Meet Uniity

We had the good fortune of connecting with Uniity and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Uniity, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
I strongly believe that the ultimate test for independent musicians is the work life balance. Being able to fund and build up a career while still working two-to-three jobs to keep a roof over your head and food in your mouth.

There’s definitely a pressure with keeping up. My mother had me when I was 14 and since then, the heat and pressure was on. Working multiple jobs at a time to put food on the table and the constant hustle to escape. I learned how to maintain that balance at an early age because of my mother.

The balance becomes difficult at times because I’m juggling so many things at a time. Before every show I usually have homework due along with work the next day.

Overall, the balance is an art form within itself. Just keep going!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My art and the way I choose to express myself is very sacred to me [same can be said for many other musicians]. Before I decided to release my first song I struggled with deciding how I choose to present myself and thinking if I was good enough. I believed that I had to pigeon-hole myself in a genre to be more marketable instead of making what I really wanted. I have a lot of projects I made as a young teenager have been shelved because it wasn’t authentic, it wasn’t me. I deconstructed what I thought of music as and started making things that I really wanted. With the help of IO Lyr, I came up with a genre-bending sound that’s a bit difficult to categorize; Hardcore-styled vocals mixed with blast beats over synths. My sound, vocal delivery, and live performances is what sets me apart.

I am the most proud of pushing through and my work ethic. I goal is to do music full-time and I really love how unapologetically determined I’ve become. The hardest part about being an independent musician is funding and balancing it with the rest of your life. I work two jobs and go to school while balancing a career and I’m grateful for all the people who’ve been listening and coming to shows.

It was, and still is, very difficult to get where I am today. I still feel like i’m at the very beginning of my journey and as an artist. I got to this spot by working hard, making lots of sacrifices, and lastly, money. I deal with a lot of racism and misogyny, especially when we’re dealing with the rock/metal/alternative genres.

The biggest thing I’ve learned is how to connect better with people. I also learned that remaining humble and having humility is important. I’ve met a lot of people who are ego and clout maniacs, desperate for lots of attention and full of themselves. The important thing to remember is that everything can go away in a second.

The biggest thing to know about my brand is that it’s for everyone that’s felt outcasted or that they’ve never had a place. I make my music primarily for people who grew up like I did. For queer and Bipoc people who’ve felt that they never quite had a place to express themselves. My live performances is a a way for people to release the bullshit that they deal with, cry, scream, shout, and meet someone new.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would first take them to Graffiti Island in philly, it’s also known as FDR Skatepark. I spent a lot of time here as a kid listening to music and failing miserably at skateboarding. We’d also hang out downtown, go to shows at Franklin Music Hall (Formerly the Electric Factory), and the TLA – both places I frequently went to shows as a kid. We’d get handmade authentic Nigerian food in Southwest Philly along with checking out the many black-owned vegan restaurants. I’d end things off with a cheese steak and a water ice.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Yes! There have been many amazing people who’ve helped and continue to help me on this journey. I’m extremely grateful for Juan Fleischer, Joshua Hall (also known as IO Lyr), Yumi Robins (also known as Yumisocute), Punk Black, Enad, and my family. All of the people/brands I’ve mentioned are amazing multi-faceted creatives that are artists,producers, designers, and my friends; their creativity is limitless.

Website: https://www.uniityofficial.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whoisuniity/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@whoisuniity

Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0z7wWrguEEEtHMUFlQlsxF?si=-c476KidQDi0Xmsx5fuOcg&utm_source=copy-link

Image Credits
-The two similar photos in terms of color grading; Lila Rosser
-The purplish/pinkish one: Punk Black