The Sunday Music Drop is a weekly radio series hosted by the KQED weekend news team. In each segment, we feature a song from a local musician or band with an upcoming show and hear about what inspires their music.
B. DeVeaux was dogsitting for one of their old teachers at the Oakland School for the Arts when they wrote their new album’s closing track, “Safe Place (Dear B.).”
“I knew I really wanted this song on the project,” DeVeaux says, adding that it felt like a beautiful place to land after hearing the emotional rollercoaster of the full-length record.
Growing up in the Bay Area has shaped DeVeaux’s artistry in a multitude of ways. “Oakland really has taught me to be fearless,” the artist says, “especially as a Black, queer person who sings music that maybe isn’t your typical [genre] that you’d expect.” DeVeaux defines themselves as a neo-soul vocalist and songwriter.
Indeed, DeVeaux earns that “vocalist” title with their skillful and raw delivery, as the artist effortlessly embellishes the track with vocal runs worthy of an Olympic gold medal. “I did probably at least 15 takes,” they say, “because I was just being really anal about the way I wanted it to sound.”
