20 People to Watch - Bosco

Atlanta’s creative underground queen

These days it’s tricky to pinpoint exactly where Bosco calls home. The Savannah-born, Atlanta-raised singer/songwriter, fashionista, and event producer knows her apparent omnipresence can make the local fanbase question her loyalty.

??
“I think people think I don’t like Atlanta anymore,” she says. “I’m just evolving. I want to see different things and gain visual inspiration. I want to broaden my palate. That’s all my thought process is behind this. I feel like I’m still instrumental here.”

??
It’s hard to argue. Aside from helping launch and being a performing artist with the DJ/production collective WERC Crew, Bosco signed a singles deal with Fool’s Gold Records and producer Treasure Fingers in May, and released her label debut EP, Boy, the following month.

??
Fool’s Gold’s self-proclaimed “weird one on the label” found herself working with Australian-based fashion hub BNKR and New York style label Chromat, whose creative partnership list includes Nicki Minaj and Beyoncé.

??
The connection to Fool’s Gold made Bosco a part-time resident of New York City, where the label is headquartered. As of this fall, she’s also a resident of Los Angeles. It’s in Hollywood where Bosco plans to finish recording the rest of her new EP, which is slated to drop on Fool’s Gold at the top of 2016. But it’s in Atlanta where the next creative phase of Bosco’s life seems to be taking shape.

??
She’s focused on expanding the concert series MoodRing, which she, along with the Culture Cartel and Von Allen, launched toward the end of 2015. Bosco works as the creative director and headlining performer. The well-attended event at Studio No. 7 has hosted a strong list of Atlanta musical upstarts, including Marian Mereba, Villa, Kevin Pollari, and Kiya Lacey.

??
“It’s kind of like my way of giving back to the city,” Bosco says. “But to also be like I see you and I respect you and no matter where I go or how far I may go in the industry I still have a heart to expose talent.”

??
For Bosco, part of exposing that under-the-radar talent in Atlanta also means having a more direct hand in the media, specifically print. She’s working with a team to create a five- to six-page zine tentatively called SLUG, which should hit the streets by spring 2016. The idea is to take an editorial look at the grittier underground art and music of Atlanta, while also incorporating crosswords, sexual literature, and comics. The pub will also shed light on Bosco’s second love, fashion, and local brands such as Mondesir.

??
It’s all just the sign of an artist maturing, shedding her ego in favor of supporting the city and artists who inspire her.

??
“Maybe my little voice could spark the fire in this person and that person,” Bosco says. “I understand that people don’t like to share information but it’s important for me as an artist that we need to get the stuff out there. If it’s seriously dope, your shine’s not going to take away from my shine. It’s all about community building.”