This doll tells YOU what To do. Whips and chain now included! Introducing your new goddess, Zhariah!

Do you consider yourself to be alternative?

OF COURSE! Everyday of my life, I’m also pretty sure if I wasn’t I’d be way more popular

What was it like performing at AfroPunk? Would you do it again? What is the next festival you would like to perform at?

Performing at Afropunk was unreal like that was on my 2022 vision board. Not only did I play Afropunk but I performed on the MAIN STAGE. I didn’t know I had that many fans tbh. Like, I have such a ego but I’m also so humble to the point I was walking around the festival when I really could have just been a diva lol. It was so magical. It was a full moon in Pisces and I’m a Pisces and it was raining and I saw it as my graduation to the next level. I thought I was being ungrateful because I was treating it as the norm, but honestly that’s just the level that I’m at now. Like yeah, I do freaking festivals now. The price has been up, but it went up again lol.

I went through so much heartache and betrayal this year, that Afropunk was the reward I was told by people that I’m not worth it, I’m not a good investment, only to be on one of the biggest festivals yet. I Had so much fun being around all that creative energy. I met Bree Runway, Kiera Please, Bbymutha, Doechi, my fav Tik Tokers, The whole TDE team which was crazy cause I had a dream 3 months prior that I would be backstage with them. (Weird) I also met Questlove which I’m so mad it’s not in camera because he legit held my hand for 2 second like he knew me . He is literally a legend and I can’t wait to see him again once I make it on Jimmy Fallon next season. I definitely will do Afropunk again. Next time with a bigger production and budget. Once my new music is out, I want to do the Firefly festival, EDC, Pitchfork, SXSW,Coachella, my own damn festival and I want to go on tour with the Nova Twins.

Do you plan to make a music video for Chelsea Hotel? Any new releases coming up?

OH MY GOD YES! Thats my baby!(I’m gonna tear up.) I did not know that would be my fastest growing song. It’s also just a concept that’s going to challenge me because I have to choose if I want it to be about my personal experience or to make it about Sid and Nancy which so many other rock artist did/ but of course I would flip the script as always. But I’m waiting for the song to get to 100k streams to drop the video❤️.

Im also working on this next record that I think is going to fucking blow every bodies mine and really show how much I have grown over 2022. I actually wrote the song in February and have been looking for a bigger production team to pull it off so it’s been taking some time. But that’s my goal the finish it and put it out soon because I’m so eager to show people who I really am. I really know once it’s done it’s going to take me to the next level I’ve been dying to be on.

Have you ever considered exploring a different alternative style, subculture, or aesthetic?

Always! Always! Always! I was just scared tbh that I wouldn’t be as popular if I wasn’t always putting out man-eating, gothic, dominatrix music 24/7, but Chelsea Hotel got playlisted and got me on Afropunk, so I feel free to do whatever I want. I have always been into different subcultures and aesthetics. I was a tumblr girl . One day you’ll get the grungy me, next day you’ll get the sleaze me, next day I’m a goth sex demon, next day I’m a pop princess. I miss that girl and I’m slowly becoming her again. I really just lost myself in a past relationship and unfortunately that’s really all ppl see and I’m like no pleaseeee I’m a starrrrr (Tik Tok reference). So yeah I’m just gonna be returning back to self with my new content and I really hope my supporters and friends connect with it and are inspired to branch out of their current subculture as well!

What made you start offering creative direction in addition to creating your art?

I started doing Creative Direction for so many reasons. The first is because since I was 6, I have always made concepts for videos and shows in my head and I thought it was just a skill, not something I could turn into a career. It’s just something that I naturally do everyday and that’s honestly how I make my songs. I create music videos in my head and the music is just what illustrates it. I also was just getting ready to enter the next phase in my life where I was thinking a lot about the type of friends I wanted and I realized I wanted my circle to be full of professional creatives because I outgrew my other friends and it was like we spoke different languages in terms of life, passion, and drive.

I’m also just a music snob and I say that jokingly, but I just got tired of what music videos rappers in DC we’re putting out because it was the same two formats of being in the back yard with spread out money and dancers (yawn) (yawn) (yawn). I knew it wouldn’t be hard to stand out and like always. On the other hand my higher self believed it would be a chance to inspire full thought out videos again while making another stream of income.

If you could collaborate with any other small alt artist, who would it be?

Ooooh finally I get the, “Who do you want to collaborate with?” question. Okay, anyone I collaborate with will be because they are actually talented are something not a lot of ppl have seen before, but Hemlock Springs (I love that girlfriend song), Yves Tumor, Baby Storme, Cinnamonbabe, and more probably when I do more research.

Many people complain that the Black and POC alternative scene isn’t united/is toxic, what is your opinion on this?

Mmmm, I’m starting to see this a lot. A friend of mine made a TikTok and everybody from the alt scenes in different states like Atlanta, LA, DC, Philly and New York spoke up. The only scene I haven’t being in fully is LA’s, so let me say this. Every genre of music and scene has their pros and cons based on the structural foundation(I’m a nerd). I believe that Black POC alt spaces have good intentions without the knowledge and education on building community where rules and accountability are the cornerstone.

Our ancestors have had many ways to do this, but as young people, we just want to find a place to be us, party, make friends, show off our fits and make music. The problem is that there’s a bunch of people that didn’t get a lot of attention growing up finally getting it and you add clout to that and it creates the same hierarchy and patriarchy that we are trying to run away from. Also, once you gain some sort of popularity, you either get mainstream and ppl don’t like you as much or you stay down and create a cult following. And I will be the one to say it but our scenes in the last few years have had a lot of rapist and abusers who never get called out cause they’re so popular for doing so much (nothing) for the community.

Then, there are are lot of women who just follow them and don’t stick up for other women because the fear of being outcasted again or because they want clout. It’s addictive because before we had the scenes to connect us, we were the outcast, so now the joker effect starts to take place. The Joker effect, is when a person who has always been ignored and isolated gets some sort of power, they see it as an opportunity to abuse it, because they haven’t healed from the hurt and now it’s their turn have people in fear with their fans and minions. And this happens a lot with mostly male artists.

I’m not really in the alt scene cause that’s exactly what happened to me in the DMV, but I see a new generation coming up and they are so damn good and enthusiastic. They have a mix of rap and hyperpop vs the older generation who had trap metal. So it’s cool to see the evolution. But that’s my point, every scene has its pros and cons and you just have to choose who you want to be around. There are still many people like you guys (Alt Darling) making great efforts to really push our culture to the forefront and looking hot while doing it. Purrrrr!

One of Alt Darling’s main missions is to provide representation to Black and other POC alts. Would you say you had that growing up? How would you like representation to be going forward if you could change anything?

I love that. I definitely did not have that representation Growing up. I grew up in DC and was bullied my whole life and I was one of those who let me go find white friends because I didn’t know there were a lot of us out there. That’s why I moved to LA. But moving forward, I think Zines like this, or more festivals with us, but it all starts with the movies, that’s also why I’m a creative director. We need more coming of age, college and romance comedies that tell our stories like what Scott Pilgrim against the world was an all black cast. Or if Mean Girls was just unfriendly black hotties. I think that’s where it needs to start. It’s already changing and growing and hopefully it continues.