BIA delivered her long-awaited debut album BIANCA final Friday (October 10) by means of Epic Records, marking a decade-long journey since signing with Pharrell Williams’ I Am Other label.

The Massachusetts-bred rapper selected strategic timing over fast momentum, regardless of alternatives following her Billboard Hot 100 prime 20 collaboration “Whole Lotta Money” remix with Nicki Minaj.

The 16-track mission showcases BIA’s versatility throughout a number of genres. She faucets into her Latin heritage on “Hard Way” that includes Becky G, which samples Shakira’s “Hips Don’t Lie.”

The album additionally options collaborations with Denzel Curry, Ty Dolla $ign and Young Miko, whereas tracks like “October” spotlight her vocal vary as she transforms into “R&BIA.”

“They’re kind of figuring out how we can work together and be our truest, most authentic self,” BIA informed music/rb-hip-hop/bia-bianca-album-cardi-b-feud-1236089798/”>Billboard about merging her rap persona together with her authorized identify Bianca. “Sometimes our flaws, or sometimes like things that are most forward about us, or the most vulnerable things — those are all the things I put into a blender with this album, and I wanted to feel super authentic and relatable.”

Many anticipated BIA to make use of BIANCA to reply to Cardi B’s current disses on “Pretty & Petty” from her AM I THE DRAMA? mission. However, BIA intentionally prevented attaching unfavourable power to her debut effort.

“If I was to ever address it again, I would never attach it to my album, because this is a beautiful body of work that I believe in,” she said. “I wouldn’t want to disservice this and overshadow it with noise or negativity.”

When pressed about potential future responses to Cardi B, BIA remained measured in her method. “I think if this was me a year ago, I would’ve went [back at her] in 24 hours, but I think now where I’m at is such a beautiful place. I’m way more intentional with my music, and what I’m putting out.”

The feud originated from inventive similarities between totally different initiatives, in line with BIA.

“There were similarities between different things in the creative. And when I responded to the tweet, acknowledging it, she came aggressively, calling me, trying to bully me,” BIA defined.

Regarding the “Whole Lotta Money” controversy, BIA clarified her writing contributions after Cardi B talked about receiving a reference observe.

“The reference that she’s speaking of is the part ‘it’s a whole lot of money,’ and maybe a verse. I wrote the first verse on that song, and the hook, ‘I put on my jewelry just to go to the bodega,’” BIA stated. “So I’m so glad you clarified that, because there would be no ‘Whole Lotta Money’ if there was no, ‘I put on my jewelry just to go to the bodega.’”

BIA additionally revealed particulars about unreleased collaborations with Ariana Grande, together with “Esta Noche” which confronted clearance points, and “More” which appeared on Grande’s Sweetener album.

She praised Grande’s work ethic, noting: “I’ve seen Ariana comp her own vocals. I always tell people that, because that was crazy to me. That’s a different level of taking your artistry into your own hands.”

The album represents BIA’s evolution from her early EPs For Certain and Really Her, incorporating songs recorded over a number of years that lastly discovered their correct house.

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