Deja Carr is an 18 year old poet and musician. Born in Manhattan, she now calls Amherst, Massachusetts home. From age 12-17, Carr was the lead singer of “Who’da Funk it?,” the Pioneer Valley’s prized local female-driven band known for their genre bending music and now with a new project, she is taking the northeast by storm. Mal Devisa has shared spaces with many great performers and has been featured in many beloved spaces such as Afropunk and NPR. In the past year, Mal Devisa has blossomed following many tours, (including a 50-show tour to celebrate her eighteenth birthday,) her active and mesmerizing live performances, and a growing audience of loyal fans. With a sultry sound that slingshots between genres, Carr conjures up a live show you’d have to see to truly hear. In her music, Carr reflects on the realities and triumphs of her own life, all while critiquing and commenting on society at large.
What is your craft/career/creative expression:
Creative expression is my career. a.k.a. I am broke as a joke.
How long have you been working at your craft?
In first grade, I started writing poetry. A couple years later, I started singing and playing piano and age 12, a couple friends and I started a band following I.M.A. (Girls Rock Camp) in Goshen, Ma. It doesn’t really feel that like it’s been as long as it has. Mostly because it’s incredibly fun and constantly rewarding.
Why do you consider yourself a Black Weirdo?
I don’t know. I think a lot of aspects of Black culture celebrate the eccentric, the outspoken, the rawness of beauty. I hope that I can just be a vessel for those things to be seen/known/spoken/believed (to any extent)
What inspires you?
Too much. Bodies on stage inspire me. I’m also inspired by my mom, Nikki Carr, who’s an amazing comedienne and a fierce matriarch and my grandfather Bruno Carr who was an incredible Jazz drummer. I’m inspired by that weird feeling you get before the bass comes into a song. Also, the music people forget to pay attention to unless there’s a white boy singing it. There are really too many things to list. Recently, I’ve been really inspired by ideas of how to sustain movements and how to effectively change places around me and of course, the Black Lives Matter movement.
Who is your weird black muse? Too many to choose. Bahamadia, Stevie Wonder, Sun RA, Billie Holiday, DEATH and Meshell Ndegeocello are a couple and more recently Hannibal Buress, Allan Kingdom, Ibeyi, Christian Mcbride, The Skins, and my friends who are doing the d**n thing.
Links/Social Media:
http://maldevisa.bandcamp.com
https://twitter.com/maldevisa
https://www.facebook.com/MalDevisa
http://instagram.com/maldevisa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9FbVUre92g
http://www.afropunk.com/profiles/blogs/free-download-mal-devisa-s-atmospheric-indie-is-stunning-and
Upcoming events/ projects?
I’m recording an album right now. I am excited to be able to give people something I am excited about. I really don’t enjoy capturing moments as much as the next person.I am also doing lots of visual art and poetry and have some other ideas up my sleeve.