Three-time JUNO Award-winning singer-songwriter Savannah Ré (@savannahre) is stepping into a transformative new chapter. With the upcoming release of her highly anticipated project FORMED, the Toronto native solidifies her place as a force in contemporary R&B. Remixd Magazine had the opportunity to speak with Savannah Ré as she details her creation process, being newly independent, getting a Drake co-sign, the Toronto music scene, and what this new chapter means for her.
Savannah is been a force to be reckoned with and has been proving so for the last decade. She has earned the respect of heavyweights like her mentor, Grammy-winning producer Boi-1da, as well as Babyface, Jessie Reyez, SZA, and Drake — who sampled her single “Sex With My Ex” on his 100Gigs release. Now, with FORMED, Savannah Ré is ready to show the world who she is. This marks her first project release as an independent artist.
“This project is about honoring who I am and who I’m still becoming,” Savannah shares. “It’s me saying, ‘I am not a finished product, but I am formed enough to stand in my truth.’” That spirit runs through FORMED’s production.
Themes of the project
Throughout the project, Savannah leans into the complexities of womanhood, love, and self-acceptance, refusing to shy away from the messy parts. The result is a body of work that feels both deeply personal and profoundly relatable. It’s the kind of music that lingers long after the final note.
“This is the most ‘me’ I’ve ever been in my music,” she reflects. “Every song, every lyric, every decision was intentional. I hope people hear it and feel seen, like there’s space for all of who they are too.”
Savannah is preparing to usher in this next phase of her career. And FORMED stands as a bold declaration that she is here, she is evolving, and she is ready to be heard. Keep reading to learn more about the themes of the project and what fans can expect from Savannah Ré moving forward.
Q&A: Savannah Ré on FORMED, Growth, and Finding Her Voice
Remixd Magazine: Let’s jump into the new music and your creative process. So, starting with the upcoming project Formed, how are you feeling as release day approaches?
Savannah Ré: Honestly, I hate releasing music. Wait, wait, wait. I love releasing music. I hate the feeling before releasing music. It’s like all of your nerves at once. And singles it is easier because I’m like, okay, cool. It is one piece of something. But a whole project, I get so nervous. But I’m really proud of it and really happy with the way everything came out, and I just hope everybody loves it.
That’s interesting—why do you feel like releasing a project carries more weight than a single?
Honestly, I feel like I’ve always felt this way about projects. Even Opia, my first project, it was way worse. First of all, it took three to four years to make that project, and then even when it was coming out, I was like, are you guys sure? Are you sure it’s done? Are we sure? It wasn’t until I started getting all the feedback that I started to get that I was like, okay, cool. We did what we needed to do. It still matters how cohesive a full project is. The sequencing, I’m a crazy person when it comes to that stuff.
What kind of themes and stories can we expect out of Formed? What are we talking about?
Formed was supposed to be the part two to my 2022 EP No Weapons. So No Weapons technically is an unfinished project because it was supposed to be part one and part two. And then just in that time in my life, so much happened and changed so quickly. I went from being a signed artist to being independent. I cleaned house as far as my team and really kind of took some time to sit back and figure out and think about what it is that I want. And in that process, I still have this project here that was technically complete because it was a part two. But with all of that happening and how much I changed, I was like, this is no longer a complete project. It can’t be called Formed and sit on its own and be a continuation of something else.
How did the title come together? You mentioned it was your mom’s favorite Bible verse? How did “No weapon formed against you shall prosper” guide the spirit of the project?
That’s a great question. Honestly, it’s kind of how I live my life. So when we got to this point with things, me being independent now, me being in the driver’s seat fully, I’ve always been in control creatively. I’ve always written my own music. I’ve always tried to do things and communicate in an honest way. However, when you’re a signed artist, you don’t always get the last say. And now embarking on things completely independent, it’s up to me. So that scripture plays in my head so often because there’s just a whole new set of challenges. I’m learning to do this essentially on my own. It’s definitely feels like more of an uphill battle than a straightforward one. But I’m learning so much and that scripture keeps me grounded in knowing that whatever is thrown at me … I will be able to overcome.
Being an independent artist & Toronto’s music scene
With this being your first independent release, in what ways has that empowered you?
Honestly, I feel like I can do anything. I feel limitless in a way, because I feel like if anybody knew what it took to get here. Those same weapons that did form, I feel like people would be like, how are you still here? How is this possible? And being able to do this and do this with my chosen family, my husband, my new team … it feels complete. And it’s harder. I’ll tell you straight up, this indie life is the ghetto. But it’s that much more fulfilling when you do something. This whole project is made in house. The last music video we put out, I co-directed with my husband, we purchased the camera. This is our first project releasing under our own label, which is called Matrimony. And it just feels that much more fulfilling.
Being that you’re from Toronto, what role do you feel like you play in Toronto’s music scene right now?
That’s a great question. I feel like probably my answer will be different than if you ask somebody else about me in the scene. We are all very tight knit and everybody here is incredible. I can name five off my hand and we’re probably all close to each other. So when it comes to, for example, Dylan Sinclair, Raheem, Bonita is incredible too. She’s on her way up, Loony, all of these, Adria Kain is fantastic. Aqyila, who I think a lot of people don’t even know is Canadian, and we’re all peers. We are all very community based now, and we break bread, we talk about things, we exchange information, we exchange contacts, whatever it is. And yeah, I hope to keep being able to be a part of the gel that brings everybody together in the city.
You’ve gotten respect from legends like Jessie Reyez, Babyface, and even Drake sampling your song. How have those moments shaped your confidence as an artist?
They’re everything, to be honest! People don’t really know the silent battles you’re facing. And it’s so interesting that all of the co-signs that I’ve gotten throughout my career, they’ve come in such a timely matter. Like the SZA co-sign when she posted she’s got it, I was in so much internal turmoil just trying to figure out what’s next. And people basically telling you, you don’t fit. There’s no mold for you. And what does that mean when I don’t have anybody that looks like me from where I’m from to guide me through? So to have someone as humongous and as incredible as simply be like, no, you’ve got it. That turned the tide for me, to be honest. It turned the tide for me and this Drake stuff happening.
On Drake sampling her
Talk a bit more about the Drake situation. What exactly happened? He sampled your song out of nowhere?
“Sex With My Ex” was going to be on my project anyways, but we had no idea he was sitting in the studio, and this is that with the beat until it dropped. We saw it, I watched it with everybody else, and I was like, what the hell is happening? We were literally in the studio working on the project and we’re like, oh, we started seeing everybody talking. ‘Yo Drake dropped a hundred gigs.’ We’re like, what is that? First of all, let’s go find it. Click on it, click on it, see a Boi-1da folder, open it. And the first video is me.
Wow! What a crazy experience? What was your reaction?
Can you imagine? We’re both like, no. And then subsequently, the four videos below that are still the same sample, the same me. So that means they were working on it for some time. And I don’t know, the timing was just like, okay, cool. That confirmed to me, first of all, that “Sex With My Ex” should be on my project. I wasn’t wrong in thinking that. It definitely helped get some more eyes and ears on me, even though it’s not an official, I hate to call it a co-sign, but I’m like, he know who I am. That means Drake knows who I am, so I’ll take that.
What’s next?
What’s something you hope listeners take away from this project, ‘Formed,’ when it drops?
I hope that everyone that listens to the project can leave with something or hear themselves in something. And by the end, the feeling should be like, okay, cool. I’m going to keep going. I’m not going to give up. As cliché as it sounds, Formed is kind of like my, listen, I’m here. I’m not going anywhere despite all of these roadblocks. So I hope that that’s the kind of sentiment that anybody listening to the project can kind of leave with. And when I say I’m here, I’m just getting my start.
On a personal note, what’s one thing you’re manifesting for this next chapter in life and your career?
I like that. I would say peace. Just peace. I think at this point, y’all ain’t going to need no more tumultuous music. I’m trying to get in my Jhené Aiko chill vibe and whatever that means. Just being more present, unplugging a lot more and being more present, and just obviously health, prosperity, all that. But yeah, just definitely being more present.
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Be on the lookout for Savannah Ré’s new project ‘FORMED’ dropping this May.
