Ezinma

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For the literary character named Ezinma, see Things Fall Apart.

Ezinma
Ezinma in 2021
Ezinma in 2021
Background information
Birth nameMeredith Ezinma Ramsay[1]
Born (1991-01-11) January 11, 1991 (age 33)[2]
Lincoln, Nebraska
Genreship hop, classical
Occupation(s)
  • Violinist
  • composer
  • model
  • educator
Instrument(s)Violin
Years active2016–present
Labels

Meredith Ezinma Ramsay (born January 11, 1991),[2] known professionally as Ezinma, is an American violinist, model, music educator and film composer from Lincoln, Nebraska. Ramsay gained viral fame in 2017 by performing a violin cover of American rapper Future's hit "Mask Off", and for her performance during Beyoncé's 2018 Coachella performance. In 2020 she debuted as a solo musician under Universal Music Classics.

Life and career

Early life

Ezinma was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, to a Guyanese father and German-American mother.[3] Her father is a professor of actuarial science,[4] while her mother is a creative non-fiction author and works as an English professor.[5] Ezinma started playing the violin at age three, and continued to play throughout school.[4] By junior high school, she felt alone as she was often the only black classical musician onstage,[6] and did not meet another black string musician until she was 13.[7] As a child, she listened to a wide range of music, including her funk, reggae, jazz, and Caribbean soca due to her father,[7] and Americana through her mother.[8]

Ezinma attended the University of Nebraska–Lincoln,[9] where she originally studied pre-med, before switching degrees to music.[10] At university, Ezinma formed a string and piano trio, and was mentored by members of the Chiara String Quartet.[11][12]

In 2012, Ezinma moved from Nebraska to New York to study at Mannes School of Music, the classical division of the New School,[13][6] which helped her see outside the rules of classical music.[10] Ezinma began releasing music featuring both her violin performance and vocals, and intended to release these songs on an extended play called I Am Ezinma in 2016.[10]

Viral popularity

Ezinma began posting videos of her performing violin covers of songs to social media in 2016. Her first cover was a 15 second clip of Adele's "Hello" posted to Instagram.[4] During this time, Ezinma continued to release original music, such as "Elevate Me" in 2016,[14] and the instrumental "Give It Up" in 2017.[15]

In April 2017, Ezinma uploaded a cover of Future "Mask Off" as a part of a viral challenge featuring instrumental covers of the song.[16] Ezinma's version gained her millions of views across Instagram, Twitter and YouTube, and led to a sudden increase in her popularity.[3] American musician Beyoncé took notice of Ezinma's videos on social media (even before her version of "Mask Off"),[4] and invited her to perform as a part of Beyoncé's 2018 Coachella performance in April 2018.[7] Between 2017 and 2018, Ezinma appeared in modelling campaigns for Adidas,[17] Gap Inc.[18] and Gucci.[19]

Debut

In early 2019, Ramsay signed to Universal Music Classics.[20] She plans to release a classical-fusion album with hip-hop/trap influences in 2020, entitled Key of Black Minor, to be released alongside a documentary of her life.[4][7] Ramsay has worked as a film composer, scoring the soundtracks to the documentary film The Times of Bill Cunningham (2020),[21] and the Oluniké Adeliyi-starring short film Promise Me (2020).[22] In August, Ezinma released her debut single "Beethoven Pleads the Fifth".[23]

Ezinma partnered with Wide Open School, Re-Create (a program to provide educational content for public elementary schools in New York) and After-School All-Stars to create violin-related educational content for schools and after-school programs in the United States.[6]

Personal life

Ezinma's parents divorced when she was young, and she has two brothers and two sisters.[4] Her mother, Lisa Knopp, is an author of creative non-fiction books, and works as a professor at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.[24][5]

She is an honorary member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc

Discography

Extended plays

Title Details
Classical Bae

Singles

List of singles, showing year released and album name
Title Year Album
"Beethoven Pleads the Fifth"[26] 2020 Classical Bae
"Vivaldi Springs Forth"[27]
"Drummer Bae"[28] Non-album single
"Ode to Hustle"[29] 2021 Classical Bae

Guest appearances

Title Year Other artists Album
"String Quartet No. 1"[30] 2015 Ayumi Okada, Karen Dekker, Rose Hashimoto, James Waldo Here, Where the Land Ends and the Sea Begins
"Piano Trio No. 1"[30] Ayumi Okada, James Waldo, Alyona Aksyonova
"Black Panther"[31] 2018 Kendrick Lamar Black Panther: The Album
"All the Stars"[31] Kendrick Lamar, SZA
"Dazed & Confused [Acoustic Version]"[32] Ruel Non-album single
"Poison Intro"[33] Swizz Beatz, Áine Zion Poison
"Lift Every Voice and Sing"[34] 2019 Beyoncé Homecoming: The Live Album
"Déjà Vu"[35] Beyoncé, Jay-Z
"Don't Hurt Yourself"[36] Beyoncé
"Heaven's Gate"[37] Jae the Dreamer Equal & Opposite
"When We're Awake"[38] Sam O.B., Denitia Non-album single

References

  1. ^ "SEZINMA - Trademark Details". Justia. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  2. ^ a b Ramsay, Meredith Ezinma. "It's my birthday bitches... #capricorn". Facebook. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  3. ^ a b Bernucca, Carolyn (September 5, 2019). "Hip-Hop Violinist Ezinma is Much More Than a Viral Sensation". Complex. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Bates, Ericka (October 25, 2017). "Who is Ezinma? #ClassicalBae". Pynk Magazine. Archived from the original on April 15, 2018. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  5. ^ a b "Lisa Knopp". University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  6. ^ a b c Hill, Selena (May 30, 2020). "Hip-op Violinist Ezinma Is Giving Children of Color Access to Classical Music". Black Enterprise. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  7. ^ a b c d Schreil, Cristina (June 4, 2018). "Ezinma mixes hip-hop and classical music to send a bold message about blackness". Hello Giggles. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  8. ^ "Ezinma". The Mugic Rag. April 15, 2016. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  9. ^ "WNCC hosts Piano Trio from UNL". Star-Herald. January 12, 2011. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  10. ^ a b c Gompers, Sjimon (2015). "WEEK IN POP: ANDY CLOCKWISE, EZINMA, RABBIT RABBIT". Impose Magazine. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  11. ^ Guzman, Maricia (January 25, 2011). "Ambitious trio thrives in musical rapport, spreads fine arts across Midwest". The Daily Nebraskan. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  12. ^ "Ezinma Trio are Arriaga Finalists" (PDF). Hixson–Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts. 2011. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  13. ^ "EZINMA". Dyme Jays. October 27, 2018. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  14. ^ White, Erin (July 1, 2016). "VIDEO PREMIERE: CLASSICALLY TRAINED VIOLINIST EZINMA FORGES ECLECTIC NICHE BLENDING HIP-HOP AND CLASSICAL IN "ELEVATE ME"". Afropunk. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  15. ^ Shouneyia, Alexa (March 21, 2017). "Ezinma Finds Herself in 'Give It Up' Visual: Exclusive Premiere". Billboard. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  16. ^ Jones, Jaleesa M. (April 6, 2017). "The Mask Off Challenge will have you looping Future all day". USA Today. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  17. ^ "#WeAreMore: Classic Meets Modern with @iamezinma and The adidas Tubular Shadow". Finish Line, Inc. December 8, 2017. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  18. ^ Howland, Daphne (August 20, 2018). "Gap taps activists, artists for inclusive ad campaign". Retail Dive. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  19. ^ "The Expressionists". Who What Wear. 2018. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  20. ^ "VIOLINIST EZINMA SIGNS TO UNIVERSAL MUSIC CLASSICS IN THE U.S." Top40 Charts. February 1, 2019. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  21. ^ Sanchez, Lauren (February 18, 2020). "Fashion's Finest Dressed for Bill at The Times of Bill Cunningham Special Screening in New York". Vogue. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  22. ^ "Production Credits". Prommise Me Film. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  23. ^ Wolgamott, L. Kent (July 19, 2020). "From Lincoln to Beychella, 'Classical Bae' set to release debut single". Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  24. ^ "From Lincoln to Beychella, 'Classical Bae' Set to Release Debut Single". Ezinma. July 19, 2020. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  25. ^ "Classical Bae - EP". iTunes. May 14, 2021. Retrieved June 30, 2021.
  26. ^ Pincus, Nan (August 31, 2020). ""Beethoven Pleads The Fifth" Won't Stay Silent". Part-Time Audiophile. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  27. ^ Heflin, Anna (October 16, 2020). "Ezinma Releases New Single "Vivaldi Springs Forth"". Classical Post. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  28. ^ Alvarado, M. J. (December 3, 2020). "Get Into the HoliSlay Spirit With Ezinma's Hip-Hop Infused Instant Classic "Drummer Bae"". Dirty Cult. Archived from the original on January 11, 2021. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  29. ^ Rich, Coco (March 12, 2021). "INTERVIEW: EZINMA PUSHES CLASSICAL FORWARD RECALLING ITS FIERY ORIGINS". Atwood Magazine. Retrieved June 30, 2021.
  30. ^ a b "Here, Where the Land Ends and the Sea Begins". Abundant Silence. 2015. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  31. ^ a b "Various Artists – Black Panther: The Album [Booklet]". Genius. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  32. ^ "Dazed & Confused (feat. Ezinma) [Acoustic Version] - Single". iTunes. 2018. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  33. ^ POISON (booklet). Swizz Beatz. Epic. 2018. 19075872242.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  34. ^ "Lift Every Voice and Sing (Homecoming Live)". Genius. 2019. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  35. ^ "Déjà Vu (Homecoming Live)". Genius. 2019. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  36. ^ "Don't Hurt Yourself (Homecoming Live)". Genius. 2019. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  37. ^ "Equal & Opposite". iTunes. 2019. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  38. ^ "When We're Awake". Bandcamp. 2019. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
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