After dropping her self-affirming single ‘How Am I Looking?’ earlier this year, multi-genre singer-songwriter Eva Lazarus returns with grand new track ‘Royalty’, out now.

Overflowing with soulful chords on a richly layered production by Dirty Dike, ‘Royalty’ opens with lush looped instrumentation laced with gorgeous vocal runs from Eva Lazarus before kicking into life. Eva’s melodic voice effortlessly glides over the beat as she embraces the goodness that her life has been blessed with. The song is the perfect follow-up to ‘How Am I Looking?’ as both tracks showcase a woman standing in her awe-inspiring power.

Speaking on the time she wrote the track, Eva shares, “When I wrote Royalty, it was at a time when I was touring like crazy in beautiful hot places, but always for work so I’d barely get to enjoy the country I was in. I was always burnt out and I think my subconscious was begging me to slow down, take a holiday and look after myself, socialise with my people.”

The accompanying music video for ‘Royalty’ is directed by Mara Lee, starring Eva as she revels in opulence and delighting in the finer things.

Eva sat down with Wordplay Magazine to answer our infamous 10 Questions:

1. So tell me, how did it all begin? What sparked your love for music?

My family are all creative people, it’s normal in our family to sing, make clothes, paint, we have that thing in us, so from day 1 on this earth I was here for these creative vibes.

2. Who are some artists that influence you and that you want to work with in the future?

Erykah Badu

Ms Dynamite

Anderson .Paak

Tanya Stephens

Chronixx

Shy Fx

Goldie

Frisco

Joey bada$$

I live for different vocal and production styles and I know I would fit right into any of these sessions and learn so much all at the same time. Now, if someone wants to go ahead and hook any of this up, thanks in advance!

3. What projects do you have coming up and can you give us any info on them?

I’m always working, even when it was lockdown and early days of being a new mum. I have A LOT of new music but I’ve learnt that nothing’s happening in this business until it’s actually happening so I don’t talk about things in specifics until it’s time.

4. How would you describe your sound?

I wouldn’t say I have one sound, I’d say eclectic, multi-genre, I do what I want when I want because I want.

I’m a sum of my musical influences.

Hip Hop, Soul, Reggae, DnB, Garage, Jungle, 140 bangers, Dancehall, I play guitar, I love jazz, it’s hard to pick a lane when you actually just don’t want to. I swerve all over these lanes like a drunk driver and people who like me, and are into more than one thing, can still fuck with me. I love that!

5. What's your proudest moment to date so far as an artist?

Touring pregnant. I’d never seen a pregnant woman on tour before. I was 7 months pregnant on tour in New Zealand. I was making a whole human dishing out double time bars and smashing 140 bangers. I’m so proud of me for that.

6. Do you have any advice for our readers who may be trying to play the mad game of music?

Get feedback on your work, ask for help, don’t take things to heart, build a team, look after your mental health, stay hydrated, don’t be a hater. Aaaand invest in yourself, if you’re going to do it then give yourself a fighting chance. When I say invest I don’t just mean money, the time you put in is so valuable.

All career paths are valid, get clear about how you want to spend you life in music and start making moves that make sense with your vision!

You might blow on TikTok and make your coins that way if that’s your main focus or it might be an organic slow burn grassroots vibe where you gather your family of likeminded music lovers who just get you, you might want to make the music for Squarespace adverts… I don’t know, whatever, just invest the time into it.

7. Are there any artists on your radar right now that we should check out?

Ogi

Grove

Phoenix Laoutaris

Damzys

Nat Oakes

Xyzelle

8. What albums are on heavy rotation on your Spotify playlist currently?

Frisco - Tottenham EP

Ogi - Monologues EP

Gardna - Time and Space

Swindle - The New World

9. What do you like to do when you're not making music?

Have a wholesome time with my family!

Or

Recharge my social battery by spending time alone, rewatching old ‘My Hero Academia’ or ‘Bleach’ and listening to Shenseea, shaking my ass and reading book at the same time.

10. Name Three things you can't live without when in the studio?

1. Big bottle of water because if I’m dehydrated my voice sounds terrible.

2. Dr Nelsons steam inhaler for direct moisture to the vocal chords. Basically I’m avoiding a dry voice at all costs.

3. Pad and pen. Even though, for the most part, I write on my phone, sometimes, when I’m stuck, having pen and paper encourages me to make different decisions. I don’t know why it works like that, I literally don’t make the rules but pen and paper has saved my ass in so many sessions.