You don’t expect a hip hop artist championing female empowerment to dress like she’s a 1950’s movie star housewife, but Qveen Herby is full of surprises.
She and her best friend even have their own makeup business, with a lipstick line peppered with playful copy, naming shades “Thick Skin,” “Dirty 30,” and “Piggy Bank.”
Originally from a small town in Nebraska, Amy Renee Noonan, better known by her stage name, “Qveen Herby” (or simply “Qveen”), used to be part of a pop duo called Karmin.
The group was signed to Epic Records and had multiple hit singles which reached the top 20 for the Billboard Hot 100 charts, along with international success in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
But Noonan didn’t really feel like her true self until she became the independent artist, Qveen Herby.
Qveen Herby in a mod outfit featuring black and white stripes
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Noonan’s parents realized she was musically gifted around the age of four, when she began playing songs by ear at the piano without any lessons or music sheets to read.
She recalls watching the female R&B group, SWV, perform on the Ricki Lake Show, and deciding that she wanted to dedicate her life to musical pursuits. Growing up, her favorite SWV album was “Release Some Tension.” However, coming from a conservative Christian family in Seward, Nebraska, Noonan initially followed a more traditional music career as a female pop artist.
It wasn’t until Noonan confronted some major health problems at age thirty that she began to deeply reflect on her life and purpose. Noonan discovered a more authentic version of herself as an independent artist, and Qveen Herby was born, giving her the creative freedom she craved.
Coincidentally, our artist stories are not that different. Although I was a software CEO and x-economist, not a former-popstar, I also started rapping and making surrealist art as “Razzlekhan” following severe burnout and some other health issues. Noonan added the “V” in “Qveen Herby” as an homage to time spent in St Petersburg during college, and learning from 23 and Me that she’s over 50% Russian. Similarly, I created “Razzlekhan” as a tribute to my Turkish heritage, and a deep appreciation for North African Bedouin culture.
Qveen Herby wearing a bright red bow
Noonan has been in love with fifties-style looks for a long time. Watch a few of her videos, and you’ll notice she has a passion for mod dresses and colorful lipstick. It turns out every shade of lipstick she wears in her music videos are from her own line, Qveen.
Similar to how Tyler the Creator incorporates Golf Wang into his music videos and marries his fashion shows with live musical performances, Noonan leverages her art as an opportunity to showcase her business. She models her own product, creates entertaining makeup tutorial videos, and can do so freely without paying royalty fees because she’s an independent artist who owns all her work.
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Qveen Herby with a bow in her hair
Many of Qveen Herby’s YouTube music videos have millions of views, but she’s especially proud of the 8 million views she got for her song, “Sugar Daddy,” which is also currently trending on Tik Tok. This video was self-produced and filmed amidst quarantine.
Noonan hopes that this will remind independent artists and other creators that you don’t need a big budget or label to be winning.
She attributes her social media success to being her authentic self, striving to help others become their best selves, and posting consistently. Noonan recommends all artists post to Tik Tok at least twice a day, and to add text lyrics to any songs they sing.
However, she strongly recommends a “set it and forget it” strategy, where you don’t spend too much time obsessing over your social media stats or comments after posting content. Rather than obsessing about vanity, comparing yourself to others, or even self-loathing as you browse social—Noonan recommends saving that energy for more positive creative endeavors.
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As we both discussed growing up in small towns and how that influences creativity and mindsets, we reflected on the parallels to our childhoods and the experiences we’ve had amidst Covid-19.
While the pandemic is no one’s favorite situation, we both strived to see the positive and tried to make the most of 2020.
“It is incredible that the pandemic has forced so many people to be with themselves, alone, with less stimuli. The fact that most of us are afraid of just being— it’s like you’re afraid of your greatness,” says Noonan.
Noonan hopes that people, especially artists, take this time to realize “Wow, I’m really dope, and this whole time I’ve been distracted and taught to think that I’m not dope.” She goes on to add, “We regularly compare ourselves to other people, but like everyone is struggling right now, so know you’re not alone.”
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Noonan is an endless fountain of uplifting colorful content, even in the pandemic. I wondered how she manages to stay creatively motivated and inspired all the time, and she told me her secret.
Every morning, she and her husband do something they refer to as the “twenties. ” First you “sweat for twenty minutes, write for twenty minutes, and then the last twenty are spent learning something,” says Noonan. ”
As far as the “learning” portion goes, Noonan is an avid reader. Qveen Herby’s website has a “Tea Room,” listing favorite books that helped her become the best version of herself. Books include everything from Dale Carnegie and Napoleon Hill to books about creativity and spirituality.
“And if you don’t like to read, you can also learn anything on YouTube!” she says.
