Sevana takes a ‘Brand New’ approach to her career and personal life
Published:Saturday | March 26, 2022 | 12:10 AMStephanie Lyew/Gleaner Writer
The sounds of the talented siren Sevana singing the words “all for me, do it all for me” over a sultry, jazz-infused rhythm in her latest single, Brand New, could have been an indicator of the next step she was planning to take.
Sevana, whose given name is Anna-Sharé Blake, has had her share of tribulations and has recently opened up about her struggle with depression. But with all the noise around her, the singer-songwriter has found a way to tune it out and write the new chapter of her life as an independent artiste, taking complete control of her art and expression for her own professional and personal growth, as well as inner peace.
“I’m ready to introduce a new, liberated Sevana who is going for it with everything, with nothing to lose,” she told The Gleaner.
The Bit Too Shy singer-songwriter recently split from the In.Digg.Nation collective piloted by reggae superstar Protoje – a split that was amicable – as a means to continue the process of healing and soul-searching. She expressed immense gratitude to the In.Digg.Nation principal and her labelmates. “I’m never without company and support and In.Digg will remain my family. In this new season, I’m convicted that I need to move with a certain autonomy,” shared Sevana.
Guided solely by herself and faith, the ‘new’ Sevana is taking all matters into her own hands. “I want to speak on my own behalf, negotiate my own terms and conditions, decide how licensing will work – all of that. I’ve learned this is the best way to do it. That’s just how it works.”
Brand New, which was released on the COLORSxSTUDIOS platform on February 21, can easily be defined as a love song, with its enamoured and sentimental expressions of a girl whose heart has been broken yet knows what and how she wants to feel. In the interview session for the single’s release, Sevana revealed that she had split from her partner and was pulling from life experiences.
“Last year I’d just broken up with somebody, and I was kind of like using that person as well as multiple other men (not using in terms of like using them) but just using them as inspiration for the song, kind of pulling the best attributes of them and kind of imagining a brand new version of a person,” she said in the video feature.
TRIGGERS
In another emotional, but measured conversation with Simone Clarke-Cooper on her stirring talk show, she explained the triggers of her depression which were catalysed by the tragedy still fresh and before the courts. May 2022 will mark a year since she was involved in a collision that occurred as she travelled along the Scotts Cove main road in Whitehouse, Westmoreland, resulting in the death of a female driver. Sevana is to face the Westmoreland Circuit Court later this year, on October 31, to answer to the charge of death by dangerous driving.
“After the tragedy, I was forced to go within and you kind of forced to acknowledge some truth, and the truth is, I was beginning a new season,” Sevana said to Clarke-Cooper.
She also shared that she does not feel strong and that she is “just taking it day by day”.
“I know there is strength there, but I don’t proclaim to be the strong warrior. I held on to that narrative for a long time, and it hurt me because it made me avoid the pain, it made me avoid feeling, but there is strength in vulnerability and taking your time, and that’s what I am focusing on,” she continued.
For now, Sevana will continue to navigate last summer’s upheaval by utilising the best tools at her disposal, music and lyrics, and she also revealed there are more ‘brand new’ tunes “lined up, ready to drop” as she prepares for her forthcoming debut studio album. Her reason for choosing Brand New as the name of her latest track was because she believes this is a brand new season for Sevana. “The plan is to keep it going and show up in a way where it’s transparent. It’s not me trying to be perfect, not me trying to put on anything other than just being who I am,” she said.
“I’m working with my team to realise this goal. I don’t want to give anything away just yet, so you’ll just have to wait and see!” Sevana exclaimed.