MUSIC
S/S 2021
In Conversation With Los Angeles R&B Singer Allyn
On her new EP Overthinking, her musical journey, and love languages
By Daija Green | Posted on August 9, 2021
Infused with vulnerability and honesty, Allyn's latest EP, Overthinking, illustrates an honest representation of an overthinker's headspace. Though her muse stems from a place of uncertainty and pain, her intentions are for her words to be received as healing. "I want people to take away from my music and know that it's okay to not be okay. It's okay to express yourself however that may come out," reveals Allyn.
Allyn's start in orchestras at the age of 3 was the inception of her musical journey, later leading her to fall in love with R&B. The Los Angeles-based singer and musician has blazed her mark in R&B with her musical expertise and sweet sound, collaborating with well-known artists such as Dom Kennedy, Cozz, and Casey Veggies.
With the Overthinking EP, Allyn is opening a new door to more vulnerability in her art. Throughout the EP's 16-minute cruise, Allyn takes us through a gust of waves that demonstrate the highs and lows of her thoughts, exploring themes of heartbreak and hopelessness. Allyn spoke with Trutuyou to reflect on these thoughts, her artistic journey, and her love languages.
TRUTUYOU : Can you talk about your musical journey and when your love for music began?
ALLYN: I started doing music at three years old. Growing up, I was involved in orchestras and choir. As I got older I started playing more instruments. At five, I played piano, and as a teenager, I began playing the drums, guitar, and viola. I went to college in Los Angeles, and that's when I started working in different studios as a freshman. That's kind of how I got my foot in the door and met a lot of artists and writers.
TRUTUYOU : You began as a classical musician. How has this influenced your R&B sound today?
ALLYN: Classical music is the foundation of music itself. Having to learn how to read music, learn scales, and those types of things. To make any type of music, you have to learn the foundation first, so it really helps.
ALLYN: I started doing music at three years old. Growing up, I was involved in orchestras and choir. As I got older I started playing more instruments. At five, I played piano, and as a teenager, I began playing the drums, guitar, and viola. I went to college in Los Angeles, and that's when I started working in different studios as a freshman. That's kind of how I got my foot in the door and met a lot of artists and writers.
TRUTUYOU : You began as a classical musician. How has this influenced your R&B sound today?
ALLYN: Classical music is the foundation of music itself. Having to learn how to read music, learn scales, and those types of things. To make any type of music, you have to learn the foundation first, so it really helps.
TRUTUYOU : What are the key messages in your music and what inspires this?
ALLYN: I have the message of talking about my experiences and just being real with myself and everybody. I want people to take away from my music and know that it's okay to not be okay. It's okay to express yourself however that may come out.
TRUTUYOU : Overthinking is centered around love and I'm curious, what are your love languages? Do you feel like they show up in your music?
ALLYN: I literally identify with all of them. I need everything. I'm such a needy person. They definitely show up in my music; for example, in "Upside Down" you can see that my love language is physical touch. I need to be touched and need that quality time. You know, in all my music, especially in "Overthinking" I'm thinking about what that person is thinking about me. I need those words of affirmation, gestures, and acts of service.
ALLYN: I have the message of talking about my experiences and just being real with myself and everybody. I want people to take away from my music and know that it's okay to not be okay. It's okay to express yourself however that may come out.
TRUTUYOU : Overthinking is centered around love and I'm curious, what are your love languages? Do you feel like they show up in your music?
ALLYN: I literally identify with all of them. I need everything. I'm such a needy person. They definitely show up in my music; for example, in "Upside Down" you can see that my love language is physical touch. I need to be touched and need that quality time. You know, in all my music, especially in "Overthinking" I'm thinking about what that person is thinking about me. I need those words of affirmation, gestures, and acts of service.
TRUTUYOU : I understand that the EP delves into your tendency to overthink various aspects of life. Could you expand on this theme? What inspired you to embark on this project centered around your experiences with overthinking?
ALLYN: I was in the pandemic like we all were, and I was in my apartment. I didn't know what was going on with my life. I didn't know what was going on with my music career. I wasn't dropping music. I was just sitting there literally overthinking my entire life. That's where I got the name overthinking because it was just so honest and vulnerable. I feel like that's the best kind of music - when you're not only being real with yourself, you're being real with your audience. I really wanted to give people this piece of me because I feel that I haven't been as vulnerable in my other music. So, this is me putting it all out on the line for the first time.
TRUTUYOU : You recently dropped a visual on Instagram for ‘Overthinking’, what was your intention behind this?
ALLYN: That video was to show people what I overthink about because we all overthink about something. Even though I touch on it in the song I wanted ya’ll to hear it just from me. Just straight up. This is what I overthink about.
TRUTUYOU : What headspace do you want people to be in when they listen to Overthinking for the first time?
ALLYN: I just want people to feel like they're not alone. Some artists talk about getting money, bitches or niggas. Not everyone is talking about the things that they deal with and their inner demons. I want people to be like damn Allyn can talk about her shit so maybe I can deal with mine and talk about my shit too.
ALLYN: I was in the pandemic like we all were, and I was in my apartment. I didn't know what was going on with my life. I didn't know what was going on with my music career. I wasn't dropping music. I was just sitting there literally overthinking my entire life. That's where I got the name overthinking because it was just so honest and vulnerable. I feel like that's the best kind of music - when you're not only being real with yourself, you're being real with your audience. I really wanted to give people this piece of me because I feel that I haven't been as vulnerable in my other music. So, this is me putting it all out on the line for the first time.
TRUTUYOU : You recently dropped a visual on Instagram for ‘Overthinking’, what was your intention behind this?
ALLYN: That video was to show people what I overthink about because we all overthink about something. Even though I touch on it in the song I wanted ya’ll to hear it just from me. Just straight up. This is what I overthink about.
TRUTUYOU : What headspace do you want people to be in when they listen to Overthinking for the first time?
ALLYN: I just want people to feel like they're not alone. Some artists talk about getting money, bitches or niggas. Not everyone is talking about the things that they deal with and their inner demons. I want people to be like damn Allyn can talk about her shit so maybe I can deal with mine and talk about my shit too.
TRUTUYOU : When you listen to your project what does it do for you? What emotions does it bring up?
ALLYN: It shows my growth especially compared to my other music. I listen to my other music and it shows the space and life that I was in. If you listen to my other projects you can tell that maybe I was in a better space where I wasn't going through that much. In this project, it's like oh she's really going through something.
TRUTUYOU : What was the creative process behind recording the project like? Were there any challenges or memorable moments?
ALLYN: I was very uninspired. I was in my apartment by myself for a minute and it just kind of came out when it came out. For every song that you are going to hear on the project there wasn’t too much thought into it. Some people write a song and they have to go line by line and melody by melody. This just kind of flew out my mouth. It was just real natural.
TRUTUYOU : What is your favorite song on the EP? What does it mean for you personally?
ALLYN: My favorite song is “Temporary Feelings.” That song just resonates with me so much. Especially just in life because I've been learning lessons that not everyone is permanent. Some people are temporary and those feelings that you have of love or pain are temporary. The song is really about pain. People always say pain is temporary so I named it temporary feelings.
TRUTUYOU : How do you feel you've grown as both an artist and a woman throughout your musical journey?
ALLYN: When I first started doing music like two years ago, I didn't even know how to write a song. I didn't really know how to do anything. In my first project, every song I recorded was on there. I didn't record 50 songs and choose the best 8. I just recorded something and put it out. Musically wise, I can tell that I've grown. My writing has gotten better and my choice of melodies.
As a woman, I've matured and I can see that things are not always about me. I see the bigger picture in things. I'm able to be more transparent with my emotions and not just keep it in, because I'm the type of person that doesn't really like to talk about things but I'm more open to talking about them so that I can help someone else.
TRUTUYOU : Lastly, in your own words what does it mean to be true to self?
ALLYN: It just means being you, whatever that means for you. However you want to be that's you. For me, it's like no one can be Allyn, nobody can look like Allyn, and nobody can sound like Allyn. I don't compete with anybody. I just try to be the best version of myself.
ALLYN: When I first started doing music like two years ago, I didn't even know how to write a song. I didn't really know how to do anything. In my first project, every song I recorded was on there. I didn't record 50 songs and choose the best 8. I just recorded something and put it out. Musically wise, I can tell that I've grown. My writing has gotten better and my choice of melodies.
As a woman, I've matured and I can see that things are not always about me. I see the bigger picture in things. I'm able to be more transparent with my emotions and not just keep it in, because I'm the type of person that doesn't really like to talk about things but I'm more open to talking about them so that I can help someone else.
TRUTUYOU : Lastly, in your own words what does it mean to be true to self?
ALLYN: It just means being you, whatever that means for you. However you want to be that's you. For me, it's like no one can be Allyn, nobody can look like Allyn, and nobody can sound like Allyn. I don't compete with anybody. I just try to be the best version of myself.
THANK YOU, ALLYN! ︎
Listen to Allyn’s Overthinking EP Here
Trutuyou.