started collaborating a little bit more on my songs with other people and other producers and just kind of branching out more than I had in the past,” Roya says. “I try to meet somebody new [in the music business] at the coffee shop at least once a week. I’m a lot more willing to collaborate and connect with all types of people. I just turned 30 in June and it kind of took me some time to understand that.” That commitment extends to a new monthly industry event she’s looking to launch in the near future. Connect + Col- laborate is geared toward “women, non-bi- nary, and trans individuals across all fields of the music industry.” The aim, as Roya expanded upon via email, is to “build on the diverse music community Phoenix has to offer while fostering a strong support network for one another.” At the end of the day, Roya sees the alignment between her own career goals and building up the local scene as some- thing natural. It’s all about making the best, most nurturing city possible for artists. “If you’re here in Phoenix, you might as well try and build the community,” she says. “I’m really wanting to change things from competition to collaboration. We all have resources, and nothing’s a secret. We don’t need to keep anything from each other. It’s about transparency, honesty, and collaboration.” Roya, emerging from the blur. Aside from the group, Roya has other plans for the rest of 2021 and beyond. That starts with a new single in October, “Keep Talking,” which is also part of a forthcom- ing EP. She’d also like to play more shows and eventually tour, though she admits she’d need to hire a booking agent and manager to get that going. She’d also like to record a new full-length LP, her first in some 15 years. But whatever happens, Roya recognizes the journey that she’s been on in the last few years. She’s not nearly done, but at least she understands one important les- son: change is clearly a good thing. “I actually really, really needed a shift,” Roya says. “Just to start coming from a place of having fun and love and gratitude.” 20 SEPT 2ND – SEPT 8TH, 2021 PHOENIX NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | FEATURE | NEWS | OPINION | FEEDBACK | CONTENTS | phoenixnewtimes.com
