The Merriam-Webster dictionary definition of triple threat is “a person adept in three different fields of activity.” It’s a pretty fitting title for Emily Keefe, who happens to be an actress, publicist, and a singer known as Cenza. While she’s constantly turning the dial that dictates which role must be taken on, today it’s being set to music – and for a good reason too!
Cenza recently released her new single “Unhinged,” and the occasion called for a virtual tea party. But first and foremost, my distinguished guests (you, yes *you*) need to get familiar with the way Cenza got involved with music.
So let’s take it from the top!
As a kid, Cenza loved being in the spotlight. The stage was where her heart resided… Cenza constantly felt the need to perform in front of an audience. In high school, she got involved in musical theater, and started looking up to many icons such as Judy Garland and Cher. Then at 18, Cenza started to book more tv and film work. While they didn’t involve music for the most part, Cenza found ways to nourish the musical side of her brain.
At the beginning of the pandemic, Hollywood found itself at a standstill. For that reason, Cenza felt as though there was a creative void in her life that needed to be filled. She decided to turn to music, and started an exciting new venture in music.
Perhaps one of the most important factors of Cenza’s musical endeavor is the fact that she’s completely in control. As an independent artist, Cenza has a say in the entire process of releasing music, and she gets to do it at her own pace. “I feel like I have so much agency in it,” she admitted. “In acting, I only get auditions for things people want to call me in for – and it’s not my choice if I get cast or not. In music, I can write whatever I want when I want, and release when I want.”
In April 2020, Cenza released her first single “City Lights.” Every day presents itself with a new learning opportunity, and Cenza is making the most out of it all. As a kid, Cenza was classically trained on the piano, and taught herself how to play the guitar. Now, she’s teaching herself how to produce!
Ultimately, Cenza wants to deliver a sense of escapism to her listeners. “I just want people to celebrate,” she shared. “I don’t want music to be so intellectual and heavy, I just want it to be sort of cathartic and celebratory in nature. Maybe comforting in a way.”
In other words, Cenza wants her listeners to be able to let loose. Her new single “Unhinged” signifies the ability to do just that: let loose, and cut loose. While heading to a party three years ago, Cenza found herself fatigued from an unpleasant job. “I just felt like my life wasn’t my own,” she recalled. She ended up jotting down some feelings, which quickly turned into lyrics.
While “Unhinged” is about Cenza deciding to quit that job, it can certainly be applied to many aspects of life. “It’s about making a leap to do something that is really scary and really throws you off balance,” she explained. “It will probably throw you off balance for a while, but once you build yourself up again, it’s like, you kind of have to let yourself feel a little off balance.”
The word unhinged can be used as a descriptor for something (or someone) that is crazy. It tends to have a negative connotation. While Cenza has used the word in that sense in the past, she’s also ready to reclaim it.
She spilled, “Growing up and being an actress, I always wanted to play the crazy women. I love crazy women, I love their stories, because the question is always ‘what makes them crazy?’ The reason their stories are so interesting to me because something made them that way. A lot of people bring it into the now, like how they call Britney Spears crazy. It’s like well… no, actually… that’s not really what is happening. That’s why this word really appeals to me in this song. I think a lot of times, especially young women who are making decisions that are throwing them off balance, don’t want to be perceived as crazy or unhinged. I think it’s a good thing to not feel like you’re in a constant routine that is not letting you grow at all. In order to grow, you gotta have a few screws loose for a bit, you know?”
To be unhinged can also simply mean freeing something from its hinges – which is something holding that thing in a certain place. If we remove a door from its hinges, the doorway will be wide open. Therefore, the door has been unhinged! If we remove ourselves from situations, relationships, and environments that are no good for us, the doorways will be wide open for us as well.
And that’s what it’s all about! Check out “Unhinged” (feat. Jay-Elle) below, and catch Cenza on Instagram @itscenza.
