Coi Leray has reflected on her early career, discussing pressures to emulate some of the industry’s biggest pop stars.
During a livestream on Tuesday (April 23), the “Players” artist recounted advice she received from her former label, Republic Records. According to the up-and-comer, she was instructed to channel her inner country crossover star Taylor Swift and Nickelodeon star turned chart-topper Ariana Grande.
“I’m not on Republic Records no more, I’m on Island [Records],” she began. “When I dropped Blue Moon, Republic — they wanted pop shit. They wanted some Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande shit, which I can do, but I still like to work on my own pace and my own time, and I’m still, like, developing and learning and my own sound and shit …
“The Blue Moon shit they didn’t like. I wouldn’t say that they didn’t like, but it was something that they felt they didn’t want to put no money into. So when I gotta come out my pocket and put my own money into my own music, you gotta make real-life decisions.”
Speaking of her versatility — her adeptness at singing, rapping, and varying her style — she acknowledged not all people like “every Coi in the pond.”
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Coi’s moment of reflection comes closely following news of her transition to Island Records earlier this year.
Late-January, Coi dropped her inaugural single under the label, a track titled “Wanna Come Thru,” produced by Mike Will Made-It.
“This song is about me on my grown and sexy,” Coi explained in a statement. “Grown and sexy means being so in love with yourself — that it is one of the most sexiest, maturest, grownest things that a woman can [be]. As you get older and you tap into your womanhood and your femininity and I feel like you should embrace that.
“It’s feeling good for yourself; looking in the mirror and just loving yourself. 2024 is going to be my grown and sexy era. I’m taking over this year. I’ve got so much new music and a whole new side of me to get to know.”
Mike Will Made-It also praised Coi’s latest release as a “culture-shifting record,” stating, “The song is just fresh and forward-pushing. What I love about it is it sounds simple and easy to digest and instantly puts you in a mood. It’s the best feeling ever to be able to create a song that makes the listener feel good.”
He confidently predicted, “This is hit No. 1 fasho, we have plenty more on the way.”