Miss Maxx Imani

artist statement

My name is Miss Maxx Imani, by my mother’s poetic definition means greatest faith. Maxx is my first name and Imani is my middle. The creation of my name was a family effort, the name Max came to my paternal grandfather in a dream and my older brother Rob had the idea to add the second “x".

The “miss” was due to other people adding it for me whenever I performed or in regular conversation. As if, my name always required respect or to put emphasis that I'm a woman. Who knows? I took it and ran with it. 

I am a Chicago native born into a family deeply rooted in the poetry and music scene of Chicago. From that, I am a singer by DNA. I am classically and jazz trained but by no means a classical or jazz singer.

My influences are heavily in neo-soul, R&B, and Jazz with a sprinkle of Joseph Kosma every now and then. I grew up mainly listening to Selena, Lauryn Hill, India Arie, Janet Jackson, and Jill Scott. 

I've been singing, writing poetry and songs since I was a child. Aside from writing poetry, I write short stories, novels, and lyrics for my music. 

I am an artist in the broadest sense to include the other parts of myself that strengthen this intricate creative.

I am a troublemaker and bad ass bitch. Which just means I do what I want and do it with all the parts of myself. 

All in all, whichever version of Miss Maxx Imani you get, it will be influenced and infused by nearly every road of creativity flowing through me. I am not only a singer but so much more.

You will get the makeup artist, the culinary connoisseur, the musician, the pet mama, the graphic designer, and all the parts I may miss. Simply, you will get more than what you think you signed up for. 

Max, by definition means “to the greatest extent possible”. The second “x” on me I think just means the greatest can go even further, a little extra sauce, a little razzle dazzle ya know?