Silk Canvas and VanJess will make you feel a type of way. Sisters Ivana and Jess Nwokike never set out to make an album per se, but after years of setbacks, “no’s” and being at the “lowest point” they’d ever been in their personal lives, they decided to make proverbial lemons out of lemonade.
The resulting album is one that reflects the highs and lows of life and love. It explores joy, longing and heartbreak over beats that bounce and snap, similar to the sounds of SWV, Janet and TLC in the 90s. But while the feeling is the same, Silk Canvas is futureproof. Production duties from Kurzwei, IAMNOBODI and KAYTRANADA along with collaborations with Goldlink, Masego, Leikeli 47 and Little Simz ward off indulgent nostalgia with a modern edge.
Having grown up in the 90s, the sisters spent their early years immersed in both MTV and Nigerian music at parties with their parents. They moved from Nigeria to California as kids, but they still represent their heritage, choosing to embrace both styles of music on the album.
On “Control Me,” the duo wax lyrical about a crazy dude God told them to break it off with. “I prayed, Oluwa eh he warned me. No way, this one dey craze be something.” VanJess somehow make the tough, staccato vernacular of West African Pidgin English sound sexy. Small touches like this have won them fans from across the African diaspora.
I spoke to VanJess about their unique aesthetic, Nigerian roots and what gives them that ultimate feeling.
Has touring given you a new perspective on the diasporic existence of other fellow Africans?
Jess: I think it’s really special when you meet Nigerian fans, and having conversations with people who are excited to see Nigerian faces in […]music. People [who are] African and creative are like, “how did you guys get into this?” It’s definitely a unique place to be in.
When I heard you use [west African] pidgin in ‘Control Me’, I wasn’t expecting it. Was it something that felt natural?
Ivana: We were trying to figure out how we could somehow incorporate our culture into our album without coming off [like we were trying too] hard or doing something that wasn’t authentic to us. So when we hear that instrumental, I really wanted to do something very cross cultural and introduce that kind of slang to the US because it’s not something people know. You know how Drake will always throw in some UK slang? I was like, ‘It would be dope to put that in here and have people singing and vibing to it.’ Then it becomes normal.
Are there any Nigerian artists you’re fans of?
Ivana: Oh, man. Burna Boy, Wiz Kid obviously, but Odunsi [the Engine]. He’s up and coming but so far his album is crazy.
Jess: I’m a really big fan of this artist named Santi. He’s collaborated with a few other prominent people and I really like his music. Davido is dope. I like Tiwa Savage a lot too. And Patoranking.
Are there any old school artists you like?
Jess: We definitely listen to P Square. I think that’s our version of old.
Ivana: There’s a song, I forgot who made it [Styl-Plus] but it goes like, “Olufunmi ooo ma pa mi lekun o.” I can’t even remember the name but that’s hella old. That video is so nostalgic but I feel like so many artists are inspired by that song.
In terms of creating, I find that Nigerians have a real sense of pride but also a deep desire to be private. Is this something you deal with?
Ivana: People seem to connect with the more vulnerable songs when [we’re] just speaking about what [we’re] going through. I’d rather not hold back – I’d rather just say exactly what’s on my mind because it’s freeing and I hope other people find it freeing when they hear the music too.
Jess: I think as Nigerians, we have a lot of pride and high expectations for ourselves and that in itself can make you feel like, ‘I don’t want to be judged.’ [It’s] not even that I don’t want to be vulnerable, but when I [choose to be] vulnerable, I don’t want a harsh response. But in life, you can’t worry about that. If you’re going to be in the business of art and expressing [yourself], the only way the art can really be honest is if you are honest. You can’t let anything hold you back from expressing yourself.
What is the vibe you want your music to communicate?
Jess: Making music with feeling and emotion, whether that be a feel good song or [a song] that expresses a lot of sadness; but is also very smooth, very sensual; always creating a vibe, but with musicality and is dynamic. We make music that has dimension. There’s a story in every song because it just makes it more interesting.
People are attracted to your smooth 90s sound. What are some elements of this musical era that you keep and modern elements that you embrace?
Ivana: I don’t think people want the 90s back; it’s just a feeling you get when you hear your favourite song. Those melodies were really important – the harmonies, just the overall unity that 90s music had. A lot of songs were really similar, but every song had a different vibe and it always felt so good. What we like to do is bring in current production. A lot of the [producers] on our album are crazy and with the blend of what Jess and I were doing, and what they gave us, it became Silk Canvas. I feel like they incorporated the best of both worlds.
When you guys are writing, what is that dynamic like?
Ivana: Jess will get inspired and she’ll write a song, or I’ll get inspired and write a song. Maybe we’re in the studio, [and] we just start vibing off each other. It’s always really collaborative and ultimately, our sessions go super fast. We’ve been lucky enough to work with people who are just dope so we’re already super inspired and ready to create. We’re already working on another lil’ ting.
You created your album without the support of a label or management. Did anything surprise you about the experience?
Jess: We knew we wanted to put out a project for our fans. We didn’t know how it was gonna sound or how we were gonna put it out there. At the time we were going through a lot with family and life things and our escape was the music. We were able to create very honestly, and over time it became more intentional. It was really special, honestly, and I don’t know if we could ever create that innocently again. When we listen to the album we are very proud because it’s completely us. [There was no] traditional industry layout of someone telling us ‘today you’re gonna be working with this person and then you’re going to do this’ – [there] was none of that.
How’s the process of writing together as sisters?
Ivana: Definitely there are times when we’re feeling something different. I feel like, how old are we? Grown! So we both could be in different places in our lives. She might be going through a really great relationship or I might be going through some kind of heartbreak and she might be like, ‘I want to write something uptempo’ and I want to write something dramatic cause I’m feeling like shit, but at the end of the day, you know…
You make it work.
Ivana: Exactly.
Do you guys live together?
Ivana: No, no, no, no. Like I said, grown. We’ve really lived together most of our lives, so it’s definitely [important] to have that separate feel. We’re both individuals, but when we come together, we make something dope. I think it’s really important to grow as an individual.
Jess: But at the same time you have to really be on the same page and be able to come together because if you can’t, then it all falls apart.
You recently put out remixes and instrumentals for ‘Addicted,’ which people don’t typically do anymore.
Jess: I have to give credit to our team because that wasn’t something from our own heads, but we all thought about doing some remixes and making it unique to us. One thing about the 90s was when remixes were put out, it was always a reinvention or different production or different artist features. With “Addicted,” we had the opportunity to do this because of the outro to the song. People would say, “yo, can we hear a full version of that?” Of course with the other remixes, we just want to push the envelope and always do things that are unexpected. That’s what makes it interesting for us and I’m glad people find it interesting too.
Your outfits also draw on the 90s aesthetics, and they bang. What are you looking to wear when you perform?
Jess: I usually put together looks, but we also work with stylists sometimes. The music is very 90s inspired, very sensual, sometimes elegant, but sometimes a bit more rough. So when we dress, we try to reflect that while also being ourselves. We wear sneakers and baggy pants a lot. With the tour specifically, we wanted to glam it up a bit [more than] what we [normally] do because when you’re performing, you want to feel like a costume version of yourself. A lot of artists in the 90s inspired us in the way they dress. Whether it was Janet or Left Eye from TLC, or even taking it back further to Cher and Donna Summer. Every time they would come out, their style was so on point. We want to create an experience with our fashion as well.
You talk a lot about feeling in music. Is there one song or thing that gives you that ultimate feeling?
Ivana: I feel like you could really break that down in different places. Maybe you’re in the car, you’re hanging and then “A Thousand Miles” comes on… [She sings in a mock voice, “If I could fall”] and you get that nostalgic feel. Or, you know, you’re at the club and Future’s “March Madness” comes on and everybody’s like, ‘Ohhhh.’ Or if you’re at home, maybe you’re on the piano, and you just start creating something and it’s bringing something out of you, and you start crying. I feel like no matter where you go, you’re always gonna have that in some way.
Jess: The first album I ever purchased was Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black and that album to this day… Whenever I listen to it, takes me to so many different places. It’s just a really special album for me. I always go back to it when I feel a bit lost.
Is there any advice that you’ve held with you on this journey so far?
Ivana: Keep going. That is the one thing. Keep going, keep going. I feel like in this day and age on social media, it’s so easy to get caught up in comparing yourself [to others]. You start doubting your own art. You start doubting your position, your purpose, and you feel like, Damn, what makes me different? This is all I can do, but can I even make a mark or make an impact? I feel like everybody has their time and their season and it’s really important to keep going and keep looking forward. Don’t give up, because eventually, it will be your time, especially if you know you have something special. You’ve just got to keep striving.
Photographer: Juan Veloz
Stylists: Pierre Hommes and Autumn Randolph
MUA: Erin N. Pea
Hair: Ebony Thomas
Taken from Issue 02. All clothing courtesy of No Sesso.
