Five years ago, Denisia greeted fans with a bounce rendition of Adele’s smash hit “Hello” featuring her longtime friend and collaborator Big Choo. Infused and flavored with some of New Orleans’ signature sounds, the “Hello” remix was devoured by locals and its popularity quickly spread. The accompanying video racked up nearly five million views on YouTube. Now a few years and a few releases later, Denisia has cooked up an album to be released this fall that she says captures her true essence as an artist and native New Orleanian.

“The project as a whole is gonna be like gumbo,” she said. “It’s a whole bunch of who I am in one pot, and it’ll make you want to keep coming back. I’m no longer afraid to let people in. I loved my [previous] album, but I think it was always around the point. I’ve never gotten grimy. [On this album] I’m not painting a pretty picture…I really want to showcase who is Denisia.”

With a career that spans from kindergarten to her twenty-somethings, there’s quite a bit to say—or to sing rather. The as-of-yet unnamed album—not Gumbo in deference to PJ Morton who “got it first”—seeks to coalesce the sounds and experiences the singer has collected across her musical journey. As a renaissance woman who can ride an R&B, bounce, hip-hop or soul beat with the ease and “rap a little bit,” Denisia’s sophomore album is sure to subvert expectations.

Released back in January, the album’s lead single “Back and Forth” deals with the messy, break-up-to-make-up quality that characterizes many modern “situationships.” The follow-up “Don’t Make Me”—which dropped with a video on September 10—follows this thread of interpersonal dysfunction and threatens trouble. Overall, the album promises a peek into Denisia’s moods and sensitivities. In anticipation of these drops, OffBeat contributing writer Brianna Navarre dropped in to say “hello” and to pick Denisia’s brain.

Your Instagram is titled whoisdenisia. How do you answer that?

Denisia is being found. I think I just had this conversation maybe a few days ago. I’m so different—I think every day now. I used to think that was an issue, but I’m really figuring out that I’m actually in tune. So, some days I can be very extra—over the top. Some days I can be a real Virgo. Some days I can be really quiet. Well, a lot of days, I’m really quiet. But all the days, I’m very inventive, creative, and I’m using everything that I hear, see, and creating music in my brain 24/7. So yeah, she’s all of those things. She’s wild at heart and free. She’s understanding my work but [is] figuring out “This is what I like,” “This is what I don’t like,” and “This is who I am.”

You’re pretty well known for your collaborations, especially that “Hello” bounce remix a few years back. What’s the story behind that?

Big Choo and a DJ named DJ Papa called and said, “You should sing this song.” They played it, and I said, “Oh, it’s so slow. It’s sad.” But I loved the record, and I sang it. I was freaked out because I thought, “My range is really growing!” I was really proud of it. Then, I went back home to Atlanta ’cause I wasn’t living in New Orleans at the time. Big Choo called me a few days later, saying, “Yo, you have to come back.” I’m wondering, “What’s going on? What happened? Are you OK?” He says, “Come take a ride with me.” I took a ride, and he was playing the song. I said, “That sounds good! Who’s that?” I’d never heard my voice sped up. We shot a video…The rest is history.

I was really struck by the videos you put out for “Back and Forth” and your cover of ”What A Difference A Day Makes”—especially the red dress and the classic New Orleans club scene. Can you explain what role visuals play in your vision as an artist?

I think it’s major. I feel like when people heard “Hello,” they were rocking with the song, but I think the visual…it got everybody talking. Everything that I do is with love. So, when people would see it, whether it be negative comments about us being in a parking lot, that was monumental for us because when you come into New Orleans or leave it, you see the parking lot and think of us…I don’t really like putting out records when I don’t have a visual. It’s a digital world. Even though we can still go to concerts and see people, I want some type of connection with you that says “You’re my favorite artist, and you’re my friend in my head.”

What role would you say the city plays in your artistry?

I’ve been to so many places, so many places, and it’s not just ’cause it’s home because “home” has been other places for me too for long periods of time, but it’s just something about New Orleans…I feel like we’ve been a target for sympathy and a target for danger for a very long time. It’s like every time somebody mentioned [being from New Orleans], it’s like [in a low, sympathetic tone] “Are you okay?” They keep us in this trauma box. Even here, we stand in a mentality of that because that’s the only thing that we’re really presented with instead of creating the change that we want. I hate that this is the only thing we can really reference, but when No Limit and Cash Money were here for years, the city was the City. It was [still] the murder capital, but we were the city to come to, even with the danger…that’s why I want to strive harder than what I’ve ever done because we have an opening right now. Everybody wants to be like New Orleans. The bounce music…people are taking pieces of it ’cause they’re not ready for the full throttle. I hear a lot of people say, “Oh, you know they’re taking our music” and “They’re trying to make it their thing in Atlanta.” I feel like, well, we ain’t doing it! They’re cracking that door open for us to be like, “OK, we’re here.” We are touching TV screens. We’re touching movies. We’re touching BET…the Grammys. I want to change the narrative.

As of May this year, you’ve begun performing at a residency at Abstract Nola. How is it to have a sort of musical home?

It feels like home. I will never lie to you. I’m really shy. People don’t think that, but I get really nervous. The first show, I told all my friends, “You guys look great, but I want to go home.”

But it really helped open me up. The connection is cool. The vibe is cool. Then, that people just keep coming back makes it so much better for me. They sit in the same seats, and it gets packed. But clearly, they’re there on time to get their same seat. It really makes me feel good about myself [that] people care that much about my art.

How would you describe where you’re at right now?

I think I’m where I’m supposed to be. I had to go through a lot of things for my artistry. But now I have a story to tell, so I think that’s why everything in my life is aligning. That’s why I’m super grateful for “Hello,” because it literally did what it was supposed to do. I prayed for that moment where people knew me and my name, but now it’s like “Hello from the other side” of bounce, the other side of these things. I can do jazz. I can do R&B, pop—I can do these big records. This is who I am, but now I can do these records with confidence and not feel like I’m doing it because that’s what I should be doing. I can do it because I have a story to tell.

What is your story?

That I’m a soldier. I’m a fighter. I’m resilient. I realized I was planted in the right place. New Orleans is resilient. We were broken, and we bounced back. So, my story is that I’m a soldier. I’m really a product of where I’m from. I am triumphant.

Denisia performs weekly at the Magnolia Mansion (2127 Prytania Street). Tickets and info are available on the Abstract NOLA Eventbrite. To keep up with her releases and performances, follow Denisia’s Instagram.