Singer Courtnie Thinks We Should “All Be Friends”
Photo: Courtesy of Courtnie
Meet your new friend: singer, writer, and content strategist Courtnie. In the past year, you may have seen her featured on Vogue, BET Jams, and maybe even your friend’s sex-playlist(... if you share those).
Courtnie began making music while studying at USC, during a time when she was “exploring [her] femininity.” Years into her career, her alternative R&B sound has remained “fun” and “super sensual,” but since the pandemic, her creative process has undergone some serious changes.
In conversation with Parachute, Courtnie talks about the importance of Black women friendships, her upcoming Instagram Live series called “Let’s All Be Friends,” and shares her tips for staying both creative and connected during quarantine.
*Courtnie’s answers have been lightly edited for grammar, clarity, and length.
Q: How have you been keeping creative lately? Has your process changed since the pandemic?
A: Oh, girl, at the beginning of this, I was totally like, “I'm gonna finish quarantine with a full album! I can't wait! It's gonna be amazing!” And then I did not factor in all the weird emotional turmoil that would occur. Even in the first six months, there were just a lot of tears. And I think a lot of us underestimated how much it would affect us.
So, when it comes to creativity and productivity, I feel like all my energy was spent just figuring out how to stay afloat. And, for a while, I was essentially punishing myself for not being able to be creative or productive. And then finally, I made peace with that.
I started reading this book called “The Artist's Way,” which helped me to start writing morning pages, and getting my negative thoughts out about myself and my art. And that ended up being what helped me start writing again and playing piano for the first time in like 10 years. But I'm still easing back in. I think the thing I learned most about myself is that you can't force creativity and that solitude is really beneficial. To be alone and having to find ways to defeat boredom is a huge solution to a lack of creativity.
That being said, I don't have an album, yet(— crazy). But I feel like I've discovered way more and done more than I would have expected. I had an article in Vogue, dropped a music video that went viral, and I've also done a bunch of virtual shows. So, I have to give myself a pat on the back even though it wasn't an album.
Q: The music video for your song “What’s Up” turns a year old next month. In the video, you showcase the communal dynamic that forms in Black hair salons. Can you speak a little bit about the significance of that?
A: Oh my gosh, it’s just so nostalgic! I feel like so much time with my mother growing up was in the salon. I mean, whether you like it or not, as a young Black girl, you're probably gonna spend a lot of time sitting in the hair salon. So I think it's something a lot of us can relate to and that feels special. The way that Black women cater to one another and relax together. I mean, that feeling of leaning your head back in the bowl and getting your scalp massaged is so incredible! And the chats we have at the salon, the ways we get to kiki, they're super tender memories for me. There are just so many ways I feel connected to other Black people, via the salon and the barbershop.
And I'm excited about the one-year anniversary because the video did so well. We got a Vogue feature, we were on BET and so many other cool publications. I'd love to just make it a moment again and cycle back. I dropped it around Juneteenth, right after everything that happened with George Floyd. And I wouldn't say that I cared about togetherness and nostalgia just because of George Floyd. I feel like I’ve been about this for a long time, but the timing was definitely impactful. I think the fact that I dropped this visual right around the time that we were thinking a lot about what it means to be Black in America was important. Displaying Black joy, in a time where a lot of us felt super hopeless, was instrumental and something I was proud to be able to do. Your joy is just as rebellious as your rage, and I feel that strongly.
Q: In quite a few of your music videos, you’ve featured really genuine depictions of black women friendships. Has maintaining that theme been intentional?
A: No, it's very much intentional. I love that you said “genuine” because that is genuinely my personality. Throughout my life, black female friendships have been so integral to my development. I feel like I've been a girl’s girl for a long time. And in the last year or so maybe that's been changing. I'm just opening my mind a bit and realizing there are solid things to be had from friendships with men.
But, I think black women have just helped keep me afloat and keep me alive for so long. In times when I really needed support, I’ve felt supported by my community of sisters and friends. So it is like every visual is a “thank you.” And as many times as I can do that, I will. It's important to memorialize good experiences, and show women loving on each other. That has been my entire experience throughout my life. And it needs to be said over and over because other narratives have been spun and we need to counter those.
Q: How do you feel like being friends with other creatives has helped you as an artist?
A: I think these people have made me feel more comfortable. For the first few years, I felt like a “baby artist”. A lot of artists fall into their passion and decide they want it as a career path when they're nine,12,15 years old. But for me, I was like, “I'm going to be a television and film producer” until I was 22. So, I felt like I was definitely a bit behind. And now I'm more in the mix, but it's still fresh. So, as someone that's felt like Bambi, stumbling around and unsure, it’s really cool to have people who support me and encourage me. I've had so many conversations where I'm just like, “I'm quitting. I cannot handle this anymore. I don’t know what I'm doing.” And I totally feel like all of these friendships assisted me in just staying afloat and continuing on.
Q: Any advice for young creatives trying to network and initiate those creative friendships, right now?
A: Don't be weird about hitting people up for Zoom-coffee. I’ve had quite a few virtual coffees with my friends or people that are friends, now. And I know that sounds weird. I love to spend time alone and I'm just as uncomfortable or shy with having to randomly talk to someone I've never met on FaceTime as anyone else would be. But I think it’s important to push yourself. Sometimes I’ll literally just close my eyes to click ‘send’ on a DM. And if a lot of people don’t respond— Whatever. The one person that does may be life-changing— friendship-wise, career-wise, or both.
You'll get more from embarrassing yourself and putting yourself out there than if you're just shy in the corner for the entirety of your existence. The people that I’ve seen put themselves out there and get laughed at from the beginning are some of the most successful people I see now. And I'm telling myself that, too.
Q: What’s next for Courtnie? Any upcoming projects you'd like to share?
A: Yeah, I have a new song that I'm working on shooting a visual for. And I've been setting up a series of Instagram lives, called “Let’s All Be Friends,” to chat with other artist friends as a way to stay in touch, and stay connected during a time when we haven't been able to see each other face to face. So I'm going to be chatting with friends from different backgrounds and art mediums, and I plan on continuing it even as the world opens back up. I love how the way we use the internet and social platforms has diversified since a year ago. The first chat is going to be on the 19th of May. (Please tune in!) It’ll be about what it means to be a good artist versus a successful artist. And we're gonna continue to come up with fun topics. I'll definitely be asking you all for recs and ideas, soon.
Written by Kiah Butts
