Ezinma facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ezinma
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Ezinma in 2021
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Meredith Ezinma Ramsay |
| Born | January 11, 1991 Lincoln, Nebraska |
| Genres | hip hop, classical |
| Occupation(s) |
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| Instruments | Violin |
| Years active | 2016–present |
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Meredith Ezinma Ramsay (born January 11, 1991), known as Ezinma, is an American violinist, model, music teacher, and film composer. She is from Lincoln, Nebraska. Ezinma became very famous in 2017. This happened after she played a violin version of the song "Mask Off" by the rapper Future. She also performed with Beyoncé at the 2018 Coachella festival. In 2020, she released her first music as a solo artist with Universal Music Classics.
Contents
Ezinma's Life and Music Journey
Her Early Years
Ezinma was born in Lincoln, Nebraska. Her father is from Guyana and her mother is German-American. Her dad teaches about numbers and risks, and her mom writes books and teaches English. Ezinma started playing the violin when she was only three years old. She kept playing it all through school.
When she was in middle school, Ezinma often felt alone. She was usually the only Black classical musician on stage. She did not meet another Black person who played string instruments until she was 13. As a child, she listened to many types of music. Her father introduced her to funk, reggae, jazz, and Caribbean soca. Her mother shared Americana music with her.
Ezinma went to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. She first studied to become a doctor, but then changed her major to music. At university, she formed a music group with strings and piano. She learned a lot from the Chiara String Quartet.
In 2012, Ezinma moved from Nebraska to New York. She studied at the Mannes School of Music. This school helped her think beyond the usual rules of classical music. Ezinma began releasing songs where she played the violin and also sang.
Becoming Famous Online
Ezinma started sharing videos of herself playing violin covers of songs on social media in 2016. Her very first cover was a short video of Adele's "Hello" on Instagram. While doing this, Ezinma also released her own original songs. These included "Elevate Me" in 2016 and "Give It Up" in 2017.
In April 2017, Ezinma uploaded a violin cover of Future's song "Mask Off". This was part of a popular online challenge. Ezinma's version got millions of views on Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. This made her very popular very quickly. The famous American musician Beyoncé noticed Ezinma's videos even before the "Mask Off" cover. Beyoncé invited Ezinma to perform with her at the Coachella festival in April 2018. From 2017 to 2018, Ezinma also appeared in modeling ads for companies like Adidas, Gap Inc., and Gucci.
Her Music Debut
In early 2019, Ezinma signed a contract with Universal Music Classics. She planned to release an album in 2020 called Key of Black Minor. This album mixes classical music with hip-hop and trap sounds. A documentary about her life was also planned to be released with the album. Ezinma has also worked as a film composer. She created music for the documentary film The Times of Bill Cunningham (2020) and the short film Promise Me (2020). In August 2020, Ezinma released her first single, "Beethoven Pleads the Fifth".
Ezinma also teamed up with groups like Wide Open School and After-School All-Stars. They created educational videos about the violin for schools and after-school programs in the United States. This helps teach kids about music.
Ezinma's Personal Life
Ezinma's parents separated when she was young. She has two brothers and two sisters. Her mother, Lisa Knopp, writes non-fiction books and teaches at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Ezinma is also an honorary member of the Sigma Gamma Rho sorority.
Ezinma's Music
Extended Plays (EPs)
- Classical Bae (Released: May 14, 2021, Label: Universal Music Classics)
Singles
- "Beethoven Pleads the Fifth" (2020)
- "Vivaldi Springs Forth" (2020)
- "Drummer Bae" (2020)
- "Ode to Hustle" (2021)
Guest Appearances
Ezinma has also played violin on songs by other artists, including:
- Kendrick Lamar (on "Black Panther" and "All the Stars" in 2018)
- Ruel (on "Dazed & Confused [Acoustic Version]" in 2018)
- Swizz Beatz (on "Poison Intro" in 2018)
- Beyoncé (on "Lift Every Voice and Sing", "Déjà Vu", and "Don't Hurt Yourself" in 2019)
