The album’s title, Au (the chemical symbol for gold) doesn’t just stand for value; it’s a pledge to stay golden in a world that often tries to dull your shine. Peyton began writing the music about her experiences and relationships as she entered her mid-twenties.

Au features co-production and instrumentation from Om’Mas Keith (Frank Ocean, John Legend, Jay-Z), along with guests Brian Alexander Morgan, Didda Joe and Sunni Colón. It follows her debut PSA, and her past collaborations with Steve Lacy, MadeinTYO and Sango. Peyton recently opened for Macy Gray in Houston and will announce more US shows soon!

We had a chat with Peyton all about the making of Au. Read the Q&A below.

Hi Peyton! How are you? What does a typical day look like for you at the moment?

“Honestly, I am feeling powerful. I start my day by saying a quick prayer, asking God to show me how great life can get, positive self-talk, going to the gym and working my day job, dreaming about traveling everywhere, and plotting on how I can meet Peypals worldwide. On a day I have free, I love to spend time with family and close friends. I do take time to spend alone, because self-reflection and quality time with self is how I learn myself more. Balance is very important for me.”

Absolutely, I couldn’t agree more. You have just released your new album Au. Please tell us about the themes you’ve explored on the record, what it means to you and what you hope fans take away from it.

“Au is about self-realization, acceptance of self and the world around me with grace, integrity and finding peace and the humor in what life has to offer. The title comes from the chemical symbol for gold, which felt fitting because this album is about being yourself with acceptance, gratitude, and self-love, which are principles that I believe are golden. The themes move between love, trials w/ lovers and friends, resilience, duality, and healing. It is me processing life over the past few years and sharing the message that emerged from taking a step back and realizing that although my experience is unique to me, but the situations I had faced were things anyone of any age or gender can relate to. I want my listeners to take away that they are already golden, already whole, even through the challenges.”

Please take us through your creative process for Au. Did you do anything different this time around compared with PSA? You worked with producer Shafiq Husayn on the project. What was that experience like and what have you learned from it/him?

“The process for Au was different in that I opened my eyes to freedom in trusting my artistic expression the first time. With PSA, I was very restrictive, overthought the process and because of this, I wasn’t able to capture the heart and essence of who I was. With Au, (with Shafiq’s help) I learned how to go with my gut and let the music write itself. Working with Shafiq Husayn was such a blessing. He has this way of creating environments where you feel safe to be vulnerable and try new things. I learned a lot about patience from him—letting a song breathe, trusting silence, and knowing that sometimes less really is more. He also encouraged me to dig deeper into my voice, not just technically, but emotionally.”

What was your favourite part of making Au? Did you face any challenges? How did you overcome them?

“My favorite part was hearing the songs evolve from small seeds into full compositions. Listening back on the first demos and then the very last master is completely mind blowing and almost hilarious. Just like our lives, with time and genuinity, something special can be born. There were no challenges making this album. The only thing considered is maybe the stubbornness of trusting the process, but I look at that more as a great lesson. I overcame it by leaning on my collaborators, praying, and reminding myself to enjoy the process instead of having doubts.”

Finally, what’s next for you? Do you have any plans for any shows? Are you working on further new music? Anything else you want to share?

“I am definitely planning shows around the release of Au because I cannot wait to share this music live with people. Performing has always been where the music feels most alive. I’m so excited to expand on this world I’ve created and to see how it evolves over time with my listeners. I want to continue building community with my Peypals, especially in my hometown of Houston, and keep expanding the spaces where people can experience my music.”

The post Getting To Know… Peyton appeared first on She Makes Music.

Peyton’s latest track ‘Answers’ was written after a man she connected with revealed he was married. Instead of shaming him, Peyton chose to take the conversation deeper. She asked him: “Are you sure you want to go this route? Because once you do, anything can happen”. She also questions her own position, asking herself “do I even want to be involved in something like this?”

After a period of personal change as she entered her mid-twenties, Peyton began writing about her experiences and relationships from a place of peace. For Au (the chemical symbol for gold) and her new track ‘Answers’, Peyton pledges to stay golden in a world that often tries to dull your shine. “I believe in taking the high road, in being golden.”

The post Peyton looks for ‘Answers’ on new track appeared first on She Makes Music.

Au (the chemical symbol for gold) doesn’t just stand for value; it’s a pledge to stay golden in a world that often tries to dull your shine. As Peyton entered her mid-twenties, she began writing about her experiences and relationships from a place of peace. “I’m not someone who believes in hurting [people] back,” she says. “I believe in taking the high road, in being golden.”

On Au, Peyton navigates betrayal, confusion, and disappointment. Her new track ‘Not Your Girl’ is a reclamation of power in the wake of being gaslit and cheated on, not by dramatizing pain but by calling it plainly: “If I was really your girl, you’d never treat me this way.” The song follows her single “Red Flags” and comes with a video which follows Peyton through Houston with a man she realizes isn’t capable of meeting her standards.

“I used to think I had to beg to be loved,” Peyton says. “Now I know that real love, romantic or not, feels natural and freeing. You don’t have to force it, and you definitely don’t have to shrink for it.” Being honest with yourself may be painful, but it’s also the most liberating thing you can do.

Au features co-production and instrumentation across the record from Om’Mas Keith (Frank Ocean, John Legend, Jay-Z), along with guests including Brian Alexander Morgan, Didda Joe and Sunni Colon. The album follows Peyton’s debut PSA in 2021, and her past collaborations with Steve Lacy, MadeinTYO and Sango. Her music has also featured on the TV shows Insecure, The Summer I Turned Pretty, Generations and Everything is Trash.

Au:

1. Eye Love (feat. Brian Alexander Morgan)
2. Answers
3. Genesis
4. Red Flags
5. I Can’t Stay Away (feat. Didda Joe)
6. New Leaves
7. Hard To Say
8. Love Your Signs
9. Fly High
10. Not Your Girl
11. Get Out Of Your Hair (feat. Sunni Colon)

The post Peyton announces forthcoming album Au with new track ‘Not Your Girl’ appeared first on She Makes Music.

“I wrote this song about someone that wasn’t a good friend to me despite what they portrayed themselves to be,” says Peyton. “There is a thin line between love and hate and the line could sometimes feel like obsession. I’m singing about their red flags but instead of being sad about the end of our friendship, I’m looking forward, and not dimming my light for anyone.”

The accompanying music video, directed by Cydney Boudreaux, explores the intense dynamics between Peyton and her “friend”, and sees the contrast between Peyton’s stage performance and her friend’s dark, twisted plotting.

The post Peyton is back with new single/video ‘Red Flags’ appeared first on She Makes Music.