For Soleil, looking back does not mean remaining tied to the past. On “Heart Strings,” the American singer-songwriter and DJ turns the end of a relationship into a story about growth, self-love, and reclaiming her own power. With time, she has also come to better understand the role that experience played in her life: “I was a different person then, and I did the best I could with the life experience I had at the time.”
In the interview, Soleil discusses blending R&B, Soul, Blues, Funk, Jazz, and Neo-Soul without losing her identity, reimagining Dolly Parton’s “Jolene,” and translating the tension between melancholy and hope into the “Heart Strings” music video. She also reflects on the risk of young artists losing themselves within the music business and previews the next chapter of her career, including “Rubbish” and a version of herself she describes as “honest, playful, vulnerable, and not afraid to evolve.”
“Heart Strings” begins in a place of nostalgia and heartbreak but gradually becomes a song about self-love and reclaiming yourself. When did you realize the story needed to become less about the person who left and more about the person you were recovering after the relationship ended?
There wasn’t a particular moment where I realized the story needed to change. When I was writing Heart Strings, I was going through the end of a relationship but realized how much I learned from it, so the intent was always to talk about the stages of a relationship and reclaiming my power in the end.
You describe the song as moving through the different phases of a less-than-ideal relationship. Is there a particular lyric or part of the song that you understand completely differently now than when you first wrote it?
In retrospect, the third verse is about reflection and although I don’t understand it differently now compared to when I first wrote it, it is more important to me because time has passed and I understand the role the relationship played in my life more now than when I wrote it. I was a different person then, and I did the best I could with the life experience I had at the time.
The track blends R&B, Soul, Blues, Funk, Jazz, and Neo-Soul, while your wider career also moves through EDM, Amapiano, Afrobeats, Baile Funk, and other styles. What needs to remain present in a song for it to still sound unmistakably like Soleil, regardless of genre?
The song (no matter the genre) still really needs to make you feel something! Musciality wise, it needs a soulful & powerful vocal, great bass line, some jazzy elements (chord changes, syncopations, etc.), and a punchy lyric with some attitude.
The music video moves between black-and-white and color to reflect the tension between melancholy and hope. How did you work with Riccardo Solorzano to translate such internal emotions into a visual language?
The initial idea for the video was to edit it in black and white. In the studio, we used only white lighting, which created the black and white look naturally without any filters. We loved the look of the two ideas together and agreed that it represented the duality of the song and moving through different phases. I’ve worked with Riccardo several times and trusted his creative vision and cinematography skills – I knew he would be the right person to help bring this to life.
You began the summer by reimagining Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” before introducing such a personal original song with “Heart Strings.” What does interpreting an iconic songwriter’s work teach you about your own approach to writing and storytelling?
I come from entertainment – so singing cover songs with my own twist on them is something I am used to. I had been performing our version of Jolene for years, and it was always a fan favorite because it has such a unique twist on it. I wanted to strip it back, make it more groovy, and bring out the vulnerability and soulfulness in the story, rather than trying to recreate Dolly’s version. It taught me that my voice naturally gravitates toward emotion and intimacy with an R&B, soulful, and jazzy tone.
Beyond your work as an artist, you mentor emerging musicians and are involved with the Recording Academy, Grammy U, and Women in Music. What do you wish young artists understood about building a career without losing their identity in the process?
The first thing that comes to mind is that young artists should understand that the music industry is a business first! As creatives, we want to make art that is meaningful for us, often times without understanding how the business works. Identity can be lost if you sign a bad contract, work with people who aren’t actually in your corner…there are so many unfortunate situations (I’ve been in some myself) that can lead to losing your identity. Make sure you understand that this is a business so you know how to keep your identity at the forefront.
“Heart Strings” will be followed by “Rubbish.” When considered together, what do these releases reveal about the artistic chapter you are entering and what listeners can expect from your next body of work?
I’m entering a more mature version of Soleil – one who speaks in a way that is different from before, writes different lyrics, presents herself differently visually. I’ve grown a lot since I started my music career and the music I am releasing now represents this version of me. Ultimately, I’m revealing an artist who is honest, playful, vulnerable, and not afraid to evolve. My next body of work will continue to emulate who I am becoming.
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