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Born in Ethiopia and based in Washingtin, D.C., Grammy-nominated artist Wayna has made strides in the music industry infusing “African and reggae inspired soul and classic and alternative rock†paired with vocals that caught the attention of renowned artists like Stevie Wonder. Now, with a recent album released last month titled, “The Expats,†she is focused on spreading her music that’s aimed to inspire and uplift.
Wayna faced the difficult decision to leave what she claimed to be a traditional career path within her family and cultural upbringing pursue a career in music. She graduated from the University of Maryland with a double major in English and Speech Communication and landed a writing position in the White House during the Clinton administration. While she recognized it was a great position, she knew her heart was yearning to fully indulge in music.
“I got a 9 to 5 working in the White House and on my spare time I would go out to see artists and attend their listening sessions,†she said. “No matter how afraid I was I decided to step out on a limb. It’s important to live your life from the inside out and not the outside in.â€
Living from the “inside out,†Wayna took on music full-time and since then has collaborated with producers Bill Laswell, Eran Tabib, Veit Renn and Kev Brown. As Wayna began performing and producing music, she recalled a particularly memorable moment back in 2005. She felt a boost of confidence when the legendary Stevie Wonder gave her “words of encouragement†in regards to her artistry. In 2009, Wayna was nominated for a Grammy for her performance of Minnie Ripperton’s hit “Loving You.â€
As Wayna worked on her latest album, “The Expats,†she traveled back and forth between Toronto and D.C. The music was birthed from time spent in Toronto in a room with a group of talented artists.
“We all got together in a room, we all came from different cultural backgrounds and had similar tastes in music,†she said. “We all love Bob Marley and The Police. We didn’t have any real plan going into these jam sessions. It was really organic.â€
Along with her music sessions in Toronto, it took Wayna about a year to write the album. She worked with mix engineer; Russell Elevado who she believes goes “against the grain†musically.
“The Expats†houses a lot of messages Wayna aimed to convey. One song in particular, “Freak Show,†has a message she believes reflects her experience and one that many can relate to.
“Freak Show is a special one to me, it’s about being an outcast,†she said. “I felt very much before I was trying to fit into a box culturally and musically but the truth is I never fit into a box and it was not honest. I don’t fit into the box comfortably and my goal is to create a new box. That was a big revelation for me — that’s what I really wanted to say in this album.â€
Wayna held an album listening party in Philadelphia last month at the Fleisher Art Memorial located at 719 Catharine St. She has been inspired and connected to many artists apart of Philly Sound and has recently visited the Sound of Market Record Store in Center City for their “Black Saturday†event.
With the different fusions of styles Wayna incorporates in her music, she credits her first trip back to Ethiopia at the age of 25 as one of her most influential trips. While watching performances and listening to groups play traditional African music, she made an interesting revelation.
“I really saw African music as being the root of all music I was doing all this time,†she said.
Wayna’s mix of world music has taught her to think “outside the box.â€
“We are supposed to be inspiring people to think outside the box and we can’t do that if we are in the box,†she said. “When I meet and talk to people — people of all races and cultural backgrounds, I think people are more open then what the industry thinks.â€
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