Woven In Professing

Mariah Fortune-Johnson aka Woven In has always been someone I look up to and admire in the music scene. The first time I saw her perform at Punk Mess in Savannah I was absolutely smitten and in awe. The grit, the confidence, the dark vibe she exudes is mesmerizing. She has moved to so many cities and conquered them all with her versatile voice and addicting riffs. Throughout the years her music has evolved and shifted, but the dark gothic feeling remains. She has gone from being in bands, cycling many drummers to using her baritone guitar to perform solo with her synth and samples. Mariah is an unstoppable force of fervent fire, she started a DIY venue at the beginning of the year called CatBody which has since dissolved during the pandemic. Now her efforts focus on her crowdsourcing fund, Black Creatives Redistribution Fund (Black CR Fund), dispersing money to Black creatives via donations. Friday August 21st she released her ninth album Profess a winding tunnel of dark-wave dance that entrances and seduces. She has cassettes and usb drives with the album readily available now!! Preorders for the vinyl are also up! Mariah graciously let me interview her!! I suggest listening to the album while reading this interview and buying all her merch!

Elaina Valore: Hey Woven In!! How have you been lately?? How does it feel to release this new album Profess?!?

Woven In: I feel good. I need a backrub. I have been working a lot, but other than that I am happy and thriving. To release Profess is the perfect closure I needed to many circumstances that happened over the previous months.

EV: What were some things you were going through/thinking/feeling while recording this album? 

WI: I started this album in 2019. Accumulating sounds not really with a particular goal in mind. I experienced a break up, my Grandma passed away, and senseless killings of unarmed Black people fueled me to make something out of all these emotions. Those collected sounds became puzzle pieces and the framework to express what I was feeling. There was  no outlet other than music being that Coronavirus had pretty much shut down outdoors.

EV: What are some of your favorite kinks???

WI: Anything sensual, not so much painful. Well a lil pain is ok. Costumes, leather, restraint, power exchange that kinda stuff. Can we just pause to appreciate the smell of leather.

EV: How have you been navigating the pandemic?

WI: Working full-time at a job I clock-in.

Working full-time on my various projects at home.

EV: It was really hard for me to choose my favorite songs from the album, but I think my three favorites are “Sad For The Season”, “Another Lover”, and “Stage”. What are some of your personal favorites from the album and what was the process of writing them?

WI: Another lover and Upsetting ...um it's hard to kinda pinpoint how Another Lover came about. I was messing around on my synthesizer and recorded the background, then weeks later did the foreground synth line and drum track. Then a few days later the music told me what to say.

EV: What would you like to profess to the people reading this?

WI: If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem.

EV: If you could pick any celebrity to collaborate with who would it be??

WI: Kanye West

EV: What would your perfect date be? What qualities are you looking for in a partner?

WI: One where I don't have to plan the perfect date.

Qualities: Self-reliant. Good-looking. Obedient. Trusting.

EV: Has Baltimore become home for you? What are some things you love about Baltimore? Some things you dislike?

WI: I like being in a city that is majority Black. It's not that common in the USA. There's a lot of Black-owned businesses to support. There's a lot of creative, well-dressed people and also spaces that are away from people too. Food is good.

EV: Can you tell us more about Black CR Fund and how people can donate?

WI: So I'm currently working on the website, but you can follow the instagram page at BlackCRFund.

I use the funds to pay Black creatives for their art and creations AND I pay creators outright for existing. This initiative showcases our talents because our art matters.

Paypal: Blackcrfund@yahoo.com

EV: How was your experience running CatBody? What were some favorite shows in the space? Will CatBody ever return?

WI: Fun, but overwhelming. Catbody may return, but revamped.

EV: Any life hacks/tips/tricks you have learned in your lifetime?

WI: 50/50 baking soda and fresh squeezed lemon juice for a facial.

EV: How can white people step up and better serve/support the Black community?

WI: Stick to the area they love. If a person is an artist, use their art to fund Black initiatives. Take a back seat. Speak less on Black issues and learn more about the historical hatred of Blacks. Instill reoccurring reparations without pride.

EV: Do you have hope? What are some things that give you hope?

WI: Oh yes! Waking up everyday gives me hope to love more and be loved.

Buy all her merch!!!

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