Simi Liadi and The Art of Conversation

Photography by Nevaeh Richardson; Photography Assistant: Taylor Brooks (@taybroooks)⁠; Hairstylist: Faheemah Thompson⁠⁠; Makeup: Maleka Butler⁠; Stylist: Sabrina Arielle

Few are more central to the DMV’s R&B scene than Simi Liadi. Liadi is a Nigerian singer-songwriter from Howard County, Maryland, who has proven to be an underground star on the upswing. Her artistic cachet was secured 6 years ago with her debut single “Clear”. Since then, Liadi’s built an it-factor on her sensuous visuals and infusion of the Afrobeats genre. Her take on R&B delivers vulnerable messages signed by Afro Pop influences, sealed and delivered with a sultry voice.

Simi Liadi’s newest single, “Art of Conversation,” inspired us to put her in conversation with another it-girl of the regional underground. So we called in a favor from the DMV’s own Haitian pop star, Sarina, to have an artist-to-artist, girl-to-girl chat with our Issue 08 cover star about the starting point and personal motivations behind her music career.

“Girl, the signs were there!”

Sarina: [I’m] coming from a Hatian household, as the kids would say, like a foreign household right? How was that growing up in? What did they think of, you know…’Hey Mom and Dad I’m not gonna be a doctor, I’m not gonna be a nurse’

Simi: I started singing very young, like, I remember, even in elementary school, there was a choir outside of school that I was a part of. But I always say, like my real start in singing was when I joined my church choir at age twelve. My mom, especially, was really into that for me and it built a foundation for my interest in music. As I started to go through grade school and there were more electives that I could do, I started doing dance, I did acapella, I was singing solos for certain events…

Sarina: And then when you tell them they look so confused like…

Both: GIRL THE SIGNS WERE THERE!

Simi: The signs were literally there! So when I got to college, I was like, okay, you know, I think I want to make a song. But when I started [to make music] I definitely presented it to them as a hobby. I didn't really like to tell them that was something [I wanted to pursue].

Sarina: But that was a smart move on your part. I wish I would have done that, because, then again, you're protecting something that maybe now they don't get it, but once they see that it's working…

Simi: Yeah…they don’t get it until they get it. And it’s because they’ve seen both sides. They’ve seen people in their lives that pursued creativity and didn’t make it. Of course they have their favorite artists and I think a lot of people see [those] who made it as a one-in-a-million type of people. But I also think it’s really not as one-in-a-million as people think. It's really who's willing to work the hardest and longest.

“I know for a fact I’m going to make it.”

Simi: I think it’s always funny, thinking about our parents, like, their hesitations for things that we want to do, right? You know, the reason you guys brought us here as immigrants, is so that you could give us the freedom of choice. You wanted a better life for us, but what comes with that is my freedom to choose what the better life looks like for me.

Sarina: Oh girl, you’re preaching! In my example, [my parents,] since a young age, knew what they wanted to do and were passionate about like my dad, since he was four, knew he wanted to be an engineer. My mom, since she was really small, knew that she loved children and wanted to be a teacher. So it's like, well, I'll follow your footsteps and follow my passion because this is MY life.

Simi: Doing something that all the people before you didn't have the option to do, like, I wear it with pride. And you know, going back to the conversation about, ‘do I ever doubt at this point in my career?’ No, I don't. I know for a fact I'm going to make it.

Sarina: I feel like too, are you a first daughter? It’s so much pressure being that go-to person for the family and also [the] aspect of being an artist in that life, like there's a point where I gotta put me first. I gotta put me first!  And there is guilt that comes with that.
Simi: Yes, ma'am. who are you telling? There's so many people in your life that are going to have a vision for you, right? That are going to say, based on who you are, “here's what I think you should do”. You, at one point in time, are going to have to understand that the final choice is going to be yours. And the sooner you take control of that narrative, the more your life will be aligned with who you are.

Sarina: Absolutely love the [new single] and love the visual!  You know, I'm a visuals girl.

Simi: Yes, you are! [And] we'll get into that! Thank you.

Sarina: Tell me about it well, first, tell me about the song.

Simi: I got the beat and I remember when I heard it, I was like, “Oh, I have to do this,” because, yeah, it's one of them ones. [I’m driving to New York] and as I'm driving I'm trying to freestyle, just bored in the car. And it was that first part, “Hey, what's up? Hi, hello.” That's how, I promise you, that's how it is with certain songs they just write themselves, I swear, an art of conversation, really.

Sarina: Your verses and pre chorus are so perfect. [I know] it's like, you don't want to change them because sometimes [with] the chorus, you might have to go back so it can make sense.

Simi: The chorus has to make sense, whatsoever, so we're not even doing them back. And I remember I actually hit up one of my friends, Tyrone, who kind of helped me. We were just bouncing ideas off of each other, and it's funny, because we did all of that, and then I kind of ended up coming back to the original idea. [But,] that was our conversation!

Sarina: So with this song, did you already see what you wanted it to look like? Or did that come after?

Simi: I knew I wanted it to be very girl centered but also, you know, it was concepts of a plan. I literally remember the moment that I decided I was going to work with the creative director. I had some downtime at work, trying to make a treatment, and I stared at that Word document for five minutes and didn't type anything. There was just no way. So that's when I hit up my friend Nneka, and she is amazing. She's so genius, she's so creative, but also has an understanding of the person behind [the music], and really knows how to marry those two things together and refine it. Our first meeting, we just clicked…she got me immediately.

“Every moment is THAT moment.”

Simi: I think as you get bigger, you have to be more intentional about keeping people around you that make you feel human.

Sarina: And that'll also represent you well too. Because especially in the industry, you don't even know. Who's talking on your behalf? Who's acting a certain way? You could have a manager or someone acting crazy now [bookings] are thinking, ‘Oh, that’s how she likes it.’

Simi: No, literally…I think a lot about how, when I get bigger, it’s not going to be easy. I think of Tyla. She had an interview one time where she was like, “Oh, I miss walking around, you know.” I get scared for those moments.

Sarina: Being a celebrity, [and then] already being a girl in public, it’s [scary].

Simi: Right? So I feel like I don't want to put too much pressure on figuring that out. Let me enjoy what this is right now, while I still have it.

Sarina: The positive thing about us is, when we're like ‘Oh, I wish I would have blown up then’, no. Then we wouldn't have this time to still and be with your family because you know, once it goes…

Simi: You know?! So it's like, I really do appreciate that. Like I said, it's always on God's time. And like, I don't know when it's gonna be that moment. All I know is I have to prepare, like every moment is gonna be that moment.