The Ottawa-based hip-hop artist, rapper, and singer-songwriter Mischa kicks off 2021 with her latest empowering and fierce single entitled "Cruise Control."
Planning to release various singles throughout the year, Mischa holds each gem to a specific standard and never releases anything that isn't up to par with her previous hits. "I truly hope that my listeners can catch the confidence, emotion, and care that has gone into each product I have chosen to release in 2021, especially Cruise Control," states Mischa.
Recorded at Raven Street Studios in Ottawa by audio engineer Geoff McNeely and production by Jonny Brown, Mischa's latest single, "Cruise Control," exudes nothing but power and vitality. Through Mischa's tight and rhythmic vocal delivery and intriguing bars, she punches through this single and exclaims her distaste for negativity and those who attempt to bring her down.
Getting into "Cruise Control," the track opens with an eerie and distant piano melody that later drops into a crisp hip-hop beat through tight drum breaks and a pulsating bassline. As Mischa begins rapping with incredible energy and passion, she begins enlightening us on her experiences with negative energies and moving forward from those who keep her stagnant.
Offering a short and sultry hook, Mischa sings with a heightened sense of mystery and lust that keeps us all the more engaged in her powerful performance. Continuing to rap about the refusal of lowering her standards and fitting into the mainstream, it would be an understatement to say that Mischa is establishing herself as an influential female Emcee.
Find Mischa's first single of the year, "Cruise Control," on all digital streaming platforms, and prepare yourself for the rest of Mischa's powerhouse tunes to drop throughout 2021.
We absolutely adore the passion and energy within your latest single, "Cruise Control." Why did you choose this track to lead the way of your 2021 releases?
Thank you so much! I’m glad that you vibe with it as much as I do! When I began writing “Cruise Control,” it gave me the type of empowerment that I needed to get through all the uncertainty of the events in 2020, leading into 2021. I felt a surge of energy from the moment I clicked play on the beat that Jonny Brown sent me. I wanted this track to set the tone for the releases I have planned to come forth this year. This song was originally supposed to be the introductory track for an EP that was going to be released this Spring, but I took a step back to evaluate my release strategy and decided this year was going to weigh heavily on the launch of singles. I told myself that just because this song was no longer introductory to my EP, that didn’t mean that it couldn’t be introductory to my year.
What inspired the creation of your single "Cruise Control?"
To me, I found that so much unfolded through the pandemic in terms of having a clearer lens to view the people and energy that surround you. The meaning behind the lyrical content written is that I refuse to have any tolerance for negativity in my life. No matter how hard others want to pull me down, I won’t succumb to lower standards. I had a lot to get off my chest at the time of writing, and now with it being a new year, I think that “Cruise Control” truly sets the tone for where I’m headed artistically and as an individual.
How long was your songwriting process for "Cruise Control?" When did you begin writing rhymes for the single?
Jonny Brown had sent me the beat on September 15th, 2020. He had actually just made the beat two days prior because the beat was named, ‘September 13th, 2020,’ before I got my hands on it! As soon as he sent it over, I sat at the edge of my bed and began writing. I finished this approximately two hours later! I still have the voice note demos on my phone because I approach a beat that I hear for the first time by freestyling to it, in order to get the overall ambiance and cadences out in the open. That really sets the tone for me. Typically I hold onto a song for months before recording it because I like to add minor adjustments, or sometimes I think of a better lyric that will work with the flow or even revisit a rhyme scheme. However, I booked studio time a week after this song was written because that’s how much I believed in what I had written down. As I mentioned earlier, this was originally supposed to be an introductory song on an EP of mine, so the only lyric I tweaked was; ‘J on the beat, so you know it B on replay,’ it was originally supposed to be, ‘First things first, know this intro to be on replay,” but I didn’t want to box myself in. Sure enough, this worked very well to my advantage!
What was it like working with producer Jonny Brown and engineer Geoff McNeely for your single "Cruise Control?" How did they help bring the sonics to life?
It is honestly always a pleasure working with Jonny Brown as the producer. He was the producer of three songs from my EP, “Alpha Barbie,” and he just understands my style so well. We actually go back to about 6 years ago. He and I were friends and co-workers before I decided to pursue music. He was always into making music himself, and when I decided to kick-off my journey artistically, he was the first person that I approached! It’s great to have that friendship and working relationship years later. Geoff McNeely is hands down one of the best engineers I have ever worked with. I love recording with him because he pushes me to perfection. There is no chance of cutting corners, and I admire that. He believes in me as an artist and individual, and for that, I’m forever grateful. Carde Blanche is the mix engineer who put the pieces together, and with him and I working together intricately on the project, we took “Cruise Control,” to its final stages, and I’m thrilled that we did. It was the first time that we worked together, and I can definitely say that it won’t be the last. An artist is nothing without their team. So I give many thanks to these superstars, who helped me unleash my vision!
What's the main message you wish to deliver as an artist?
As an artist, I want people to know that believing in yourself is one of the biggest risks to take, but I promise you that it has the best outcome possible. I want to create a universe where everyone feels included. The surge of confidence that I get when I create, or hit the stage, I want that to transfer to the lives of my listeners in any way I can. I live to inspire, and help people. Both of those things come in various forms, and as long as I’m encouraging people to be their best selves, I’m as proud as can be.
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