Rolling Stone magazine has referred to Libianca as “the afro-soul siren who can do anything” because of her astounding voice, which is warm, lyrical, and varied.
When Libianca was 21 years old, she dazzled the judges on the US talent competition The Voice, and the fact that she did not win shocked many people as well as Libianca herself:
Quote Message: I’m a very competitive person. I don’t like to lose. So, when I got eliminated I was like: ‘I was doing so good on this show and I didn’t win? Are you serious! Something’s wrong!’ I didn’t see what purpose The Voice was serving at the time. But God knew because fast-forward a year later – I’m able to perform in any setting that I am put in because of that experience.”
I’m a very competitive person. I don’t like to lose. So, when I got eliminated I was like: ‘I was doing so good on this show and I didn’t win? Are you serious! Something’s wrong!’ I didn’t see what purpose The Voice was serving at the time. But God knew because fast-forward a year later – I’m able to perform in any setting that I am put in because of that experience.”
Not winning did Libianca’s career no harm at all. A year later she released her smash hit People which she tells me changed her life overnight:
Quote Message: I wake up in the morning and things have just flipped over, what’s going on? But with time I understood it’s the lyrics that speak more than anything. If I was talking about anything that a bunch of songs already talk about, it probably would have done good, but not as good as what it’s doing now.”
I wake up in the morning and things have just flipped over, what’s going on? But with time I understood it’s the lyrics that speak more than anything. If I was talking about anything that a bunch of songs already talk about, it probably would have done good, but not as good as what it’s doing now.”
The latest development in the story of People is that it’s been jumped on by none other than Ayra Starr and Omah Leh, two of the best voices in Afrobeats.
The lyrics of the song were inspired by Libianca’s personal experience with depression. She hasn’t had it easy. She’s been diagnosed with cyclothymia, a mood disorder, and wrote People when she was not coping well. It’s a cry for help that has clearly resonated with many people.
Libianca also told me about having to be uprooted from the US aged four because her mother was being threatened with deportation, then settling in Bamenda, Cameroon until her teens. The family then moved back to Minnesota, and the young Libianca had to adjust again:
Quote Message: It was a culture shock. Not everybody looked like me. I think when you move away you get to appreciate where you come from because everyone communicates just the way you do so it’s easy to be heard and understood right away.”
It was a culture shock. Not everybody looked like me. I think when you move away you get to appreciate where you come from because everyone communicates just the way you do so it’s easy to be heard and understood right away.”
But Libianca got stuck in, with music as her constant companion:
Quote Message: I always had a piano in my room, then I started playing guitar in middle school, music was what kept me going, like, everything can change but music was always the constant in my life.”
I always had a piano in my room, then I started playing guitar in middle school, music was what kept me going, like, everything can change but music was always the constant in my life.”
Libianca’s combination of feisty self-belief and honesty about her vulnerability seems to be a winning one when it comes to making it in the music industry. She’s now been signed to 5K Records, a subsidiary of Sony, and is living her best life:
Quote Message: You see this wig I have on right now? I didn’t spend a dime. It’s 40inch! I didn’t spend a dime! I like when they spoil me every now and then.”
You see this wig I have on right now? I didn’t spend a dime. It’s 40inch! I didn’t spend a dime! I like when they spoil me every now and then.”
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