Black Gen-Z youth are more musically agnostic than ever. They aren’t trapped enjoying or creating art in music genres considered “Urban.” There isn’t a better example than the rise of popular Black artists in contemporary rock stateside. Rock music may have once historically marginalized the ethnicities that originated the genre. In recent times, contemporary artists leaning towards mainstream and indie rock have gained unprecedented popularity. Acts including Steve Lacy, Meet Me At The Altar, Hemlock Springs, and many more have proven that Blacks can succeed within the genre over the past few years. More recently, the Roc Nation signed group Infinity Song proved that point through genre-busting rock fusion.
“I think right now people are looking for something special, something unique, looking for alternative ways of thinking and alternative ways of creating,” said Thalia “Momo” Boyd, who makes up the group alongside siblings Victory, Abraham, Angel, and Israel. “We have things like AfroPunk and we have Black people feeling more and more comfortable with expressing themselves in ways that were considered a little bit weird growing up or ways that weren’t necessarily represented.”
Based out of New York by way of Detroit, Infinity Song spent years in the Big Apple hustling and performing. The group would get their big break when someone sent a video of Victory singing in Central Park to The Book of Clarence writer/director Jaymes Samuel, who connected Infinity Song to Roc Nation head Sean Carter, a.k.a. Jay-Z. Following an audition with the rap icon/mega mogul, the rest was history.
“One of the first things Jay Z ever told us was to be ourselves and let the world catch up,” explained Israel about the group that signed with Roc Nation in 2016. “I think that’s really indicative of his heart with us and what our relationship has been; especially in the most formative stages in the beginning. It was really just him wanting us to be authentic and our own individuals while expressing ourselves genuinely.”
The first release from Infinity Song under their deal with Roc Nation would be 2020’s Mad Love, which included standouts like the titular song and “Far Away.” A band full of musicians, it’s easy to see how much music they’re influenced by, from Fleetwood Mac to Tame Impala and Lil Yachty. According to Abraham, Infinity Song has deep roots in understanding history by growing up in the church alongside being exposed to gospel, classical, and jazz music. Their musical background primarily revolved around choral music due to their sheltered upbringing. More contemporary styles like hip-hop and R&B came as they got older, giving them a musical advantage.
“That delayed gratification helped because that music becomes secondary to your creative process,” explained Abraham. “Gospel, jazz and classical are foundational genres. When you come to understand those, then you get to understand the overarching genres of pop, rock and hip hop.”
Around the release of Mad Love, Infinity Song began releasing covers of classic songs from Fred Hampton, The Beatles, The Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder, and Tracy Chapman, among others, through various social media platforms. However, their cover of Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 song “Dreams” became their most popular cover then.
“It wasn’t the only catalyst that pointed us toward soft rock but it was one of those things that affirmed that the genre could be an avenue for us,” Israel said. “So “Dreams” is just a really special song for us all around. It means a lot to us.”
The cover is also featured on their latest EP, Metamorphosis, which dropped in October 2023. However, the album’s most popular single, released months prior, “Hater’s Anthem,” has become viral gold across social media. Featuring hilarious tongue-in-cheek lyrics like “And when I’m ninety-nine and wasted time / And you lived out a happy life / I still will have the peace of mind / To know if I wanted to try / I could have left you all behind / I could’ve crossed the finish line” felt incredibly fresh.
“Hater’s Anthem”’s insightful message of insecurity and jealousy makes sense in a social media-driven society where judgment is everywhere. It led to a huge moment, with the song and accompanying video reaching 7 million views on TikTok alone. Meanwhile, the romance-influenced track from the EP “Slow Burn” is growing at around 9.6 plus views on Instagram. For Infinity Song, they haven’t even scratched the surface of the success they’re aiming for.
“We’ve always loved these songs and we’ve always had the highest amount of faith in them,” explained Israel. “They’re always a pleasant moment when these things happen but, we’re not always completely shocked.”
The lack of surprise in the overall success of Infinity Song displays a level of faith in themselves as a collective and what they represent. It’s why they’ve been granted high-profile performances on major television shows like The View and The Today Show. Their music serves as a guiding light that reassures themselves and their fans that embracing uniqueness is acceptable but also enjoyable and desirable.
“It really strikes a chord with my heart when I see Black people, Black teenagers or older Black people of any age message us and say that this is something that they’ve been looking for and that they have not seen this until now,” explained Momo. “I feel very successful when all people message us with those sentiments but it just hits harder when somebody who looks like my 15-year-old self says that because I think I would’ve needed somebody like me when I was 15.”
