“I like pretty boys that are skaters”. And so begins the flirtatious track from Herizen, which presents itself like a playful sonic wink.
You might recognise her as the lead in Baz Luhrmann’s ever-popular series The Get Down, as well as roles in American Gods, and new critically-acclaimed series Dare Me. But recently the Cuban-Jamaican artist has been making waves with her unique attitude-filled brand of alt-pop. “Troublemaker” is no exception, a sunshine-filled ode to the universally acknowledge fact: we love a bad boy.
We caught up with Herizen and talked inspirations, her acting roles, and her reggae roots.
What was the moment you realised you wanted to make music?
I knew I wanted to make music the moment I could talk, I was always singing as a little girl. My dad is a reggae artist (Johnny Dread), so watching him perform on stage was always so inspiring to me. I knew I wanted to do that for the rest of my life.
Who were your inspirations growing up?
My dad was definitely my first inspiration, he showed me how to appreciate good music. Some of my favourite artists growing up were the ones we shared, like The Beatles, Bob Marley, Buju Banton, Burning Spear, Fleetwood Mac, Simon and Garfunkel, and others I found on my own – Nirvana, Frank Ocean, Mazzy Star, Daughter, My Chemical Romance, The Gorillaz, ASAP Rocky, Kid Cudi and so many others (it’s hard to name them all!).
How would you describe the genre of your music?
I honestly don’t think I fit in a genre. Because of my different tastes in music, I’m kind of a combination of them all, so I allow my fans to be the judge of that.
Where did you get the inspiration for “Troublemaker” from?
It’s kind of a long funny story so I’ll give you the short version. I got into a bit of “trouble” and was detained while my other friend was actually arrested – I didn’t do anything to harm anyone or myself, and on my part it was all a big misunderstanding so I was let go! Unfortunately my friend had to spend the night in jail (he was fine and out the next day) but it gave me the inspiration to write this song and I wrote it that same night.
You made your acting debut on The Get Down – is acting something you’d like to pursue more, or is the focus on music for now?
Acting is something that came around out of a blessing. I first saw it as a stepping stone for my music, but it has become more than that now as I have conquered many other roles after “The Get Down.” I think I will take on more acting jobs in the future, but right now I’m focusing on my music.
What’s next for you?
I am really excited for my next EPs that are coming out this year along with my music videos, artwork, and tours. I think my fans are going to be very pleased and are in for a great surprise, and I can’t wait to share my heart with the world.