Singer-songwriter Cheyenne Elliott, the granddaughter of Dionne Warwick, and cousin of the late Whitney Houston, has continued the famous singers’ musical legacy. Even with her musical bloodline, Elliott paves her own creative path of authenticity with her sultry single “Sugar Cane” and upcoming EP. She shares her journey of finding herself and finding her voice.
Singing is in your blood, no doubt, but did you always know that was what you were destined to do?
It sounds very cliche, but yes, there’s nothing I could see myself doing other than music. But I feel so blessed and lucky that I get to wake up and be excited to do this every day, not just a passion or a hobby, but as a living.
Did it ever become overwhelming being from a family of musical greats?
In my early teens, trying to fill those shoes was a big deal and I kind of always looked at it in that way. Now that I’m in my 20s, I would like to think that I know who I am as a woman more than ever. And I’m thankful that my [mindset] has shifted so I don’t have to fill the shoes. I think authenticity is what people and fans love, they don’t want to see you try to be someone you’re not, so I think that me [finding] my own lane, and sound is really what’s going to resonate with the people that support me.
In addition to singing, you also write. How long have you been writing?
Writing, poetry, and spoken word have always been a big passion of mine. My dad is an amazing songwriter, he really inspires me, he wrote “Here and Now” for Luther Vandross. So on this project, all of the songs on the upcoming EP, I wrote with co-writers.
What message are you looking to share with your fans on this upcoming EP?
So the EP, the first single is called “Sugar Cane,” and the EP is going to be called Pages. And basically, the theme behind it is going to be journal-style. A journal about love, relationships, life, family, growing up, and mental health, each song kind of sends out a different message about a point in my life that I’ve gone through, and just the different variations that collide within day-to-day life and how I feel I can express them. I’m really proud of the work and I think that each song gives something different. And I think that men and women will be able to hopefully listen and really understand what I’m saying.
What is next for you?
To just keep rocking with the single and then this upcoming EP, and hopefully just drop it and go big. I’m just really excited, this is … a labor of love for me and I hope people can really get a sense of who I am through the music and connect back to themselves.
