AUDREY NUNA: The Message

“I grew up in a place with not that much diversity,” New Jersey-hailing singer and MC AUDREY NUNA told Ebro during a special episode of The Message celebrating AAPI Heritage Month. “I was one of like two Korean kids in my elementary school. The only place I saw other Koreans or Asian Americans was church. I think in retrospect, that played a huge part in me feeling so strongly about being an individual and not trying to fit in those types of boxes—because it was my life for 18 years: being in a school of fish and you're a different type of fish than the rest of the fish.” Though she’d attend NYU for a spell, NUNA was able to leave school to pursue music full time thanks in large part to a family that wholeheartedly supports her artistic ambition, something she understands isn’t always the case for people from similar backgrounds. For her The Message playlist, NUNA selected tracks from Sade, MF DOOM, Missy Elliott, Toro y Moi and more, artists who fall under a banner of “anyone who just did their own thing”. “I think the playlist is an embodiment of the message that I wanted to share today,” NUNA says. “Which is, I do what I want, make what I want, and I really want to see other people do the same thing.”