HIP HOP ARTIST LEIKELI 47 -WHY SHE WEARS MASKS?

Leikeli47 has been under the radar where interviews are concerned, too. What is known is that she’s a Brooklyn girl with a creative streak about six miles wide. And lately, that creative streak has been getting a lot of notice–a nod from Jay Z is a pretty big deal. The rap mogul recently made 47’s infectiously twerk-inducing anthem “F**k the Summer Up” number one on his Tidal playlist. And, after seeing a number of her high energy songs performed live at EDC, it’s understandable

So as far as shyness and the mask goes, we kind of understood you wearing it as something similar to what Margiela did early on with fashion. It seems like an intentional action that forces your audience to pay attention to your music without distraction. But since you were also shy, does it doubly work to help you feel more comfortable performing.

“It’s a beautiful thing because together, the name and my mask have allowed me to overcome all of these personal obstacles whilst protecting my inner, shy self. They make me more talkative and excited to meet people. Without them, I’m just an introverted homebody, too afraid to ever perform on stage,” she confesses. The mask also has the added benefit of protecting 47’s skin, which she says is “smooth like a baby’s,” ever since she started wearing it.

Apart from her dance-inducing beats (which she still writes and produces 100% on her own), and her clever lyrics (read the song Miss America), 47 puts her success down to her spiritual reverence for music, which is authentic in a way that can’t be faked. She’s not pretentious when talking about it, but her belief in what she’s doing and why she’s doing it as untainted and as close to pure as it gets. Our hunch is that this genuine regard for music as art is also why she’s already won the respect of so many of her own idols—and keeps it to boot. “I feel like I was born to do this,” she says. “Not in an egotistical way, but in a humble way. It’s a gift to be able to create and I feel blessed everyday. I don’t think that I’m all that, but I live for music and I’m forever grateful that people like what I do.”