Ottawa hip-hop/R&B artist and songwriter Steph Marcantonio, aka queenyy, recently released her new single “Pretty Young Thing” alongside First Nations Cree producer and choreographer Chev Cheechoo, aka chevdot. The pair are collaborating on a series of single and video releases in 2019.
For queenyy, her music is about relatability and sharing her perspective and experiences with the world.
“My inspiration when it comes down to writing lyrics for this project is the struggle in relationships with different situations and different kinds of people. They are all based on things that have happened to me personally and are relatable to any gender as I’ve been on both sides of the fence in these situations; however, as I am a woman that dates men, you can expect more lyrics specifically through a woman’s perspective in the future”, Queenyy noted. “Chevdot and I work well together, both having the same tastes and inspiration in sound transitions into a masterpiece of old school heavy groove hitters with real relatable lyrics that resonates with any generation”.
“Pretty Young Thing” brings together the classic old school R&B with modern hip-hop vibes. Influences for the track include Missy Elliot, Timbaland, and Aaliyah.
When asked about how the song came together, Chevdot told SHIFTER, “I brought the beat to queenyy and she vibed to it instantly. She created some vocal melodic ideas and she put lyrics to the melodic ideas. We structured the idea into a full song and brought it to what it is today. I was channeling my inner Timbaland, for the drums, to achieve a rhythmic drive that is similar in nature with Timbaland’s feel to beats. I was surprised about how the drums came to life”.
The duo also released some high quality visuals, shot and edited by Flx Vsn. The video is set in Toronto and features cool rooftop and street shots, and some clean choreography.
Between their sound and the dynamic between the two, it’s clear queenyy x chevdot are set to carve out their own lane in the Canadian music landscape.
By SHIFTER Staff