MDLF: What is your name?
My name is Floyd Zion
MDLF: Your artist name is Floyd Zion, can you tell us the story behind this?
FZ: The name comes from a high school nickname, I started calling myself Floyd because I could fight with the best of em but I still thought I was pretty lol. Then my friends started catching on to it and call me that. Zion comes from many things, but mainly Lauryn Hill her song is named Zion and she made this beautiful song for him titled Zion. One day while listening I was thinking about the name and Mt. Zion from the Bible and added it to my name, cause I feel like Floyd is on a never-ending journey to reach Zion which is peace of mind.
MDLF: Walk us through your journey starting with your upbringing :
FZ: I’m of Nigerian descent, so my parents had me moving around a lot from California to Nigeria, then back to Houston, Tx where most of my upbringing happen. My parents raised me to have a lot of pride and confidence within myself, and I think I’m just realizing how that shaped me today. Throughout my life I’ve always been active, mainly in sports, but I had a couple bedroom concerts when I was 9,10 yrs old lol. I was the first Tri-Athlete in my high school, but when I became a senior I was no longer passionate about sports, I wanted to create something more real for myself, then music came.
MDLF: How long have you been playing music, when did you first discover music?
FZ: I picked up the guitar during my senior year of high school. I remember watching the 2009, I believe, MTV awards, and paramore, one of my fav bands, lead guitarist, Josh Farro, hit a solo and the audience raced to him and went crazy. I told myself I gotta do that one day, so I played the guitar for 6hrs everyday for the rest of my senior year. I didn’t start recording til I got to college and hooked up with the homies.
MDLF: Is there an instrument that speaks closely to you?
FZ: The guitar is my first love when it come to music, but lately the drums have been speaking life into me and it’ll probably be the next instrument I pick up!
MDLF: When writing songs, what is your creative process? Where do you begin?
FZ: My creative process is random, but it usually starts with the smallest thing, one word, a sound one melody, etc. And if it’s fire enough I desire to take it further and create from that point. After the initial idea, I enter sort of a trance of focus, I don’t know where I go or what happens in that moment, but I come out with a record, and it’s complete. I’m still tryna catch myself in that trance so I can figure out what my “formula” is.
MDLF: When is a piece finished?
FZ: A song is usually complete, from a creative standpoint, after I leave that trance. I don’t control when it’s finished I can just feel when it needs more and when it’s just right, and I leave it at that. It then has to go through a whole refining process, but that’s all technical. My feelings are fully defined by then.
MDLF: How do you balance your everyday life doing the work as an artist/
FZ: Man I’m still learning how to balance everything. Being an mechanical engineer, being a musician, signed model, boyfriend and a regular person all at the same time. I don’t think I have an answer for balance or I’d be at peace, and I’m far from it.
MDLF: What was something you feel you truly worked very hard to achieve?
FZ: I work hard and fast on most things that I do. But music is where I’ve but my hardest and most consistent work. It wasn’t easy coming out here from Houston to be in a better position but I did it all for music.
MDLF: Do you have a specific artist that inspires you? Dead or alive. And why? Has this person influenced the way you apply yourself in art/music?
FZ: Kid Cudi inspired me and still does, Michael Jackson was my first inspiration in life. These guys are both swaggy dudes that were just themselves and ppl gravitated too. I take both of them into the studio with me. Michael it’s mainly style, I think our music is worlds apart but my persona very Michael. Cudi gives me actual music influence, his darker sounding tones, mixed with strong melodies.
MDLF: What is something you haven't done before, but would like to try?
FZ: I’d say fire a gun but I recently did that, lol. But I want to travel the Europe and just catch a vibe out there and work in studios out that way.
MDLF: We are so happy to have you here as our first male artist for Masculine de La FEMME. From your perspective, what does Masculine de La Femme mean to you?
FZ: Man I’m honored to be in this position with Masculine de La FEMME, I’ve been subscribed before being featured. To me I love how is represents women from different walks of creation, it’s like a space of freedom, which is needed, publication have always had to power to validate/invalidate issues, I think it’s dope FEMME can tackle feminist and civil right issues creatively.
MDFL : Would you consider yourself a feminist? Why or why not?
FZ: No, only cause I don’t want to disrespect those on the frontline fighting for woman rights, but in my heart I am, cause I don’t stand for discrimination of any kind, especially against Africans or females.
MDLF: What are any current social or political issues that are concerning to you?
FZ: A big social issue for me right now is shedding light on who’s a real creative and who just has a following and smokes weed.
MDLF: Would you do something in your art/music to help change that? If so, how?
FZ: I def use my artistic platform to address this issue, whether in song or on media I am challenging to title creative sonically to push creativity further so it’s not so easy so wake up one day and say I’m a “musician “ no offense to that person, but just more respect to those who bleed for keeping the world interesting.
MDLF: What's in the road-map for you as a musician/artist? Any upcoming shows?
FZ: 2018, is all about consistency, create, release, perform, repeat. I released my first song for Jan ‘SaucinSaucinSaucin ‘ out now on all music platforms, and had my first show at The Viper Room. Do the same thing for feb, which I’m prepping now!
MDLF: Where can we see your art / listen to your music?
FZ: You can find at Floyd Zion and that’s on everything, SoundCloud, apple, Spotify, insta, that’s on everything haha. My new song ‘SaucinSaucinSaucin’ is my latest joint, but more real soon! ️
Floyd Zion Interviewed by Masculine de La FEMME.
Photos in 35mm film by Dan Monick, Digital by Monica Reyes. Video Portrait filmed by Dan Monick. Wardrobe Styling & Art Direction by Monica Reyes