Within the substantial world of R&B, there lives a ton of subgenres that shape what we know it to be today. When we listen to this style of music we usually feel funky, soulful, and jazzy. But do we ever describe feelings such as dreamlike, or even ethereal? It is a strong skill to transport listeners to an otherworldly state of being through a song, and I believe that this artist of the month, singer-songwriter QUIN, does this in a very skilled and important way that we need to talk about. She’s done this by inventing her own subgenre of R&B called fantasy soul. In an article with Basic Magazine, she explains, “I came up with the genre fantasy soul because people kept asking me what kind of music I made and I didn’t really know how to describe it ... It’s a mixture of so many different feelings and situations, traumas and beauty."
Taken by 6lack with permission form QUINN.
Once Upon A Time
Bianca Leonor Quinones, born in Los Angeles, California is the oldest sibling of three daughters. In an interview with Vibe, she stated that she grew up in the “Episcopal Church harmonizing with other kids,” inevitably finding her love for music and voice in kindergarten. This was her foundation for her inevitable singing future. Growing up, her dad would have regular jam sessions with his specialties being congas and the trumpet, and her mom was a dancer. Being surrounded by art at such a young age influenced QUIN from the outside, inwards.
Heritage Seeps in
I got the chance to talk with QUIN one-on-one and it was simply surreal. You can tell through even a simple DM that she lives, breathes, and takes pride in using her words honorably. Whether she's making songs, giving advice to others, or even when she’s reflecting on her own life, she knows all too well to dive deep inward first before putting anything out into the world.
Album cover film photo photographed by QUINN.
In our conversation, I got a glimpse of her point of view of how her hispanic heritage is special in her life. She writes, “being of Hispanic heritage is everything to me, especially because it has been such a fuel to many of my personal curiosities.” She goes on to say how “being so far removed from our original language and traditional ways had very much led me into exploring the world with a clear intention to discover these different parts of my puzzle.” Her heritage was the realization she needed to understand that a whole needed to be filled, and the story of her family’s purpose had more it needed to say.
The Music Speaks for Itself
Throughout QUIN's discography one of the key personality traits you learn about her is the confidence she holds and not letting anyone get in the way of that. She stays in her lane and lives in the world she has created for herself. Throughout the themes of her music, self-discovery is the goal for the R&B songstress. When I asked what song she would pick as her ode to her shining confidence, she replied with ”I Am” from her 2016 EP, Galactica. Saying that this song is “a note to myself, I needed a reminder that no matter how dark and how low things get, I am magnificent," and guides her listeners to believe the same. With other tracks like "Solo" and "Lucid", QUIN takes us on a journey to strip yourself of all that made you, and structure yourself with what you choose. To simply “be born again”.
The Never Ending Journey
Fans have followed QUIN since the beginning with 2016’s Galactica, to 2024’s "Readi". Her project’s aim to self express in order to teach others to do the same. With her unique range, listeners stay on their toes for what the next will be. Luckily, you can hear QUIN’s new track "irl" now streaming on all platforms.
Sources: Spotify, Basic, Vibe, Spotify, Spotify, Spotify, Spotify, Spotify, Spotify
Photos: X formerly known as Twitter, X formerly known as Twitter, Instagram
Contact Amira Alquraishy with comments at asalquraishy@bsu.edu or on Instagram @amiruh.z.
