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After releasing four EPs, numerous singles, countless collaborations, and earning two Grammy nominations, Saweetie admits she still gets "jitters" with every new track. "I get nervous with every release. I can't help it," the 30-year-old Bay Area rapper told People, promoting her new partnership with Postmates and The Boiling Crab. "I get the jitters, I can't sleep at night, and I feel like I'm sharing such an intimate piece of myself because it's created in the studio, and then you share it with the world."
Despite her success and fan-approved hits like her latest single "Nani," the two-time Grammy-nominated artist says that nervous feeling "just never goes away." Reflecting on the track's reception — which she teased in March and released on Friday, May 17 — the "Icy Grl" star is "really grateful" for how quickly listeners embraced it.
"This is the first time I felt there was a consensus that it's a good song," Saweetie shares, aiming to evoke the feeling of "a fun, cool summer day with your family or friends." She adds, "I didn't have to do much fighting online, even the haters were congratulating me. They just had to give credit where it's due."
She continues, "It was a great moment. All artists appreciate when their art is well-received."
Looking ahead to her next set of songs, which she's already previewed for her record label, Saweetie promises more summertime anthems, freestyle bars, and more. "There's definitely a lot more singing," she reveals. "Some songs are straight bars, others are more vulnerable about personal experiences. With every song, you get to know me better, and I'm excited to share that with my fans."
Saweetie is still taking her time with her long-awaited debut album, Pretty B.I.T.C.H Music, initially expected in summer 2021. She explains, "That first album sets the tone for your career. I've taken my time because it's delicate, sensitive, and means a lot to me."
"It's our duty as artists to take this art seriously," she adds. "Not many people get this platform. I'm grateful to have the chance to make a globally recognized name for myself. I still have a lot of work to do, but with time to reflect and grow as a human, a woman, and an artist, I'm ready to share my stories."
Saweetie, a self-proclaimed "student of the game," has been studying storytelling from icons like JAY-Z. "The other day, I listened to a bunch of JAY-Z albums," she recalls. "When I wrote my freestyle car raps, I listened to a lot of JAY-Z. My favorite album is probably The Blueprint because beyond the bars, you got to know the man from New York who went from the block to a businessman."
With her forthcoming album, Saweetie hopes to similarly introduce herself: "the girl from the Bay who went to college, is self-made, beat the odds, got signed, and put out music; who's been doubted but still perseveres."
"I've been through so much, and I'm figuring out how to tell that story through this album," the Single Life rap artist continues. "At first, I was private, like, 'Let me not share too much.' But listening to great albums like The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, The Blueprint, and Kanye West's Graduation, you really got to know those artists. I want the world to get to know Saweetie better."
