Magic is not just a metaphor when it comes to Theresa tha SONGBIRD. Musical, lyrical, theatrical alchemist, sprinkling magic like hot sauce, Theresa tha SONGBIRD is a supernatural wellspring of entertainment. Chicago native and now calling Atlanta home, Theresa carries the honor of her poem You So Black going viral after her appearance on the 2019 Trumpet Awards on Bounce TV, appearing on a Grammy Nominated album in 2020, as well as being requested to honor Earl “DMX” Simmons for Bounce TV’s Black Music Honors 2021, appearing as FACEBOOK’s 2021 Black History Month Installation and featuring for the Tamron Hall show.
She has graced the runways of New York Fashion Week, the LA Clippers Stadium and performed alongside the luminary talents of Jill Scott, MC Lyte, Jazmine Sullivan, Robert Glasper, and Bobby Brown to name a few. Songbird self published her first book of poetry, MASS MATTER MAGIC, which is available on Amazon. Theresa is proud to add award winning author to her list of accomplishments as 2024 Georgia Author of the Year for her children’s book YOU SO BLACK, available everywhere books are sold. Actress and playwright, Theresa has created several stage productions and is presently in production with renowned actress Chrystale Wilson in their hit stage play HOW TO PROTEST.
Fancy: Theresa, when you visited my middle school ELA class in Maryland in 2023, you left such a deep imprint that You So Black is still the most talked-about—and slightly controversial—book among my students. What goes through your mind knowing that your words continue to challenge, liberate, and spark conversation in young people?
Theresa tha SONGBIRD: I am honored that my poetry both resonates with and challenges people. As a writer, as an artist, and as a creator, we all hope that a piece of our work will captivate and inspire.
Fancy: You So Black went viral after your 2019 Trumpet Awards performance and has since become a cultural touchstone. What originally inspired this poem, and did you foresee the kind of emotional, political, and educational reactions it would generate?
Theresa tha SONGBIRD: This poem was originally inspired by the idea behind yo mama jokes. That is where the phrase “you so black” tends to be heard for the first time. I think about how that phrase makes people feel. I think about how those kind of jokes are told partially from a place of defense, but mostly from a place of love and community and camaraderie. I wanted to find a way to bridge all of those ideas together and write a poem that displays how awesome this skin tone and the history that comes with carrying it really is.
Fancy: Your artistry is often described as musical, theatrical, and alchemic—“sprinkling magic like hot sauce.” How do you blend these creative elements to craft work that feels both deeply personal and universally resonant?
Theresa tha SONGBIRD: My craft and my personality are more or less one and the same. My poems and lyrics all come from a very spiritual place, a very vulnerable place. I find the art that reaches the most people is normally also the most personal to the artist. I know that if I am writing something that intrigues me or entertains me, then it will most likely also intrigue and entertain on lookers.
Fancy: Your journey spans poetry, publishing, viral moments, stage plays, fashion runways, and performances with icons like Jill Scott, MC Lyte, Jazmine Sullivan, and Robert Glasper. What do you believe is the common thread that ties all these expressions of Theresa tha SONGBIRD together?
Theresa tha SONGBIRD: The one common thread that I have found in every arena that I have been able to work in has been passion. People who are passionate about their purpose. People who are passionate in their willingness to be of service. People who are passionate to work alongside and to build visions of excellence. If you have found something that you are passionate about pursuing you have already found yourself amongst an elite group of human beings who are prepared to make sacrifices and take risks for the opportunity to succeed.
Fancy: As an award-winning children’s book author and cultural storyteller, how do you approach writing for young audiences—especially Black children who are navigating identity, confidence, and visibility?
Theresa tha SONGBIRD: My approach to writing for children is the same as my approach for writing for any demographic. The question I ask myself is what does my audience need to hear in order for them to know that they are an amazing creation. Then I write until I answer the question.
Fancy: Many educators use You So Black as a catalyst for conversations about identity, community, and self-definition. What do you hope students—particularly Black middle schoolers—take away from interacting with your work?
Theresa tha SONGBIRD: When children of color read You So Black, my hope is that they feel seen. Being a person of color is a nuanced existence. Politics and media would have you believe one narrative about what it means to be a person of color. A divisive re-telling of history would have us believe the same. I hope that my book offers Young Black scholars, the opportunity to see the truth of themselves. That we are powerful, we are beautiful, we are brilliant, we are necessary, and we are prepared at all times to be our best.
Fancy: You’re also an actress and playwright, currently producing the hit stage play HOW TO PROTEST with actress Chrystale Wilson. How does your theatrical work deepen or expand the messages you share through your poetry?
Theresa tha SONGBIRD: What I love about theater is the opportunity to really do anything. You can make a character into whatever you want them to be. Both acting and being a writer require you to observe humanity and to capture an idea that deposits a feeling within the observer of the art you create. Writing plays and embodying so many different kinds of characters has transformed how I approach writing poetry.
Fancy: Your career is built on being seen, heard, and felt. What role does visibility play in your purpose as an artist, and how do you stay grounded while shining so loudly in the world?
Theresa tha SONGBIRD: Being visible is honestly an interesting tightrope to walk. I do enjoy being on stage, I enjoy being up in front of audiences, I enjoy being on TV and on set. But I also enjoy the solitude where I get to create. I enjoy my art studio and my sewing table. I enjoy being curled up in bed, staring at my laptop hours on end. And there is productivity on both sides. The work that I do behind closed doors fuels the work that the world gets to see.
Fancy: What advice do you have for young writers—especially Black girls—who want to use their voice but may fear backlash or being misunderstood?
Theresa tha SONGBIRD: To every young girl who has a bold idea, I urge you to find a notebook and find a pen. Begin writing these bold things down. One thing at a time. Eventually, you will fill up a line and then a page and then a book of bold ideas that your mind has created. You write these things, regardless of who you expect to read them. Because one unexpected day, someone unexpected may come across your bold words, and it will absolutely change everything about their life. If you are bold, brave, daring enough with your gift, it will absolutely change your life too.
Fancy: And lastly, how would you describe your SwagHer? What makes Theresa tha SONGBIRD, Theresa tha SONGBIRD?
Theresa tha SONGBIRD: My Swag Her is love, honesty, art, not taking myself too, seriously, being of as much service as I possibly can, and did I already say love?
