BIA is performing live as part of the Artists in Motion content series being produced by Sony Group Corporation in partnership with Blue Note Entertainment Group. The series highlights artists “in motion” and celebrates the return of live music performances, which allows artists to express their creativity and connect with the fans they love. FREE SHOW compliments of Sony Group Corporation. First come, first served (entry is not guaranteed).
| With great freedom comes great ferocity… Spitting with agile aggression, dropping clever observations, and pouncing like a panther on every beat, BIA rips through rap with a feral intensity. Acclaimed by the likes of Wonderland Magazine and Billboard and streamed nearly half-a-billion times to date, the gold-certified Boston-born and Los Angeles-based artist emerges as a fierce, fiery, and focused force on her 2020 debut EP for Epic Records, Rich Tiers. “I came out of a dark place where I didn’t have control over my life and creativity,” she exclaims. “I took a chance to step outside of everything that was comfortable and safe. I eventually found a new person in me. Feeling this freedom, I pushed myself to become a better musician, a better businesswoman, and a better friend. I feel like a beast.” She uncovered this beast inside. Growing up throughout the Boston Area of Puerto Rican and Italian descent, she magnetically gravitated to hip-hop. After surviving a near fatal car accident caused by a drunk driver, she found herself in the studio for the first time at fourteen and seized every opportunity to record. Posting music online, she fueled an organic buzz and ended up on what she describes as “a rollercoaster.” Following her breakout mixtape #CHOLASEASON, she joined J Balvin, Pharrell Williams, and Sky on the international banger “Safari” in 2016. Between solo singles like “Whip It” and “Gucci Comin’ Home,” she hit the road on blockbuster tours with Ariana Grande, Pusha T, and J Balvin in addition to gracing the stages of Coachella, SXSW, AC3, and Revolt Music Summit. 2019 saw her make waves with the Nice Girls Finish Last: Cuidado EP powered by “YAKWTFGO” [feat. Kali Uchis] and “VIBES ON ME” [feat. Kodak Black]. Chantal Jeffries tapped her for “Facts” alongside YG and Rich The Kid as Sam Spiegel enlisted her to soundtrack a Chanel campaign, which aired during the GRAMMY® Awards broadcast. Closing out the year, she teamed up with Russ for “Best On Earth.” Not only did the song achieve a gold certification and reach #46 on the Billboard Hot 100, but Rihanna also posted a video with “Best On Earth” playing in the background and declared it, “my new fav song.” At the same time, BIA reconfigured everything in her life, aligning with a new team and signing to Epic Records. “My friends and I figured out how to get this done ourselves,” she recalls. “We crawled out of the mud. Then, we got with Epic. Everything came together as it should. God’s timing was just so divine.” Starting from scratch, she holed up in a North Hollywood studio with homies such as Lil Rich and AZIZ behind the board. Diving into marathon recording sessions, she discovered inspiration in the struggle. Along the way, she assembled Rich Tiers. “I’m coming out of a dark place and finding beauty in the sadness,” she explains. “I learned pain separates real artists. There was a feeling we wanted more. It’s where Rich Tiers came from. It’s a better level. It’s luxury rap.” She kicks open the door with “Free BIA (1st Day Out).” She admits, “It’s about overcoming whatever’s holding you back or making you wait. That shit is out.” She eases into “Cover Girl” with breathy flows before delivering a head-turning hook, “My body on point they be like, who’s your surgeon?” She smiles, “It’s an ode to girls. If you want to boss up, just boss up. Don’t wait on nobody to do it for you.” Then, there’s “Automatic” [feat. Doe Boy]. Locking into a lyrical crossfire with Doe Boy, she paints a vivid picture. With more music and touring on the horizon, BIA leverages her newfound power to inspire. “When you hear me, I want you to feel powerful,” she leaves off. I want you to feel like you can breakup with your cheating significant other or quit the job you don’t want to be at. I feel like I have a lot of different personalities, and I’m trying to show them all. I learned how to trust myself. I didn’t get here by sitting back and letting everyone else do the work. I put in the work. I don’t want to just make a hit and leave. I want to carry a message. |