The future of hip-hop is here, this time, in the form of Myra Chanel’s self-titled, self-produced EP “MYRA.”
Myra Chanel is a North Carolina based artist from Western New York. She started out taking drum lessons as a child and even played bass drum in the marching band for a short time. Eventually, Myra began producing when she was 17 and fell in love with curating sounds. She was influenced by La Chat, Kanye West, Pharrell, Travis Scott, Tyler the Creator, 90’s house music and darkwave.
After years of producing and encouragement from friends, she stepped out of her comfort zone and began to rap on her own beats. The songs that she began to write used her voice in a sultry tone to blend with the darkwave, hip hop, and house inspired pop music. Myra’s genre bending pop music transports the listener to the club no matter where they are. She has released her first EP, Myra Chanel Volume 1 and is currently working on the second installment to the series along with the deluxe version. In addition to her own music, she occasionally produces for other artists.
The opening track “Turnt Up” perfectly captures Myra’s energy throughout the EP. With heavy hitting flows, to the house party hip hop instrumental, this song is sure to put you in a turnt headspace.
The transition to the second track “Tell ‘Em” is smooth, but Myra brings the same hype energy from the previous song. The catchy hook is fun to sing along to, and it honestly puts me in a bad bitch headspace.
The lead single “Loko” is a certified banger. Every time this song comes on, I have this rush inside me that makes me want to run to the dance floor in a club. The relatable and catchy lyrics are sure to get stuck in your head for days, making this a song an easy daily listen for weeks.
Track four brings us the hot and sweaty middle-of-the-night nightclub vibes combined with the same bad bitch energy from the last song. There are too many unforgettable lines in this song to even address, and the vocal delivery really pushes this track to the next level.
“Ride” brings us more club vibes and catchy lyrics, as well as a bouncy instrumental that feels perfect for any night out on the town. I just want to ride around town to this song with all of my friends on a cool summer night yelling the lyrics out the windows and at each other!
“Luxurious” is my favorite track from the EP because it makes me feel like the richest person in the room. The laid back and chill trap instrumental makes the song easy to bop along to, and the lyrics bring the wealthiest part of me to the table. This song is a must listen to before arriving at any function where you want to flex.
The final track “New York” fittingly ends the EP with catchy lyrics and a slow paced vibe that is perfect for any smoke sash. Between the flows and Myra’s cadence, this song is definitely unforgettable.
I had the privilege of asking Myra some questions about this EP, check it out below!
Describe your release in 3 sentences.
MYRA EP is a combination of moods and sounds that I will be presenting in my music. It’s short, sweet, and to the point; like a shower soundtrack, a commute compilation if you will. I just wanted to make something for girls to beat they face to and get in they bag with.
What was your favorite part about making this release?
My favorite part about making this EP was creating and choosing the demos that would make the final cut. I made like 15 songs on my old USB mic and when I got a new set up, I really had to sit and think about which lyrics, songs, and beats would really represent me. You can’t get your first release back so I really wanted to make this EP as to the point as possible. I might release some of the songs from the making of this EP on another EP or just as singles though. Theres definitely a few that i just had to chop irregardless of how much I enjoyed them because i wanted to make a 7 track project. 7 is my life path number and THEE lucky number so that was very important to me.
What was the hardest part making this release?
The hardest part about making this EP was choosing to not have features or use anyone else’s production. Its super important to me at these early stages of my career to prove to myself that I can be self sufficient because I see too many artists get set back by other people’s egos and lack of sense of urgency.
Was this release cathartic for you?
Dropping this EP was super cathartic to me because this is my first “real” release so I feel super relieved to finally have something out.
What’s your personal favorite line from this release?
My favorite line is on Luxurious when I said, “I’m a real luxurious bitch, I aint really on no trap shit. I don’t even go on dates; unless we talking business” because I feel like it reads like a tweet or tinder bio haha. It describes me and what I like/dislike. I really don’t like dates. Or traditional dates at least like the movies or dinner. Take me to an art museum, buy me a fruit basket and let’s go to the park, let’s go skydiving.
What keeps you motivated?
Theres a lot of things that keep me motivated. Number one is myself and my vision for my present and future. Secondly, the ever expanding attention that women in rap are getting keeps me excited. Thirdly, I just have to create. For me, creating is an instinct, not just a desire but a need. I have to create what I feel like is missing and what I haven’t heard. Forth, just my life in general, I’ve been through too much to settle. I guess at the end of the day, internal motivation is super important to me as someone who has navigated life dealing with mental illness(es).
What can we expect next from you?
I’m dropping a deluxe version of the MYRA EP which is technically going to be album length with features and re-recorded at an actual studio. Videos are also coming soon!
What other artists are you listening to right now?
At the moment I’ve been listening to a lot of DemBow artists like El Alfa and Yailin la mas viral. I just love the energy of that genre along with Baile funk that I love. I’ve also been listening to Hook and Laura Les from 100 Gecs but that’s just off the top of my head. Lately I’ve just been listening to playlists based off songs I like on Spotify.
Thank you for taking the time to answer those questions for us, Myra!
Be sure to stream Myra Chanel’s self-titled and self-produced EP “MYRA” on all platforms now, and follow her on social media below!
Written By: Bryce Quartz