- Bridney C.
Toronto-based Singer, Geneva Lei on Self-Worth & Healing Through Lyrics
Meet the Seductive, Sultry Singer-Songwriter who Discusses Her Inspiration Behind Her Music
By Bridney C.
21-year-old songstress Geneva Lei is a contemporary R&B singer-songwriter from Mississauga, Ontario, a city 36 minutes outside of Toronto. Born in Olongapo, a city in the Philippines, Geneva and her family moved to Canada in 2001.
As an artist, she loves incorporating other genres into her sounds, such as hip-hop and pop, noting that it adds flair to her sound. By being versatile and having a wide range, Geneva says this helps with not becoming boxed into one single genre. More importantly, it showcases her originality as an artist.
Geneva's music explores the themes of love, healing, and finding self-worth out of heartbreak. She writes about those topics frequently because they are inspired by events that have happened in her life, as well as events that have occurred for the people around her.
"Sharing my real-life experiences with the world gave me a chance to heal from all my past heartbreaks. But I don’t want to just help myself, I always want it to help my listeners as well," says Geneva.
Her current single, Mixed Signals is a representation of heartbreak and how to find self-worth through healing. Finally, Mixed Signals is a song she wrote after a heartbreak. According to Geneva, it is one of her favorite songs because it showcases an honest and vulnerable side.
Her other song, Toxic Necessity is about being attached to someone who is no good for the other person. She freestyled Toxic Necessity in her room while she was hurting from the situation and served as a reminder that her emotions and thoughts are just as valid as her significant other. It was uploaded exclusively onto Soundcloud on February 1, 2021.
Her three favorite songs show her growth as an artist through her beat selection, production, and pen skills. When she listens to her songs, it reminds her of who she is as an artist and her purpose. Her drive to write meaningful songs is fueled by positive affirmations and comparisons of when she started two years ago to where she is now it fuels her drive even more to write meaningful songs.
"You started for a reason. You’re here for a reason. This came to you because it's meant for you."
Roses is the first song that she released at the start of her music career. The song was produced, mixed, and mastered by her engineer, Paul Tonks. Roses is one of her favorites because it opened a new chapter of her life.
Her second favorite, Scorpio Love featuring close friend, Namen Chakras is her first single to reach 50K streams across all platforms. "Working with my friends always makes music and experiences better," says Geneva. The song allowed Geneva to break out of her shell and comfort zone as an artist, letting her audience see a mature side of her and understanding that being sexually liberated is okay.
Geneva first immersed herself with music at the age of 6, after she heard her sister sing and wanted to "be just like her." She first started singing at the age of six, and she became musically inspired by watching most of the Disney Princess movies.
"I’ve always wanted to showcase my talents since I was seven years old, so I guess you can say I have known my whole life that I wanted to be a singer," says Geneva.
As a child, she found opportunities in her area and was involved in talent shows, open mics, and school functions. In the 11th grade, she was in her school's play, "Get Schooled," which introduced her into the world of acting.
She is also self-taught at playing the ukulele. As she got older, her inspirations changed to notable singers, Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Jazmine Sullivan, and JoJo, to name a few. Her favorite song of all time to listen to is I'm Yours by Jason Maraz, and she posted a cover on her YouTube channel in the 7th grade.
Currently, she is working on an EP and a few other projects that will be released soon. Fans can expect all announcements to be posted on her website and Instagram. Her goal for 2021 is to grow her audience and expand her listeners all around the world. She also hopes to reach her first one million streams by the end of the year.
"I get to be my most authentic self through my music. If that is not fun, then I don’t know what is."
To hear and see more from Geneva Lei, be sure to follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can stream his music on Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music. Check out her website, genevalei.com for updates on new releases.