The DMV’s Bennu Byrd Takes Flight

By Carrie Smith / May 25, 2023

With her infectious aura, witty rhymes, and powerful flows, Bennu Byrd is stretching her wings and soaring to extraordinary heights. Fusing together elements of hip hop, go go, R&B, and more, Byrd unleashes a new-age twist of millennial soul music to the scene. Now with the introduction Fearless and its adoption by the Washington Mystics, Byrd further showcases her vast and vigorous talent.

Emerging from a family name and old Egyptian tale, the stage name “Bennu Bird” represents more than her stockpile of hits. As the tale goes, the sacred bird, much like the phoenix, rose from the ashes of flame, transforming into a divine, symbolic creature. Her fierce energy and bold personality resonated with the story, eventually adopting a version of the name as her own. “I felt like the Bennu Bird in that spirit of ‘you could knock me down or you could kill me even, and I could still rise up and be stronger and smarter than I was before’,” said Byrd reflecting on her stage name’s origin. “That's just my approach to life.”

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Hailing from the DMV and ascending from musical roots, Byrd grew up immersed in the DC music scene. Raised on the greats, Byrd fondly recalls listening to Frankie Beverly & Maze, Aretha Franklin, and Al Green amongst others in her musically inclined household. At a young age, Byrd’s parents fed her hunger to learn the origins of modern music, tuning her ear to elements now making up her original sound.

“I call it millennial soul music because it's from my generation,” said Byrd describing her musical touch.“And it's a combination of how we were raised on that 60s and 70s and 80s music and trained to be influenced by that music, but then take it to another level and create something brand new.” Being raised on a plethora of eras, Byrd incorporates tastes of each into her own authentic blend.

Although fond of music and a self-expressive poet in her youth, she wouldn’t pursue music as a career until later on in life. For much of Byrd’s life, though dabbling in drums and rhymes in high school, basketball reined at the center of her universe.

However, once embarking on her college journey at Clark Atlanta University, Byrd grew increasingly inspired by the city’s history and culture, fully submerging herself into the arts. After being motivated by a friend cyphering on campus, Byrd let her skills loose to the public. This sparked the steady writing process, and with unconditional support from peers, Byrd dove head-first into the industry.

After graduating from college, Byrd found community in DC’s Mousai House, a community for artists. Participating in their different activities and events, Byrd honed her skills as an emcee, gaining confidence with every session. “That’s really where I feel like my seeds were planted in the DC music scene, was at Mousai House,” said Byrd. During her steady rise to success, she began lurching at every performance possible, presenting her gifts at various venues across the city.

Since then, Byrd climbed rung after rung of the music ladder with every release. Her first studio album Incarnation originated in March of 2017, later followed by her first EP Featuring the Bennu Byrd in January 2021. Garnering increasing traction with each drop, her 2022 singles Reppin’ and 12-22-22 magnetized major sight from fans and artists.

In Rare Form, Byrd’s second studio album recently broke the surface this year. The 15-track heavy hitter draws on her life experiences, real-world issues, and musical procession, ranging from club-like jams to thought-provoking melodies. “I swear I feel like sometimes God just be putting the words in my head or putting these thoughts in my mind. They be dropping down from the heavens into my brain,” said Byrd illustrating her creative process. “That's how I feel about my artistry, my creativity. It's coming from another place. I don't know where it be coming from, but it be hitting me and then I have to put it down.”’

While pursuing music, Byrd simultaneously worked at after-school programs with DC youth, honing her skills from college. As a natural leader, she was “always mindful of the duty and responsibility to the next generation,” propelling her to positively impact the community. Following her mantra, she strives to influence by demonstration.“If Bennu Byrd falls, Bennu Byrd is gonna get up and I’m gonna be stronger and wiser. It’s really about being the example.”

Recently, on Friday, May 19, Byrd dropped her latest single Fearless, a raw depiction of her life philosophy. Molten lava and hot rock span the cover art, exemplifying the need for dauntlessness. On the same day as its release, the track was showcased as the Washington Mystics intro song for the 2023 season. As the team's highlight reel rolled, Byrd’s original creation blared through speakers. Through Byrd’s collaboration with DJ Heat, an acclaimed DJ in the DMV, the partnership between Byrd and the Mystics was born.

The placement of the song is a pivotal step in Byrd’s career. As someone with a deep love for basketball and fostering a music career, the connection between the two art forms was key. After putting in countless hours in and outside of the studio, her efforts bore fruit. “This is my first major placement. I've been doing music professionally since 2013. So this is like my decade milestone. And it was an amazing way to show people that this is not an overnight success.”

With every victory, Byrd excels to mountainous highs, paving the way for her musical trajectory. Currently, she is gearing up for a round of live performances, debuting her new releases at DC’s Capitol Pride and the Shag Room inside Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas. Given her current orbit, there is no telling what the next months will bring. Be on the look out for pop up shows, partnerships, and tracks from the DMV’s newest soaring star.

“Every day I wake up and I want to make music or I have something to say. As long as I'm alive, then I'm still learning. And as long as I'm still learning and still experiencing, I'll always have something to talk about. There's still so much that I haven't done yet.”

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