Vancouver’s Own Cenzina Graces Us With Her Mesmerizing Single “Down”
Vancouver, artist and multi-instrumentalist Cenzina is back with her latest soulful hit “Down.” Although the single mostly wraps around the R&B/Soul genre, Cenzina’s discography ranges from Classic/Alternative Rock to Hip-Hop, NeoSoul, and R&B. Growing up in Mississauga, Ontario, Cenzina was also a classically trained pianist, which helped transfer into guitar playing and production later on in her career. Her single “Down” brings Cenzina’s cleverly written lyrics to the forefront, exhibiting her broad vocal range and authentic delivery. From mild rapping to her transcendent melisma throughout the entirety of the track, we’re quickly captivated by her ethereal sound. “Down” opens with lush piano melodies, upon the arrival of Cenzina’s beautiful vocal stylings, the track provides added texture with a subtle, airy kick. With modern and trendy drum breaks that exceptionally emphasize Cenzina’s tranquil and serene atmosphere, we’re impressed by her ability to grasp the vital elements of any genre and create a track that serves her unique purpose and meaning. “Down” incorporates bright imagery with well-written lyrics like “Light a fire hit the fuse, got a get a higher view if you’re standing in my shoes.” From dreamy and layered production to Cenzina’s limitless vocal abilities, “Down” serves as a track to calm us down during these frantic times.
Be sure to listen to "Down" here.
Hey Cenzina, welcome to BuzzMusic! We’re moved by your enchanting vocals and polished lyrics on your latest single “Down”! What were your original intentions for how you wanted “Down” to sound and feel to your audience?
Thank you! The melody of down Down was written in a stream-of-consciousness kind of way. My only real intention going into the recording was to have that melodic ease and flow expressed. For my audience to feel the warmth of my muses through my sound.
From talented and intoxicating melisma to your ability to ride the beat and flow on your single “Down”, you’ve really captured a new meaning to dynamic. What made Cenzina want to create a sultry R&B single, instead of any other genre you’ve experimented with?
Good question! Although I hadn't previously released much RnB music (outside of a few songs on SoundCloud), I draw a lot of inspiration from artists in this realm. I’ve actually got quite a few RnB / Soul songs on the go at the moment! I am looking forward to sharing more with you.
We’ve heard that before you moved to Vancouver BC, you were raised in Mississauga ON. where you were a classically trained pianist. How did this foundation help Cenzina’s career grow to its versatile sound today?
That foundation was definitely a huge part of my musical journey. It’s hard to express just how much so. When you are a child and are given the opportunity to be opened to the language of music, it completely opens a universal channel of expression. I came to a deep appreciation of that when I stepped forward as an Artist and started curating my sound. Although my education had taken me down a path outside of music (I was a Psychology & Lit major), I’d been unknowingly building my understanding of that language throughout my life.
Not to mention Cenzina’s broad range of style, from Rock to HipHop/R&B. Could you share with our readers some major musical inspirations you had, and how they might have influenced your dynamic sound?
Absolutely! Some of my biggest musical influences include RnB Goddess’s Jhene Aiko, H.E.R & Khelani. I love the dreamy, mellow-drama of Lana Del Ray and spunky lyricism of Marina and the Diamonds. I am also big into Alternative bands like Alt-J, Metric & The Shins.
Music that is important to you becomes a part of you in a way. As artists, we are not immune to being creatures of imitation. I believe that good art expresses this imitation, or muse, in a way that is truly authentic to its artist. A twist on something familiar in a way no one has seen or expressed before. In that way, I hope to honor my musical inspirations.
What can we expect to see next from Cenzina?
You can expect to see a whole lot of variety coming from me in the near future including more Soulful RnB sounds, an upbeat Pop single, Dreamy Alternative tunes, and even some tracks breaching the EDM scene. I’ve got some really fun projects on the go! Very, very excited to share more with you!