LOS ANGELES (AP) — GloRilla has gone from choir woman to husky-voiced rap queen, climbing the hip-hop ranks so excessive that she’s earned a visit to the White Home.
The Memphis-born performer has develop into certainly one of trade’s most promising voices together with her real character, rap circulation and unmistakable Southern drawl. She established herself this 12 months as a confirmed hitmaker with “Wanna Be” that includes Megan Thee Stallion and the breakout hit “Yeah Glo!,” which earned two nominations on the upcoming Grammys.
The rapper’s mentality this 12 months has been to “put your foot on the gas and don’t let up,” she informed The Related Press.
In 2024 alone, she’s been a visitor performer on the home leg of Megan’s Scorching Woman Summer time Tour, gaining extra confidence performing in sold-out arenas. She’s carried out at a star-studded social gathering in entrance of celebrities starting from Leonardo DiCaprio to Kim Kardashian, and met with President Joe Biden throughout a ladies’s historical past month occasion.
All of this got here earlier than the October launch of her critically acclaimed debut album “Glorious,” whose “TGIF” had Rihanna dancing in a social media put up, incomes GloRilla a spot as one of many AP’s Breakthrough Entertainers of 2024.
“Don’t ever get too comfortable,” stated the rapper, who burst onto the hip-hop scene in 2022 with “Tomorrow” and the Grammy-nominated “F.N.F. (Let’s Go).” “Take advantage of everything that comes your way. If you drive and apply yourself, it’s going to happen.”
GloRilla’s humble beginnings served as a driving drive to chase larger horizons. Born Gloria Hallelujah Woods (the stage identify was a cousin’s suggestion), the 25-year-old credit her mom and her church-centered upbringing for making ready her for this pivotal second in her life.
“My momma always told me to be humble and grateful,” she stated. “I come from nothing almost. My mom is well mannered. My mom taught us right, like, internally, have a great spirit. My personality and spirit come from my momma.”
GloRilla remains to be adjusting to her rising fame whereas coping with some controversies. She was left “heartbroken” after three ladies have been killed in a lethal stampede towards the top of a 2023 live performance in upstate New York during which investigators discovered no felony wrongdoing. She confronted backlash for utilizing a disability-related slur in her lyrics and was charged with drunken driving in Georgia this 12 months.
Regardless of that, her profile has grown in latest months to develop into certainly one of rap’s greatest names — due to one thing rapper Yo Gotti noticed when he signed her to his Collective Music Group label in 2022.
“It’s the authenticity,” stated Yo Gotti, a fellow Memphis native. “Even when she talks about the struggles throughout this journey, it’s refreshing. I don’t think many artists do that. Everybody wants to play perfect. I think that’s why so many people gravitate to her. She relates to real people.”
Whereas she enjoys snapping photographs with followers, she opts for incognito mode on her extra informal days: “I don’t like to tell people ‘No.’ I don’t want to be mean to my fans. That’s probably the worst part. I hate taking pictures when I’m not prepared.”
Looking for a profession position mannequin, GloRilla usually examines the work ethic of Beyoncé, who known as the rapper certainly one of her favourite younger artists.
“She’s a businesswoman. She multitasks a lot,” she stated. “That’s something I have to get better at. She’s a super hard worker. Her work ethic is crazy.”
GloRilla might comply with Beyoncé’s footsteps as an actor. Since childhood, she’s dreamed of starring in a movie or TV present — although she’s bracing herself for the marathon days on set that include it.
“Think I’m still going to do it,” she stated. “But I’m not going to lie. When I’m on those music video sets, I be like ‘I don’t know if I can do acting.’ I can only imagine how many times I got to say the script and memorize in my head. I don’t know. … But I’m going to still try it.”
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For extra on AP’s 2024 class of Breakthrough Entertainers, go to https://apnews.com/hub/ap-breakthrough-entertainers
