Story / Angie Piccirillo
Photographer / Nas Bogado
As if there aren’t enough ways people jump to conclusions, add in seeing a woman with short hair — and let everyone go ahead and assume they know everything about you, including your sexual preference. For musician URIAS, growing up was uncomfortable to say the least. “I remember being in 3rd grade wearing boy clothes and having to hide it from my mom. So before school, I would go to a friends house and secretly change into boys clothes. Making sure I switched back before I got home.”
As hard as those times can be, sometimes they inspire creativity and that’s just what URIAS is spreading with her music. “I want to be that one girl who is gay and raps and does whatever she wants and can influence a bunch of women to be powerful in whatever they want to do.” Inspired by old school hip hop and the likes of Lauryn Hill, URIAS has gone from awkward to standing strong in who she is, and hoping to inspire others with her music.
T-shirt by James Perse
Her newest tune “Head High” was recently released and is about leaving behind a past relationship that lacked chemistry for something new. But even her songwriting involved moments of insecurity, being that there aren’t very many gender-fluid musicians in the public eye. With no known non-binary artists in the top 40 music charts, she was hesitant at first. But she also felt a sense of responsibility. “I love the fact that I could finally help people in the community feel more of a sense belonging rather than dividing and leaving people to feel alone,” she says. Being able to release her music has also seemingly given URIAS a sense of liberation: “I could never sing about women comfortably — I knew my family would hear it and at the time, I wasn’t out because I was still living at home. Eventually I stood up for what I believe in the most, and that is starting a journey of un-becoming everything I wasn’t and becoming who I was meant to be in the first place. I want women to know no matter what people say, you can do anything you want — ultimately you have the power. Nobody owns you so don’t let people tell you how to love.”
URIAS’ music is reminiscent of the vibey R&B of the 90’s — with dashes of En Vogue and hints of Janet Jackson, her music is best described as “pop-soul baby-making music.” Whether or not that was what she set out to create — she ultimately wants to exist as an artist who inspires others to be who they were meant to be. “Don’t let society tell you how to live your life and what is or isn’t appropriate. If something seems impossible, it just means you will have to make sure you don’t ever let the bumps in the road slow you down. Always push forward and pay no mind to what others say about you. At the end of the day you are strong and completely responsible for what you allow to have an affect on you.”
With more music on the way, URIAS is hoping listeners will feel a “sense of belonging” with her music. “ I try and make sure I write songs that make people feel like they belong. So many songs out in the world, but very little talk about a women being in love with a women. I think people are just scared. I’m not.”
CONNECT WITH URIAS:
INSTAGRAM // SPOTIFY // SOUNDCLOUD