Honey Bxby on Honesty, <em>Raw Honey</em>, and Chaotic Women
In an industry built on image and a culture obsessed with curation, Honey Bxby is betting everything on authenticity — and winning.
The New Jersey native’s 2022 debut single “Touchin’” lit up social media, amassing millions of streams and firmly announcing her arrival as R&B’s latest disruptor. By 2024, she was headlining sold-out shows, landing features with major artists, and earned a coveted performance at BET’s Soul Train Awards.
But beyond the streams and the stages, it’s her refusal to dilute her identity that defines her rise. Honey Bxby isn’t here to play the game — she’s rewriting the rules on her own terms.
Our publisher, Kristin Prim, caught up with Honey to talk honesty, her debut EP Raw Honey, and chaotic women.
KP: I’m a native New Yorker from Brooklyn and you’re from Asbury Park in New Jersey, so I think that genuineness and honesty just runs through our blood. Your music has been applauded for its honesty — especially as a woman. How much of that do you attribute to your upbringing and the culture that surrounds us?
HB: My culture and upbringing have everything to do with my honesty and the way that I am. I grew up around very blunt people who didn’t care about what they say — very unfiltered. I’ve never been with the cookie cutter or sugar coating, and I take pride in that, honestly!
KP: As you should! You told BET that you create “chaotic R&B for chaotic women,” which is a very interesting role reversal from the very problematic music that we usually get from men. Can you dive deeper into what inspired you to embrace that energy and how you see it reshaping R&B?
HB: Nothing necessarily inspired me to embrace the energy; it’s just something that I’ve always loved about myself. It’s honesty with the good, the bad, and the ugly. It can be chaotic, and I don’t wanna hide it. I definitely see it inspiring other people to say whatever they want, being 100% transparent about the craziness.
KP: In that same interview, you also said that you were a pop girl at heart, which you felt might surprise some people, naming Katy Perry and Natasha Bedingfield in the process. I think that “Teenage Dream” is the best pop song ever written and I could seriously write a hundred page paper on why. [Laughs]. I’m a pop girl at heart, too, which surprises almost everyone, but I think it’s so fascinating how this genre of music can exist that appeals to everyone’s ear, no matter what their main genre is. What is it that you love about pop? And what are some of your favorite pop songs?
HB: The same thing that I love about R&B — it can really make you feel good, and there are so many ways you can go about it! It’s such a fun genre. I love “…Baby One More Time” by Britney, “These Words” by Natasha Bedingfield, and “Poker Face” by Lady Gaga.
KP: All great choices. You briefly worked at a strip club, which I’ve heard so many artists say gave them a very strong foundation when it came to boundaries, confidence, and physical strength. Do you feel that your experience there helped you career-wise or personally in any way? If so, how?
HB: Definitely! Personally, I was in such a survival mode when I was dancing. It taught me how to deal with so many different types of people and it made me stronger, in a sense.
KP: Your EP, Raw Honey, is out on May 30th — congratulations! Can you tell us a little bit about its writing and development?
HB: Thank you! Going into the EP, we wanted to do it bigger and better, especially when it came down to the writing and production. Everything is so much more elevated compared to my last project. You can see the growth.
“My career so far has taught me that anything you really put your mind to and work hard for, you can seriously accomplish. Anythinggggg! Nothing is too far out of reach.”
KP: You also just released “Think I Might,” which I really love — your vocals on it are incredible. What headspace were you in when you recorded it, and what do you hope listeners feel when they hear it?
HB: I was just trying to nail the vocals and the feeling. I’m always so aggressive and never give that lover girl side, so I just wanted to make sure that I gave everyone a taste of my softer side.
KP: You definitely did, and it’s amazing! I think many of us from the New York / New Jersey area can be often misunderstood by people that are from elsewhere. For example, I think many people think we’re cold or blunt, but I think we’re some of the kindest people anywhere. If you’re getting jumped, you want a NY or NJ girl around, I’ll tell you that! [Laughs]. They’re not getting away. Do you ever feel misunderstood? What are some things about you that would surprise people?
HB: Not so much misunderstood, but people definitely say that I come off a little aggressive sometimes, but I’m a Jersey girl! I can’t help it.
KP: [Laughs]. I feel that! As an up-and-coming artist who has made some major appearances on big stages, you’ve spoken about how intimating that can be — people don’t know what to expect and you have one shot with them to make an impression. How do you cope with that amount of pressure? What advice would you lend to women who wish to perform, but their anxiety keeps them away?
HB: I just go with the flow and try not to let it get to me as much. I would honestly say to let your impulsive thoughts win and just DO IT! I used to get so much anxiety, but the more I pushed myself and did it, the easier it got.
KP: That’s great advice in general. Exposure therapy! What’s something you know now that you wish that you knew when you were just starting? What has your career so far taught you about your work? About yourself?
HB: I used to watch so many interviews with artists and different people talking about their experiences to prepare myself, so not much surprises me but the ins and outs that my managers deal with. My career so far has taught me that anything you really put your mind to and work hard for, you can seriously accomplish. Anythinggggg! Nothing is too far out of reach.
KP: The truth. And for our final question, what do you feel makes a provocative woman?
HB: A lot things, honestly, but not in a negative way. I think that people use the term negatively too much. Like when I wear my tiny clothes, that’s provocative — but not in a bad way!
Photography: Jimmy Fontaine
