Beauty and the Muse

(Ceytra: Photos courtesy of Guru PR)

Watch out female rappers and emcees, Ceytra, the Nigerian queen has made it onto the scene. She is releasing her new single “I Work” ft. The Boy Illinois. She is well-known in Chicago and New York for her poetic yet hard hitting lyrics, and we’ve got an interview with her. We talked to Ceytra about style, music, and the industry as a whole. Check her out:

LV: Tell the readers a little bit about your background.

Ceytra: Well, I like to describe myself as a “Nigerian female artist who raps”. I’m from Chicago, born and raised. My parents are from Nigeria. I like to incorporate my roots into my music and fashion. I’ve been doing music for many years. I started out writing poetry to cope with a lot of personal issues, which turned into hardcore lyrics. I graduated from college in the spring of 2013 — I went to school for education. All in all, I love to create music, workout, and laugh.

LV: How would you describe your personal style?

Ceytra: I would say it’s more edgy, sexy, and stylish. Certain days depends on how I dress. I always want to be comfortable and stand out. Style is not about what you wear, “It’s how YOU wear it”. I always like to incorporate my Nigerian heritage into my style, whether I am going to an event, doing a photo-shoot, or just a regular day. I love to incorporate a material called “Ankara” into my clothing. Being an artist, you always want to be different from the rest.

LV: How does your music influence your style and vice versa?

Ceytra: My music has definitely influenced my style of fashion. The things I rap or talk about have to be real. I rap with such a hardcore sound while giving people my Nigerian roots — that brings out a “seductive feel” in my overall style.

LV: How do you embrace your body image being in an industry that is very critical to everything?

Ceytra: I don’t put too much focus on that. Yes, there is a lot of pressure and competition in this industry, but you have to love yourself first. It’s a shame how they put pressure on us women, but hey that’s our world! I just give people “Me”, and that’s all I can give you. I am a very curvy woman and I can’t hide that. You either love it or hate it! Simple…

LV: Who are some of your fashion inspirations? Why?

Ceytra: I really like Emily B. from Love & Hip-Hop’s fashion sense. Emily has so much style it makes no sense! Not only is she a curvy woman, but she embraces it and doesn’t care what people think. From her taste in heels, bodycon dresses, etc — I truly love it! Also, Olori Swank is beyond amazing. Not only is she Nigerian, this girl is remarkable. She is a stylist for Keyshia Cole, Lance Gross, and many more. The way she coordinates things together is so tasteful! She definitely inspires me to always ‘Dress to Kill’!

LV:  What are your future plans? Aspirations? 

Ceytra: I can’t really tell the future, but I have a lot of goals I need to reach. I plan on taking the industry by storm and really dominating with my brand and my music. I feel like every artist has a story to tell, and this Nigerian Goddess has a lot to say.

Watch out for Ceytra’s new single @ https://soundcloud.com/thisisceytra/

And follow her on her many social media outlets:

Official Website: http://thisisceytra.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thisisceytra
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ceytra
Instagram: http://instagram.com/thisisceytra