GloRilla overcomes self-doubt on her path to becoming one of hip-hop’s most promising voices

LOS ANGELES (AP) – GloRilla has stumbled upon hip-hop stage, lighting up the rap world a couple of years ago with groundbreaking songs like “Tomorrow“And”FNF (Let’s go)” – even earning a Grammy nomination. But as her name grew, so did the pressure.

As critics predicted that GloRilla’s profession would fail, she began to overthink every move. The noise shook her confidence, causing her to stop and reassess the situation before returning to the sport.

“They started humiliating me. It hit home for me,” said the Memphis-born rapper, who recently released her debut studio album, “Glorious,” which features several popular artists, including Megan Thee Stallionsummer, sexy red, kirk franklin, T-PainKierra Sheard and BossMan Dlow. On her album, she wanted to show her versatility, combining romance, gospel and crunk-infused melodies.

But before GloRilla could bring her latest project to life, she had to rediscover her groove as an artist.

“Every time I put out a song, they weren’t really feeling it,” said the 25-year-old rapper, whose Hitkidd-produced song “FNF (Let’s Go)” was nominated for a 2023 Grammy Award for best rap performance. “I lost some confidence. But I knew I could get it back. That’s why I didn’t give up. … I took that as motivation.”

GloRilla, the raspy-voiced backup singer-turned-rap queen, clung to her faith. She visited the studio more often, made affirmations, cleared her mind, adopted a consistent exercise program, and allowed her creativity to flow. This combination resulted in the discharge of her mixtape “Ehhthang Ehhthang” with songs reminiscent of “I need to be” featuring Megan Thee Stallion and the breakout hit “Yes, Glo!”, which had fans buzzing while also attracting attention LeBron James and even the President Joe Biden.

“I was shocked,” she said. “I knew it was a superb song. Every time I played it for people, they loved it. I didn’t realize it could be as crazy because it got. “

GloRilla could have been surprised by this song, but Yo Gotti saw her potential as a hitmaker all along. He was captivated by her authentic character and rap style, fueled by her unique Southern accent.

“It’s about authenticity,” said the rapper, who signed GloRilla to his Collective Music Group label in 2022. He is understood for rap anthems reminiscent of “Down in the DM”, “Rake It Up” with Nicki Minaj, and “Act Right” featuring Jeezy and YG

“Even when he talks about the struggles of this journey, it’s refreshing,” said Yo Gotti, a Memphis resident. “I don’t think many artists do that. Everyone wants to play perfectly. I think that’s why so many people are drawn to her. He connects with real people.”

Thanks to Yo Gotti’s mentorship, GloRilla has found someone she will trust.

“Whenever I have a problem, he always gives me good advice,” she said. “He’s already made a lot of mistakes, so he’s trying to distract me from it. He always tells me what needs to be done.”

GloRilla faced devastation last yr deadly panic at the top of her concert in upstate New York, she killed three women. She said the deaths “broke her heart” and investigators found no crime.

After the tragedy, GloRilla’s public popularity seemed intact, and her profile has risen in recent months, making her one of rap’s most promising latest voices.

“She’s a star,” Yo Gotti said. “Not just making music. He understands how to work, honesty and dedication to art. Sometimes you wish to be a star but you do not understand what it takes. You have to have all of it and he or she does it.

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So far this yr, GloRilla has made guest appearances on the national leg of Megan Thee Stallion’s Hot Girl Tour this summer, where she has gained more confidence performing on sold-out stages.

GloRilla recently performed at entrepreneur Michael Rubin’s star-studded party, where she performed in front of such popular celebrities as Leonardo DiCaprio, Drake, Tom Brady, Kim Kardashian and Travis Scott. A couple of months ago Rihanna posted a video of herself dancing to “TGIF” by GloRilla, a single from her latest album that debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200.

In March, GloRilla attended a Women’s History Month event on the White House. She met with Biden and eventual Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, revising her song “Yeah Glo!” to “Yes, Joe!” in the course of the visit.

Last month Beyonce she called GloRilla one of her favorite young artists. She also received a key to the town of Memphis from the mayor for her achievements as an artist and visited the Pittsburgh Steelers training camp, where she met with head coach Mike Tomlin and players of her favorite team.

All in all, GloRilla resides the dream.

“Sometimes I think I’ll wake up and it won’t happen again,” she said. “It didn’t fully sink in for me. I live it and do all of the activities, but sometimes it still doesn’t feel real.