Vibing with Monifa Goss

Monifa Goss is a vibrant artist who is making the tunes that will see us all through summer! The chanteuse from Kingston, Jamaica has just released her new music video to Vibe ft Daddy1, the fan favourite track on her EP ‘EVE’.  The EP was released November 2023 and has been well received for its fusion of dancehall energy and soulful R&B influences.

Monifa has released a selection of sensational singles, but has actually been winning on the music scene since she first competed in the Rising Star competition in 2014. As we sit down to talk about her new music video and her inspirations, her bubbly personality immediately comes across as she tells behind the scenes stories about shooting Vibe.

Morgan Smith: The Vibe music video is gorgeous! How was the shoot?

Monifa Goss: ‘We shot the video outside and it was so fun! Pure vibes and good energy on set. I’m really proud of what we have made, but with the special lighting, we were attracting so many insects! I decided to just work my ass off and do it despite all of the bites, but we even had to style my wig outside with all of the commotion! 

I’m so proud of it and how it has come together.’

MS: You’d never be able to tell! The video is so cool. How was working with Daddy1?

MG: ‘We were actually connected by someone I know in the industry. She sent me a Daddy1 track that wasn’t a normal Daddy1 track at all. He was actually singing when usually he makes quite hardcore dancehall. As soon as I heard it I thought it was so unique and knew we could work together well. The result is amazing and it’s actually a fan favourite on my EP.’

MS: Let’s talk a bit about your EP ‘EVE’, I know you mentioned that female empowerment was an important part of the concept…

MG: ‘Yes! I think that we need music like this as women. We live in such a crazy world! Things have changed so much and we’ve come so far with independence and being able to work, but we still need opportunities to celebrate. 

I have to be true to myself and sing about what I believe in. I am a feminist and would never sing a lie so I just have to do it! My music is all about the girls and the baddies.’

MS: You’ve mentioned that Bad Gyal is your favourite track on the album, what does it mean to you to be a bad gyal?

MG: ‘I’m repping for the baddies and the girls who are doing it for themselves, I’m doing it for confident and independent women. The bad gyal vibe is not negative or violent. A baddie is a girl who goes for what she wants and does it independently without having to cater to a man’s needs. So I think a baddie is a girl who is on her on independent ting and she gets what she wants! 

She always look good too!’

MS: You’ve been on the music scene since 2014, what has your journey been like?

MG: ‘I was 16 when I started, I was a baby! But my family were involved in the music industry so I did have a glimpse of what it was like. My mum was a producer and all my siblings were musicians so it wasn’t anything too new. My mum gave me pointers on what to look out for, but it was all from her perspective, so I still had to see things with my own eyes and work it out on my terms. 

That rising star contest allowed me to get a preview of the industry before I entered properly, that helped me to navigate the industry down the line. I am so grateful for those contests and how they gave me a crash course on the music industry.’

MS: Is there any advice that you would share with your younger self?

MG: ‘Well firstly I’d say, be prepared! Things can be really crazy like the Hunger Games. But despite all of that, you have to stick with your dreams and passions and remember why you started singing.  Sometimes people don’t like to acknowledge the competitiveness of the industry, but I think it’s better to embrace the competitiveness and let it motivate you. 

You don’t have to compete with other people, you can compete with yourself! I don’t want to be the same person I was when I started out. I want to be better.

You have to pull your socks up! You have to tie those shoelaces!’

MS: It sounds like you had a hard year in 2023, with losing your mum. How did you stay motivated and inspired?

MG: ‘Well it is still hard. That lady taught me everything I know. Everything I do, at least in part is for my mum. She helped me find my path to music. 

Before, I was running around saying I wanted to be a doctor and she looked at me one day and said ‘you don’t wanna be no damn doctor’ and she was right! I was saying that because of how people would react when I would say I wanted to be a singer. 

I really appreciate how she pushed me to follow my dreams. It’s like a nightmare that she’s gone, as I wanted to share all of my success with her, that’s what I would pray for. It’s really hard to be hunting the game down without her. I know she’s still here and she still sees it, but I’d love to see her reaction.

I had to stay motivated because I knew that is what my mum would have wanted. She was my biggest fan and I know she would be heartbroken if I stopped. It’s not about the glitz or the glam, it’s about following my passion. So I am happy to have made this EP as a tribute to her because she was a very empowered woman.’

MS: Who are your musical inspirations?

MG: ‘My inspirations vary, because I listen to a lot of music. When I went to college at Edna Manley, we had to do a lot of research into different genres, like Jazz, pop, and classics. My mum also loved pop music, so I always wanted to be a pop star, and now I am!

I really love pop music, but because I am Jamaican and I have this accent! I love drawing on that heritage in my sound because it helps to reflect my country and the rhythmic patterns we’ve brought to the world.

I also love love love, Beyonce, Rihanna, Fantasia and Jasmine Suvellian.’

MS: Do you have any inspirations with fashion? The glitter dress in Vibe is a mood!

MG: ‘My mum was a big source of fashion inspiration for me because she was such a fashion girl, with the big rings and the long nails and the long lashes! It was all my mum… I’m just a copycat.

I love Aaliyah and Rihanna. Their style is so sexy. Cardi B is also a fashion god. 

I love clothes, but I am not tied to any brands, it’s more about the look and how I can style it. My vibe is boho meets 90s. Very sexy but very cute at the same time. But I want to do even more with fashion in 2024!’

MS: What are you looking forward to in this year? And what should we keep an eye out for?

MG: ‘Literally everything, more releases, more shows, more me! I am feeling very grateful and ready to step out into the world again. I haven’t really navigated this stuff too much without my mum but I’m seeing this as my first year as an adult to be evolving and creating. I think everything is going to align and it will be a massive year!’