For Momo Boyd, singing isn’t a career choice or a coordinated hobby—it’s an autonomic function. Growing up as the seventh of nine children in the musically gifted Boyd family, she explains that she didn’t even realize “not singing” was an option. “I didn’t even know that there was such a thing as not singing,” she recalls. “That’s how much it was ingrained in my family life and family culture.” As she moves from the collective success of Infinity Song into her own solo ventures, it is clear that her artistry is rooted in this lifelong immersion, described by Boyd as being “the same as breathing.”
As she steps into a bold new era, Boyd is proving that her voice is defined by much more than just family tradition. In a candid conversation with Danielle Wright, she opened up about her journey from a household filled with gospel and jazz to finding her own “vintage-alternative” identity. It is a transition marked by a shift from the collective harmony of her siblings to a singular, defiant creative language. Boyd notes that while the group requires compromise to “work out in harmony,” her solo work is a space where she is “really just doing what I want.”
Central to this evolution is Boyd quest for Black Freedom, the right to exist outside of the boxes the industry often tries to place on Black women. “I’m really, really, really obsessed with the idea of Black freedom and in a way allowing ourselves and allowing each other to just be,” she explains. Whether she is collaborating with heavyweights like Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar or performing at the legendary Blue Note, her philosophy remains the same: stop chasing perfection and start doing what you were made to do.
Ahead, Boyd discusses the “positive habit cycles” that fueled her solo work, her obsession with creative autonomy, and why the stage remains her ultimate reward.
GU: What made you want to get into singing, and were there any artists that you looked up to that made you want to go full force with it?
Momo Boyd: I just grew up singing before I even really understood. It was ingrained in my family life and culture; it was the same as breathing. But as I became a preteen, I started gravitating towards my individual influences. My parents played the icons—Earth, Wind & Fire, Marvin Gaye, Cece Winans. But on my own terms, I fell in love with Ms. Lauryn Hill, Donny Hathaway, Ella Fitzgerald, Erykah Badu, and Jill Scott. I loved how they could make their emotions be felt by the listener. That emotional way of singing really imprinted on me early on.
GU: Looking back at the success of “The Haters Anthem,” how do you and your siblings challenge each other in the studio? What is your metric for excellence?
Momo Boyd: It’s ever-changing. What felt good a few years ago recording Metamorphosis is not even close to what feels good now. We’re getting older and our tastes are more defined. It’s often an unspoken reach towards a higher standard. We just want to be better than we’ve ever been sonically and lyrically. None of us are comfortable; we’re always trying to push it for ourselves.
GU: How has your relationship with your own voice changed now that you’re releasing music solo as Momo?
Momo Boyd: For American Love Song, I had been wanting to do something solo for a while, but I kept talking myself out of it. I wondered if anyone would care. But there’s something special about joining the conversation from wherever you are, even if it feels “homemade.” Once you do it once, you create a “positive habit cycle.” You create a new pathway in your brain that shows you’re capable. Now, I fear less whether people will care; I’m just honed in on work that is authentic to me.
GU: When you are writing for yourself versus the group, do you find yourself accessing a different vault of emotions?
Momo Boyd: The best writing is just honest. I’ll always write a song first, and then after it’s written, I determine where it fits. “Haters Anthem” was extremely honest, but I didn’t write it specifically for the band or myself—I just wrote how I was feeling. I try to approach every song as me expressing myself, and then I worry about where it’s going to go afterward.
GU: You recently worked with Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar on “Good Flirts.” What was the most surprising thing you learned about your versatility in that hip-hop space?
Momo Boyd: I was surprised at how natural it felt. I’ve always been the girl with the guitar and the cowboy boots—a more retro, personal style that is different than what you typically see in R&B or hip-hop. I was happy that the PG Lang camp has similar creative philosophies: keeping it simple, authentic, and timeless. They liked my natural makeup and hair. It felt like a perfect collaboration because I didn’t have to shape-shift.
GU: If you were to write a non-fiction book right now that had nothing to do with music, what topic are you most obsessed with?
Momo Boyd: I’m obsessed with the idea of Black freedom allowing ourselves and each other to just be. People think I only like certain music or styles, but I admire anyone who steps outside of a box. I love JT because she has a commitment to doing what she wants, whether it’s perceived as “weird” or “quirky.” There are so many boxes used to limit Black women. I’m interested in that freedom to create and walk out of the house however you want.
GU: What is one thing about your artistic language that is completely different from the rest of the Boyd family?
Momo Boyd: Being one of the youngest, I’m number seven of nine, I think I have a certain defiance or stubbornness. In the band, we have to compromise to fit into the harmony. With my solo music, I’m really just doing what I want. I can be really girly, or really sad and emotional. It’s an outlet where I can cater to my own personal taste while still benefiting from my siblings’ genius in our collaborative space.
GU: Any details you can spill on the upcoming tour?
Momo Boyd: The stage is the biggest reward. All the work you do in the studio determines how many people show up and how comfortable you feel performing. We’re doing the Blue Note at the end of April, which will be our first two dates. There’s going to be lots of new music and new energy. I’m so excited.