Princess Nokia has signed to Rough Trade Records – and you can check out the video to her brand new track ‘G.O.A.T’ below which is being released digitally by the legendary label. This is the first time her music has been available on streaming services other than Soundcloud and YouTube.
Princess Nokia is the nom-de-plume of New Yorker Destiny Frasqueri. She’s been rapping and releasing tracks on YouTube and Soundcloud since high school, originally under the name of Wavy Spice. She adopted the “Princess Nokia” moniker in 2013, and released the albums Metallic Butterfly, Honey Suckle and 1992 in the subsequent years.
She has built up a massive fan base over the last few years, with her videos and albums getting millions of streams and views. ‘G.O.A.T’ is a slinky statement of intent that demands repeated listens. See for yourself:
Speaking to Bullet magazine, Frasqueri described the thinking behind the Princess Nokia alter-ego: “As Princess Nokia I can project the multi-dimensional aspects of myself that I could not express with the name Wavy Spice. I can venture into any realm of music or character of my choosing without confusion.
“I’m making worldly music—music that will talk to all kinds of people. Banjee girls in Harlem, teen brides in the Middle East, gay boys in East Asia. Labels no longer matter. My new music is cosmic and three-dimensional, and it will really speak of who Princess Nokia is. Princess Nokia is sound. It is progression. It is all that I am.”
Speaking of her live shows, Princess Nokia says: “My live show is a lotta fun, I mean it’s a real vibe - something out of this world. I have been playing sold out tours since I released the album on my website, I’ve gotta to say, I’m blessed. Every city has a crowd of young kids that love my music. I have girls that cry and throw roses in the front. Straight men who come with their friends and scream every lyric from every song. I show up for them and rip that mic so they leave feeling inspired and happy. It’s a great time”
Princess Nokia plays:
JUNE
29 - Roskilde Festival, DK
30 - Les Siestes Festival, Tulouse, FR
JULY
01 - Woo Hah Festival, Tilburg, NL
02 - Couleurs Cafe, Brussels, BE
06 - Exit Festival, Novi Sad, RS
07 - Nowa Muzyka Festival, Krakow, PL
08 - Pahoda Festival, Trencin, SK
07 - Creepy Teepee, Prague, CZ
09 - Les Ardentes Festival, Liege, BE
AUGUST
11 - Malmo Festival, Malmo, SE
12 - Sunfall Festival, London
