CLAY is one of the rising stars we’re excited about here at Just Jared, and we want our readers to get an exclusive chance to get to know her even better.
The San Francisco-raised, LA-based singer-songwriter (she/they) debuted their new song “WTSGD” (When The Sun Goes Down) with Alessia Cara on Wednesday (March 2), off of her upcoming EP, Breathing Into Bloom, out on May 4.
The song was produced by CLAY and Alessia, with additional production by Yakob.
“‘When the Sun Goes Down’ is an honest exploration of what it feels like to struggle with your mental health. The night time often being the hardest. Amidst the sadness, the final line provides a glimmer of hope to hold onto, ‘no matter how dark it gets, just as the sun does set it too must rise,’” CLAY says of the track, which follows January’s release, “ARTERY.”
CLAY – who draws inspiration from the likes of Erykah Badu, Paul Simon, and Lauryn Hill – has also been making waves on streaming, garnering over 140,000 monthly listeners.
Listen to “WTSGD” and check out 10 Fun Facts about CLAY inside…
1. I am 6 feet tall (and have big feet to match, size 11 to be exact).
2. Something I could eat anytime, anywhere, in any mood is a tequeño. My bestie is Venezuelan and introduced me to them (my life is forever changed haha)!
3. I sang at the inauguration of Barack Obama with the San Francisco Girls Chorus in 2008. It was an unbelievable experience I’ll never forget.
4. We (the San Francisco Girls Chorus) also won a grammy for Best Choral Performance for our work with the San Francisco Symphony on Mahler: Symphony no 8.
5. I will do (almost) anything for a laugh.
6. My face is shockingly malleable. My friends used to tell me I can turn from human to cartoon in .5 seconds.
7. My friends know not to chew gum around me because *misophonia*
8. When I first dyed my hair purple, I was going from jet black and I bleached my hair so intensely I had to get a pixie cut. It was fun though!
9. My dad is a hair stylist so I grew up in his hair salon. I met people from all walks of life, heard life stories and learned what chosen family looked and felt like. It shaped me into who I am today.
10. My favorite flower is a sunflower and I am absolutely obsessed. Not just because of their breathtaking beauty but their resilience and positivity… following the sun throughout the day…
