Exclusive Track Premiere: ‘9 Months,’ Roxiny

PHOTO COURTESY OF KEITH MAJOR. 

After an extended period of silence and emotional turmoil, today, Roxiny, a Brooklyn-based singer, releases a new song, “9 Months,” exclusively below. The song’s title refers to what Roxiny herself called a “toxic romance” that, albeit traumatic, opened her up to the ubiquity of similar experiences. “As I was writing it I started finding inspiration outside myself—in the stories of my friends and other women who have lived through abusive relationships,” explains Roxiny. She admits that making the song helped her come to terms with her experience. “[My relationship] lasted nine months, and I thought there was something so powerful about that number,” she continues. “It was this sort of incubation period, and when I left him, in a strange way, I felt his power had died, and mine was born again.”

The songwriting process was not an easy one. “It took a long time,” she recalls. “I’d write lyrics here and there, the melody would come in fragments, but every time I’d try to piece it together, my throat would close up. I wasn’t ready to deal with my demons just yet.” Only upon teaming up with another Brooklyn-based musician, Sheare, for a writing session could Roxiny finally let go of bottled-up emotions and translate them into music. She says that in that moment she once again found her voice.

The cathartic force of “9 Months” reverberates through the song’s chorus as Roxiny reaches for higher notes singing, “You gotta keep her in the sun, keep her in the sun / You had me buried, buried alive nine months.” Roxiny plans to continue creating music in this vein of personal freedom and empowerment. “9 Months” is the first song that will appear on her EP Rituals (expected early 2018 via Revoluna), and listeners can expect similar themes throughout the record.

Roxiny also funnels her experience it into feminist politics by using “9 Months” to raise awareness about violence against women. In addition to promoting women’s health on social media, she created a T-shirt campaign in collaboration with the visual artist Dru Blumensheid, the proceeds of which support Planned Parenthood. After the onerous experience that led up to “9 Months” and the song’s gratifying release, Roxiny is committed to foregrounding honesty, vulnerability, and fearlessness in and beyond her music.

FOR MORE ON ROXINY, VISIT HER WEBSITE.