Violinist Ezinma, aka “Classical Bae,” rose to fame as a viral sensation all on her own, but touring with Beyoncé showed with this solo performance just how “powerful” “sisterhood” can be.
The Los Angeles artist, 33, spoke with PEOPLE about the life-changing opportunity after completing an intimate solo performance at the Chase Sapphire Lounge during the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.
“Just getting this sisterhood was something so powerful for me,” Ezinma tells PEOPLE, who says she “faced criticism at times” and was “discouraged” earlier in her career.
But when Beyoncé’s music director first reached out, before Ezinma even had a management team, she finally knew she was “on the right track.”
“It was such a moment of affirmation for me,” Ezinma recalls, reminding herself, “‘People see and hear you.’ And you are not always aware of that. Being in her band for a few years, especially with all the women of color, it was just an amazing experience for me. And one that, to this day, I only appreciate. ”
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“I learned so much about how to hone my craft and how to put on a show and all those things that she’s honestly the best at. So it’s been pretty awesome,” adds the Lincoln, Nebraska native, who started playing the violin at age 4.
Ezinma, who was a part The formation’s world tour during Lemonade era — and Beyoncé’s headlining show at Coachella 2018, also appreciated the performance’s “ritual” and pre-show prayer routine.
“She begs before [going on stage] and she’s a woman of faith and that’s something that’s really nice to witness,” says Ezinma. “It’s like the ritual of it all and getting the feeling of being part of a team, that’s also something that was really cool. For me now, a lot of it is doing solo work. I don’t always get to work with people, especially when I’m performing live.”
Ezinma performs in Park City, Utah on January 21, 2024.
Joshua Lawton for Chase
Besides playing with Stevie Wonder, which is one of the most exciting live performances Ezinma has had to date.
The fitness enthusiast was at the gym when she received a call saying the violinist had canceled a performance with the music legend in New York’s Central Park and was asked if she could get there in 30 minutes.
“I ran downstairs as fast as I could,” says Ezinma. “It was something that really changed the structure of my life. There were no notes. I just jumped on stage and found myself with the band. It really gave me the confidence to do what I do.”
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Ezinma performs in Park City, Utah on January 21, 2024.
Joshua Lawton for Chase
Another big moment that Ezinma experienced was when her dad came to see one of her performances in London. As someone who had once preferred his daughter to pursue more of a medical career — and she worked as a pre-med student for a time before switching to music — her father could truly understand her artistry.
“I saw him [out there] and he really loved it. I really enjoy it. And afterwards he said: ‘I’m so proud of you. It’s so amazing what you’ve done.’ It was a really big moment. That was pretty powerful for me.”
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education