Sweet Taboo – No Scrubs

By starrymag | January 17, 2022

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

Jen: Our sound is a mix of R&B, Hip-Hop, Pop with some Latin flavors. We take inspiration from our Latin culture and implement that in our music.

The songs we write have a little bit of English and a little bit of Spanish and a whole lotta Boss bitch. [winks]

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

Jen: I grew up listening to a lot of soulful powerhouses like Whitney Houston, Christina Aguilera and Selena Quintanilla. I found inspiration through Motown music as well and studied riffs, runs and harmonies from the greats.

Right now, my favorite artists are Jazmine Sullivan, Billie Eilish and Giveon.

Sami: I listened to a lot of JLo, Shakira and Rihanna growing up. Their music and performances made me want to be a singer.

I still remember the first time I saw a JLo music video – I was in awe! Now, I love Doja Cat, Ashnikko and Bad Bunny.

ICP Bre: My rap influences are definitely Lil Wayne and Too Short. Growing up I really connected with their lyrics and flow.

Women in rap are killing it right now and I’m loving Meg Thee Stallion, BIA and Mulatto.

Q) What made you decide to cover the iconic TLC song “No Scrubs?”

Sami: We all LOVE TLC!! They changed the game for women in music and continue to be an inspiration for us.

It was an honor to cover “No Scrubs” and we wanted to show our respects the best way we know-how.

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?

ICP Bre: Because nobody wants a Scrub, DUH! LOL. “No Scrubs” is a song a lot of women can relate to. The message behind the song is timeless.

Q) How did you put your own spin on this special song?

Jen: We wanted to keep our rendition true to the original. We gave it our own spin by adding a live band and creating a more acoustic version.

Q) You covered the track for the Grammys series “Reimagined at Home.” What did this honor mean to you?

Sami: It meant the world to us! Being asked to cover a TLC song by Grammy.com is an insane opportunity. We received so much love from our fans and made some new ones too!

Q) When it comes to your own music, what is your songwriting process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?

Sami: We usually write to tracks that we connect with, and we love to collaborate with other writers as well.

ICP Bre: Yeah – but for our single “Lil Bit,” the hook came before we had any music! I asked the girls if I needed more lipstick one day and they said, “Just A Little Bit” and we started chanting it joking around and couldn’t get the phrase “Lil Bit” out of our heads and wrote a song around it. So, it depends on how we’re feeling that day! [laughs]

Q) How much of hand do you have in the production of your music?

ICP Bre: We’ve collaborated with some FIRE producers! We’ve cut songs with Malay, Keith Harris, Jason Evigan, Sebastian Cole and Off Da Grid.

Jen: It’s important that we give our creative input on every song. We work as a team with our producers, so all our music is authentic to who we are.

Q) Your music has blown up on TikTok. Will there be a full album or EP coming in the near future?

All: YES!!

Sami: We love TikTok and have so much fun with our videos and having people discover our music there is amazing!

Jen: We are currently working on our EP and will be dropping a new single in early 2022! Be on the lookout y’all!

Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you?

Sami: We were about to do a bunch of shows but then COVID hit and the world shut down. We improvised and kept performing our covers on our IG and TikTok for our fans. We did it all from home!

ICP Bre: Right now, we are starting back in rehearsals, working on our live show and can’t wait to hit the stage!

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

Sami: There are so many artists we would die to collab with! But for me, hands down, Bad Bunny!!

Jen: Ariana Grande!

ICP Bre: Meg Thee Stallion for sure!

Q) What album/band are you currently listening to and why do you dig them? 

Jen: I’m on a throwback vibe right now and have been listening to Christina Aguilera’s Stripped album on repeat! Those vocals give me life!

Sami: Planet Her by Doja Cat. Every song SLAPS!

ICP Bre: For Certain by BIA is my jam. She’s so badass and writes in English and Spanish, which really inspires me.

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

ICP Bre: Social media has made it possible for us to connect with our fans across the world. It’s crazy to see comments from Germany, Brazil, Mexico and India. It’s such a global community.

Jen: We are so grateful to have a platform to express who we are and what we stand for. We want to spread women’s empowerment and acceptance to everyone that comes across our social platforms.

It’s important to us that we set an example of loving yourself and spreading love!

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

Jen: We love and appreciate you so much! All the support you have been showing us doesn’t go unnoticed.

ICP Bre: You inspire us to keep grinding and working hard to create art for ya’ll.

Sami: Thank you so much for riding with us on this journey. We can’t wait to release more music for you!