Queen Naija recently went on Rap Radar Podcast to speak about her newest EP, After The Butterflies, the tie between her project, “Butterflies,” and “Butterflies Pt. 2,” and more.
On Dec. 1, Queen Naija sat down with Rap Radar Podcast’s very own Elliott Wilson and Brian ‘B.Dot’ Miller. The three spoke about various topics, from Queen Naija’s creative process behind some of her singles and projects to her experiences on tour and working with artists like NBA YoungBoy.
Three minutes into the interview, however, Queen Naija spoke about her 2017 single “Butterflies” and 2020 record, “Butterflies Pt. 2” after Miller asked the singer if they inspired After The Butterflies.
“They do. I wrote ‘Butterflies’ when I was freshly falling in love with my current partner, and when I say the feeling was so, it was just so new and fresh, especially coming from a toxic relationship,” Naija revealed.
“Then ‘Butterflies Pt. 2’ came two years later. I wrote that song and was still in a great space. It had been some ups and downs, but like you know, I was in a good space.”
She continued: “I feel like I am a butterfly. I love them, and I love how they develop, so this is the reason why I named the EP After The Butterflies: I thought it was clever. After The Butterflies signifies what happens after the honeymoon phase or when things in the relationship start hitting the fan or get a little ugly. That’s what relationships are. It’s like good, bad and ugly. The challenging times.”
In their discussion, the singer also revealed the significance behind a particular line from “Self Love.”
In the Tamia-sampled song, Naija sings “Tried to please everybody around me, it consumed my days.“
She said, “I’m a people pleaser, and that’s not just in relationships. That’s with family and friends and everybody around me. I’m just trying to make everybody happy to the point where I don’t have anything left for myself, and it’s tough trying to make everybody happy. I’ve struggled with that since I was a little girl. Even in school, like growing up, I was just trying. I still struggle with that, but I’m getting better now.”
