Destiny Frasqueri
| Destiny Frasqueri | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Destiny Nicole Frasqueri |
| Also known as |
|
| Born |
June 14, 1992 New York City, New York, United States |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | |
| Years active | 2010–present |
| Labels | Unsigned |
| Associated acts | Ratking |
| Website |
princessnokia |
Destiny Nicole Frasqueri (born June 14, 1992) is an Afro-Nuyorican independent alternative hip hop and alternative R&B recording artist and songwriter based in New York City. Formerly known by her stage names "Wavy Spice" or "Destiny", she currently performs in a collaboratives duo known as Princess Nokia. She is mostly known for her collaboration with New York City hip hop group Ratking and their member Wiki, who is her ex-boyfriend.
Early life
Frasqueri describes herself as having been "obsessed with individualism early on", explaining that "the idea of being like everyone else killed [her] inside." She grew up between Spanish Harlem and the Lower East Side of New York, hosting parties and go-go dancing from age 16. "Being a club kid, going out with my friends, allowed me to connect," she says. "It's the synchronicity of New York. You're out to have fun but you're also there with lots of artistic people and a dialogue."[1]
Career
Frasqueri recorded her first song, "Destiny", in 2010, and released it under the name of Wavy Spice on her SoundCloud and her YouTube channel in mid-2012. It was largely autobiographical and gained modest popularity. Subsequently, she released her second track, "Bitch I'm Posh".[2][3] The track quickly gained international recognition.[1][4]
Frasqueri's next single, "YAYA", demonstrated her ability as both a rapper and a singer.[1] As explained in the song's YouTube description, "'Yaya' is the Taino word for Great Spirit. This Song is dedicated to my Taino ancestry and indigenous upbringing."[5] The song questions normative perceptions of colonial history. The track, and her vocal support of queer, transgender, womanhood and fem sexuality, have gained her critical acclaim and support in the music world from other QTPOC rappers such as Mykki Blanco and Le1f. Five months later, Frasqueri released "Wavy Spice Presents - The Butterfly Knife Prequel". Two months after that, she released "Vicki Gotti," a similar track. In another two months, she released "Versace Hottie".
After watching Game of Thrones she "became obsessed with the chemistry between Daenerys Targaryen and Khal Drogo," and wrote "Dragons," a love story with a corresponding music video, and both the song and the video mirror things from her own life, and favorite things.[6][7]
In 2015 Frasqueri released a new project titled "Honeysuckle" under the name Destiny.
Princess Nokia
Frasqueri describes herself as having an alter ego collective named "Princess Nokia".[8] In an interview with Bullet Magazine, she explains,
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.
Frasqueri introduced Princess Nokia with the sweet-voiced track, "Nokia", within a month of "Versace Hottie". "Dragons", also by her alter ego performance collective, followed in early 2014.[2]
The collective released their debut album of "high-tech fairy girl music," Metallic Butterfly, May 12, 2014. "For the last year I've been staying very low-key, working on my craft. I want to create a new sound. I won't stop until I have an impact." The album was a collaborative effort between Destiny and OWWWLS. The album debuted on Vice's website and SoundCloud. Vice described is as "...a little bit of everything—from African drums and weird jazzy melodies to electro-synths and hip-hop beats. [...] But all of the disparate influences and styles blend perfectly, making this one of the most exciting and ambitious independently released albums to come out of the New York underground in a long time."[9]
Discography
Mixtapes
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Metallic Butterfly |
|
| Honeysuckle |
|
Extended plays
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| 1992 |
|
Guest appearances
| Title | Year | Artist(s) | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Puerto Rico Judo" | 2014 | Ratking | So It Goes |
| "Steep Tech" | 2015 | Ratking, Despot | 700-Fill |
References
- 1 2 3 Dolan, Maggie (October 14, 2013). "Wavy Spice is Making "High-Tech airy Girl Music"...and we're Listening". Paper (magazine). Retrieved December 5, 2014.
- 1 2 Track Premiere: Hear Wavy Spice Transform Into Princess Nokia on 'Nokia'
- ↑ Wavy Spice" "Bitch I'm Posh"
- ↑ 16 January 2014, "Wavy Spice (New band of the day No 1,679)" The Guardian. Accessed 27 November 2016
- ↑ "Wavy Spice - YAYA". YouTube. 29 October 2012. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
- ↑ Princess Nokia – Dragons: The NYC underground artist's intimate Game of Thrones-inspired vid goes from the arcade to a steamy shower
- ↑ News / Princess Nokia “Dragons”
- ↑ Wavy Spice: Harlem Is Burning
- ↑ "Princess Nokia's 'Metallic Butterfly'". Vice. 12 May 2014. Retrieved 5 December 2014.