bodysuit, shoes, and jewelry available at [Ivan Bitton Style House](http://www.ivanbitton.com).
[Iconika X-Rated](https://www.instagram.com/iconikaxrated/) has worn several wigs in her career, during her cool girl moment as Phlo Finister serving up a 90s Aaliyah vibe to the mod persona that transpired after with her twiggy blonde pixie Youth Quake moment. The chameleon like musician came to her own as a sexually liberated Iconika X-Rated fiery orange day glow hair which brought to questions was she a villain or a superhero. Either way, the performance was well equipped with an effective drawl which showcased sensuality and lust in the thicket of deep bass and a motif of isolated electric guitars. With her latest work coming out _X Rated_ the artist is fusing all her identities into one
**I want to start off by asking you about _X Rated_, the second album off the X-Rated Trilogy. It came out October 21st, and how have the past few weeks been since its release?**
We had the release on October 21st, but we’ve actually taken it down from streaming platforms because we’re going back in to remaster the album. There were some discrepancies with the mixing and mastering on how it was going to sound. I think it’s going to sound totally different and new. It’ll be the same sound everyone heard, just more refined.
**How has that sound changed from _Indecent Exposure_?**
A lot! I feel like with _Indecent Exposure_ it was more up-tempo, very consistent, a little R&B, a bit of a new-wave trap sound. With this new music it has more of a classic sound with the rock and roll.
bodysuit and jewelry available at [Ivan Bitton Style House](http://www.ivanbitton.com).
**Which definitely plays into that look you go for being inspired by youthquake and Edie Sedgwick.**
Yeah, like getting back to that classic rock sound. I love that. But still crazy though, because you have the hip hop influence. That’s why I have to make sure this release is perfect, because everyone is going to have it forever.
**Exactly! You want it sound sound exactly how it should.**
It took three years to get it into the right place. We spent a year writing it, then a year producing it, and then a year mixing it. So we’ve spent a lot of time on it. More time than _Indecent Exposure_. That was just something I did for fun, and it really helped me get back into my craft. So this one makes you feel like you’re on a trip. Like you’re driving somewhere, but you don’t know where you’re going.
**Down an endless road.**
Yeah! It’s almost like a rabbit hole too.
**I’m curious as to what we can expect from the third record on the X Rated trilogy, _XXX_. Is it going to follow the progression you’ve been going in with Iconika?**
I’m glad you’re asking about the final record! I’m about to start finishing the writing up. I’ve been writing it since the beginning of making _Indecent Exposure_. It definitely has that evolution of sound where you start somewhere, and it keeps evolving into what it’s supposed to be in the end. That’s the treat. I’m always leaving clues on different records that lead us into the final record. I want people to still hear little tastes of the sound like “Trap Fantasy” and before that there was the “Wild Bitch Show” which has a different tone to it than all of my other music. But that’s for a reason.
bodysuit, shoes, and jewelry available at [Ivan Bitton Style House](http://www.ivanbitton.com).
**Because you’ve known where it’s been going this whole time.**
Exactly! I felt musically it was a journey I had to tell and live through. I’m so excited about the next record. I’m going to be finishing writing it this winter, producing it next year. That’ll be a faster release because I’ve already been working on all of the songs.
**We’ve been talking about the progression of Iconika, but how has it differed from Phlo Finister?**
It’s changed a lot. I took a step away from the artist that I was and have just focused on my songwriting. I started spending way more time on production with my partner, William James Edwards. We started to produce everything together, bringing some people in to collaborate, but it’s mostly us so that it stays consistent.
**What is it like being a female artist in the industry, especially working with a partner?**
I always feel like I’m in the boys club. I’m so eager to be part of the production and working with guys. I feel like I connect with that tone more than a more femenine tone. I’m so much about the production and how we build out the tracks and having that writing that makes it sound perfect. That’s how I navigate it. By staying focused on what I’m doing, I get to make those opportunities for the people around me. If you’re hard, there’s no denying it. If I’m in a room of guys, nine times out of ten, everyone’s going to listen to me, because they know I have an ear and I’m good at what I do. But I also enjoy learning things from guys who are humble and want to work with me just because I have a dope sound.
**And you have the vision.**
And they want to learn about my tastes and why I like this or that. I’m always pushing people around me too! I’m pushing them to be the best, because I want the best sound, the best music, the best everything! I’m constantly like “that’s not good enough… that’s amazing!” I like to feel that way about the people I have around me. I like having people that I connect with whether that be boy or girl.
**We’re really excited to hear the remaster of X-Rated! Do you know when it might be out?**
I am too! I just wanted to make sure it’s the absolute best. And it might be December! I’m heading to the studio right now to work on it and maybe even record some new vocals. I had this record that I was so proud of, but some circumstances took away the true honesty of it. So I want to put that back in, because that’s why I love the music so much. I want to bring it back to the source.
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Photographed by: [Anthony Steven](https://instagram.com/anthonyxrated).
Styled by: [Madita Christine](https://instagram.com/maditachristine).
Associate Produced by Stori Ravariere
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