By Michael Mondezie
Crossover singer KillaBee takes particular pride in the provocative opening line from her dance track “Fire Moon”, one of the standout songs on her debut album, Unbound – “Big batty gyal from Arima!”
“That’s my personal hype song. I find it real patriotic to start a song like that. Art even,” she beamed with confidence.
KillaBee, a clever fusion of the Santa Cruz-born singer’s name Akilah Baptiste, is a blend of unrestrained girl power and reflective thought. The moniker sparks curiosity – as evident by you still reading this piece.
“I’ve grown to love it as an artiste name. I feel it captures the sweetness of my lyrics and emotions, while leaving room for a little fiesty energy. I believe it inspires curiosity wherever I go as I’m not always what one would expect,” she giggled.
But there’s much more to KillaBee. The 27-year-old’s music delves into emotional themes of love, acceptance, pain and heartbreak, all while unapologetically celebrating feminine energy and the beauty of the womanly form.
Remarkably, despite the emotional depths it explores, Unbound leaves listeners at peace by the time they reach the final, deeply personal track “Aya”.
“I wrote it as a love letter to myself, literally heralding: ‘Doh worry yuhself na’ in the chorus. It serves to remind me, still, at any moment of feeling defeat, that everything passes and my destiny is greatness so I don’t need to worry.
“It is for anyone listening to feel the relief of their struggle being heard, only to be quickly reminded that it is only temporary. Regardless of whatever feelings and thoughts I may have awakened with the songs prior, this is where we end, with peace,” she explained.
An organic love for self-expression
KillaBee’s love for music began in her pre-teen years, remixing Disney songs with her cousins and friends. At St Joseph’s Convent, St Joseph she began exploring poetry and spoken word, drawing inspiration from African American female music icons like Beyonce, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Janet Jackson and Mary J Blige.
“I became more preoccupied in page poetry as a form of expression and I also enjoyed consuming spoken word. I believe this era would have been the initiation into my love for writing. I always wrote for me and not really to be shared at the time, truly allowing me to be free and vulnerable with my words,” she recalled.
While pursuing a degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering at The University of the West Indies (The UWI), St Augustine, she completed her first EP, When the Grass was Greener.
“I love artistes who aren’t afraid to be raw in their expression of any emotion–fear, lust, heartbreak–and who aren’t afraid to do so regardless of what might be trending in that time,” KillaBee said of her early musical influences.
Although inspired by the greats, her voice remains distinct on her recordings.
“When writing my own music, I try not to focus or pressure myself into sounding like anything or anyone and just let whatever flows, flow. I really just do me, however that manifests,” she said.
That creative freedom gives KillaBee the space to explore various ideas. Music fans shouldn’t expect one particular style when exploring her album. The Andre Stewart-mixed project, which features production from Daniel Hamilton, Mark Wright and Brooklyn Decent, offers a myriad of musical experiences. Australian producer, Kurt Zed, notably contributed to the tracks “Old Habits” and “My Way” on the album.
“Listeners tend to fixate on what you’ve shared with them before, but I want to be understood as the versatile artiste that I am. I’ve worked with many different producers to curate the sounds heard on my album. I wanted to show that I can capture my different phases and experiences because I am human and I do not exist as a singular manifestation of anyone else’s expectations,” she said.
Above all, KillaBee hopes her listeners “feel seen” when they engage with her music.
“Be it your pain, joy, your chaos – I hope you feel intimate with the music enough to react in any way that feels good to you. I hope if you are another creative, you feel inspired to disallow yourself from being boxed in; to know that there is always space for you to experiment and be true to yourself and your style of expression. I hope my words, whatever they ignite in you motivates you to be at ease with yourself and also just have fun.”
