Black Artist of The Week: VanJess

When a VanJess song comes on, be ready for an instant boost in mood. The Nigerian-American sister duo, Jessica and Ivana Nwokike, fuse a multitude of Black genres that somehow mesh well together. House music to ‘90s R&B, VanJess makes sure to add that nostalgic touch that every listener misses within this current generation of music. 

The duo moved from Nigeria to America as children. Their vocal capabilities led them to feel more at home in the United States. They sang in talent shows, church, and school choirs, finding out how well their voices blended. In 2010, they would go on the still new platform, YouTube, covering popular songs, fueling their dreams. 

“At that time it was hard to think about it as more than just a website; there were no ads, and you weren’t able to monetize things. So it wasn’t even a feasible thing to do as a career then,” Jessica says. “But it helped us continue to foster our talents and abilities because we were seeing the positive feedback we were getting. It gave us confidence to continue building our craft and pursue that, fully,” Vanjess tells Nylon

They began to record their own music, ditching the covers, and allowing their soul to tap into creative sources while being a healthy outlet that suited their needs. Jessica tells Nylon, “We wanted to do something a bit more energetic to remind ourselves to celebrate life. But we were overthinking too much, worrying about what other people expected from us.” 

“We wanted to let go of that feeling, so that’s when we decided maybe we should just be creating based on whatever we were feeling rather than restraining ourselves,” Ivana said to Nylon. “We wanted to control our own narrative.”

In 2018 they dropped their debut album, Silk Canvas, in which both songs, “Control Me” and “Addicted,” were just that. Jessica tells Nylon, “Silk is known for its smooth, lustrous texture, which is how we hope our voices feel when you hear us sing,” following with, “And the canvas represents that stage of our lives: We were starting over and wanted a blank slate to create something completely new.”

Their latest album, Homegrown, is a follow-up to their 2018 debut, Silk Canvas. Their fifth track features KAYTRANADA, titled, “DYSFUNCTIONAL,” is a turning point for them musically. It’s a dance track, which turns away from their sultry soul aesthetic, and picks up the electro-pop genre. It’s about a failing relationship but opposed by the uptempo production. 

Vanjess interviewed with Vogue last month discussing their newly released album and some of their interests outside of music as well. Ivana tells Vogue, “Homegrown was originally going to be the name of [the 2018 album] Silk Canvas, but it turns out it feels more fitting for this project, given the times we’re in.”

“I remember when we first moved to America”—La Palma, California, to be exact, at ages 10 and 8—“one of my first hairstyles I wore was a threaded look, which helps to stretch your hair,” Ivana continued. “This style was so normal for me, but at the time, I was getting made fun of for something that was just…me.” Vanjess are advocates when it comes to healthy hair. They were able to find their confidence by accepting their natural hairstyles accustomed to their culture. They often share images of their various hairstyles. Due to the ongoing pandemic, they feel even more in love with their hairstyles. “Don’t base your confidence on what you see on Instagram,” Jessica said to Vogue. “Base your confidence off of the health of your hair. Invest time in keeping your hair healthy and wear it with pride. Know that everyone has their own unique texture. And no matter what, it’s beautiful.”