Cecily Wilborn doesn’t simply make southern soul music. She lives it. The West Memphis artist, who grew up within the two-stoplight city of Marianna, Arkansas, has turned her experiences right into a sound that’s each deeply rooted and refreshingly fashionable. A music manufacturing graduate from Full Sail College, Cecily wrote, recorded and produced her breakout single “Southern Man” on her personal, a love letter to her husband that has racked up 13.6 million streams worldwide. Now, she’s getting ready to launch Soul Remedy, an album she guarantees might be in contrast to something southern soul has seen earlier than.
Inform us what’s occurring
We’re within the course of of creating magic. Southern soul ain’t seen nothing like this earlier than. Shout out to my folks with Blackground. They pulled all of the stops out. We’re in Atlanta about to shoot my cowl for my new album, Soul Remedy. Y’all knew it was going to need to be one thing that was going to hit you the place it damage. We out right here making music that’s going to vary some lives. I’m excited.
How would you describe your sound and what makes southern soul the fitting dwelling for you?
The soul is a given. I do soul music, however you’re gonna hear the blues, you’re gonna hear the gospel, you gonna hear the R&B, you may even hear some nation. But it surely’s southern soul. There’s sure belongings you simply can’t get until you come from the South. Sure sounds you don’t hear, sure phrases you don’t hear. We put phrases collectively, make up our personal phrases generally. However you’ll be able to solely get that within the South. And I really like that as a result of regardless of the place you might be within the South, every little thing is identifiable. In case you’re in Arkansas, you realize you’re in Arkansas. You in Mississippi, you’ll be able to learn the timber on the freeway and inform you in Mississippi. Go all the way down to Louisiana, you realize by the scent of the water you’re in Louisiana. I really like that although the South is so generalized, we nonetheless have all these figuring out traits and that’s what you going to get with this album, Soul Remedy. Every little thing that I’ve executed to date, it’s been versatile, however one factor you’ll be able to really feel on all of it’s the soul.
What metropolis formed you essentially the most musically and the way does that setting present up in your storytelling and efficiency model?
Shout out to Marianna, Arkansas. Cecily Wilborn was constructed and raised in Marianna, Arkansas. It’s a really small nation city. We bought two stoplights. We used to have one. They added one other one. My mom is a pastor. She’s been pastoring the identical church for 40 years. Shout out to New Bethel. I realized loads by listening to that outdated stomp your foot, pat your knee. We bought window items within the home windows, we ain’t bought central air in our church buildings. That’s how I grew up. I keep in mind sure ways in which girls would sing, sure methods my father and his brothers would sing, even my grandfather. I realized easy methods to do sure runs, sure curves, easy methods to put the character to what you’re singing, easy methods to ship the music. All of that got here from Marianna. Now, I stay in West Memphis. I’m actually near Memphis, Tennessee. I really like to inform everyone Arkansas gave me the blues, however Memphis taught me easy methods to do the blues. Between Arkansas and Memphis, I actually bought the most effective of each worlds when it got here to music.
Being that you simply’re from a small city, raised within the church, what was it like if you mentioned you needed to sing the blues and southern soul as a substitute of church music?
It was not laborious. Let me inform y’all one thing. My mother and daddy, they’ve been pastoring that very same church for 40 years. I simply shared this story with a legend. I bought an opportunity to speak to the nice gospel legend, Evelyn Turrentine. She is without doubt one of the greatest gospel artists, particularly for a lady. She requested me that very same query. I advised her with my dad being a pastor, I felt the arrogance to do what I needed to do as a result of once I determined to go do covers, I didn’t even have authentic music out. I used to be doing simply cowl songs, simply blues in golf equipment. I used to be the youth director on the church. I used to be choir director on the church and it was lots of people who had loads to say. My daddy stood up in church randomly one Sunday. I don’t know what provoked him. I don’t know if someone mentioned one thing to him, however I keep in mind sitting in church and he mentioned, “Let me clear the air actual fast. If Beyoncé was to stroll in right here, not solely would y’all need to hug her, however you’d take her tithes too. If Aretha Franklin got here in right here and paid tithes, you wouldn’t flip her cash down. You’d need an autograph. My child has a dream and she or he has a present. Simply because she in it don’t imply she of it. And if God going to bless it, that imply it ain’t no mess in it.” When he mentioned that, I used to be like, I don’t care what y’all say. My daddy mentioned I may do it. My daddy’s stamp of approval on it. That’s all it took as a result of I’m a daddy’s woman.
Southern soul is rooted in stay experiences. What actual moments encourage your writing today?
Dwelling in West Memphis day-after-day. From waking up attempting to only get the ends to satisfy, caring for them children, ensuring that you simply ain’t pissing off the one individual that loves you essentially the most. Simply looking for your self. Every little thing in life conjures up me. Crimson lights, site visitors stops, every little thing conjures up me. All the way in which as much as the way in which the solar goes down. I simply wrote a tune known as “Sunset.” It’s a love tune about my man. I left my coronary heart with a person in Arkansas, however I really like that man, however I don’t miss him till the solar goes down. Arkansas provides you sluggish residing. I really like every little thing about with the ability to simply see what’s occurring round you. Do your little investigation of what you need to speak about, what you need to do. It provides you time. It ain’t too quick. You bought time to suppose issues by way of and actually take pleasure in it. Even when it’s a nasty time, you continue to bought time to determine it out as a result of it’s sluggish residing. Shout out to all of the folks that’s listening to southern soul proper now. I do know what y’all after. Y’all simply attempting to make it. I get you. I bought one thing for that too. Soul Remedy.
What impressed “Southern Man”?
That was my man. Thanks to my man. There’s a story that comes behind “Southern Man.” It was not alleged to be my hit tune. I used to be engaged on a tune known as “Pickup Truck” that’s one in every of everyone’s favorites. “Southern Man” was a present to my husband. When COVID hit, my husband had simply had a stroke. He was simply getting again to work. I used to be nervous about not working in the course of a pandemic. I had simply began a job. I used to be like six months in. I cherished the job. The job cherished me. However after they began taking a success resulting from COVID, I used to be the primary one within the door. So I used to be the primary one out when it was time to do layoffs. I had a tough time adjusting to not serving to my husband with payments. Don’t get me improper, my husband will not be an individual that requires me to assist with payments. After I began having an actual laborious time with it, he was similar to, “Don’t fear about it. You’re at school to be a music producer. Go to high school, handle these children, maintain the home straight, and get by way of faculty. We’ll speak about payments later, however I bought it.” I believed that was all cool until Father’s Day got here up and I had no cash. I’m like, I can’t purchase this man a present together with his personal cash. So what am I going to do? We love “Wild ‘N Out.” Shout out to Nick Cannon. We go to this “Wild ‘N Out” present in Dallas, Texas, and I put a tune out for him known as “Southern Man.” He bought it. That was my reward to him. I didn’t suppose nothing. I’m not monitoring the tune as a result of it wasn’t alleged to be a success tune. It was only a love observe to my husband. Six months later, I jumped up and the tune was in all places. I couldn’t do nothing however cry comfortable tears as a result of I didn’t know folks cherished Southern Man the way in which I did. That was a tune that I needed my husband, if I don’t get an opportunity to inform him what he means to me ever once more, he can play that tune. He’ll know precisely what he means to me. I respect him for being a father to youngsters that he didn’t beginning. He got here into their lives after they already had a father. They nonetheless know who their father is, however they don’t query the love that they get from that man. He don’t miss no basketball appointments. He don’t miss no cheer camps. He’s nonetheless at gigs with me on the weekends. He does every little thing to make it possible for the household simply floats. I see that attribute in my daddy. I see that attribute in my uncles. My brother was like that, God relaxation his soul. Each man that I’ve encountered rising up was the epitome of a southern man. I can go different locations and be like, yeah, y’all ain’t like the lads the place I’m used to. I don’t imply to place them on a pedestal as a result of they ain’t excellent, however they’re actual. They’re actual males. Shout out to all the lads down right here within the South that’s doing it huge for us. We love y’all. We respect y’all.
Southern soul is having a resurgence proper now. What function do you’re feeling your era is taking part in within the evolution of this music?
It’s a bridge. I maintain listening to folks say, “We’re bringing actual music again.” And I really like that. For all of my friends on this era of music, we’ve all just about come along with the identical conclusion. We simply bought to lift the usual. The messages within the music are actually what’s pushing society. If the music calls us out of our names as girls, these youngsters which can be ingesting that, they suppose that that’s okay. If we begin placing actual love again within the music, if we begin placing the edifications of actual males and actual girls and what life is meant to be like, two father or mother houses, if we put that again within the music, it’s not unusual when children see it in actual life. I really feel like we bought to cease letting the TV increase these children. One factor you are able to do is educate a baby a tune. ABCs. “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” Put some actual messages in that music and them children gonna get it. I really feel like we’re bridging the hole as a result of they don’t need to hearken to Johnnie Taylor. They don’t know who that’s. We do although. If we take that Johnnie Taylor soul, that Betty Wright soul, that Anita Baker soul, if we take these messages and determine easy methods to put a bit of sugar on it and make them prefer it such as you do every little thing else at dwelling, I believe we’ll be capable to get our children again. We’ll be capable to take our tradition by storm. And never solely will southern soul develop, however southern soul gonna take over. Ain’t going to be no different style. Hip hop and rap are shedding their approach now. It’s solely as a result of I keep in mind old-fashioned rap. I nonetheless hearken to old-fashioned rap. My playlist don’t actually have lots of up to date rappers apart from BigXthaPlug. I can’t hate on BigXthaPlug, however I really like the old-fashioned rappers. I additionally nonetheless hearken to Motown. I additionally nonetheless hearken to the Tina Turner rock and roll period. I nonetheless hearken to that outdated sound. I determine how if BigXthaPlug says this and everyone’s rocking with it, okay, they just like the message. How do I take that BigX message and put it with an old style sound? In order that now your mama, your granny and your daughter can sing the identical tune in the identical room and never really feel bizarre. I believe it’s a good way to bridge all of the generations collectively. I really like once I go to reveals and the mama, the grandma and the daughter are all on the present collectively. That’s southern soul music. 4 generations all coming collectively to do the identical factor proper now. Unity.
After we go to West Memphis, after we’re in Arkansas, what eating places ought to we hit? What lounges will we take a look at?
While you come to West Memphis, you bought to hit me up. There are three locations I’m going to positively inform you to strive. The mayor of West Memphis, his identify is Marco McClendon. Most wonderful man ever. He owns a restaurant. It’s known as BlackBerry Molasses. Then I’ve a god brother who has a bit of spot. It’s a bit of gap within the wall. After which there’s Sizzlin Skillets. Let me inform you about Sizzlin Skillets. Sizzlin Skillets will fry your fish laborious and dip it in honey gold sauce. In case you don’t know what honey gold sauce is, come to Memphis and we bought you. It’s going to vary your life. Dip your fish to any extent further and inform them that’s the Cecily Wilborn approach. We bought music, we bought juke joints, and if them three spots can’t give it to you, we’re 10 minutes from Memphis. We’re like quarter-hour from Beale Road. There’s a lot music, a lot tradition, a lot soul, a lot rock and roll, so many various kinds of folks you gonna meet. You bought to come back to the Delta. You simply bought to come back to the Delta and see it for your self.
The place do I am going once I need to get contemporary?
While you need to get contemporary, I’m not going to inform you no lie. I’ve a private tailor as a result of y’all see I’ve a sure southern swag. I don’t actually store within the malls and the shops anymore. I prefer to go to the older locations. I believe there’s a classic retailer in Memphis. It’s a boot retailer, imagine it or not, as a result of I really like my boots. Sure, they sparkle a bit of bit. All nation women prefer to sparkle. There’s Cavender’s, Wrangler, these are spots the place I store, however I’m a rustic woman. More often than not, if my dad outlets, we purchase his garments and we get them from in all places as a result of my dad’s a pastor. You might even see him in some Jesus sandals, you might even see him in some cowboy boots. It simply depends upon what the climate appears like.
