- The BoykinZ are a country music quarter composed of sisters from Georgia
- In just over a year, the quartet went from being TikTok viral to performing with Shania Twain
- In 2022, they released their first single, "Girls Night."
On April 2, sisters Alona (16), Nytere (18), Anale (20), and Kylan Boykin (21) took the stage to perform a capella with Shania Twain at the 2023 CMT Awards. It was a big moment for country music. The quartet, known at The BoykinZ, were one of several Black talents represented at the awards that night.
In just over a year, the Georgia-native group has amassed nearly 500,000 TikTok followers and been crowned "The Black girls of country TikTok" after viral videos covering country music hits and showcasing catchy choreography drew in millions of views.
Now, with their own single, "Girls Night," the band is making their mark in the modern country music scene, which they say is part of country's evolution. While the genre is predominantly white in the mainstream, historically, country music originated with blues music and African instruments, one being the banjo.
Each sister has their own role – Kylan plays bass and choreographs, Nytere plays guitar, and everyone is involved in songwriting. Their sound, which they describe as country infusion, is a blend of rock, soul, pop, and hip-hop with a country focus.
Hailing from a musical family of nine, the BoykinZ are managed by their parents, who put the girls in theater at a young age. Kylan says it's what helped them feel comfortable performing and being themselves. They've been performing as a group since 2012.
Now the group is performing on even bigger stages, one being with Shania Twain during her Tennessee tour stop on July 7. They've also made an appearance on "The Kelly Clarkson Show" and are working with legendary producers like three-time Grammy award winning producer and songwriter Nathan Chapman. Insider chatted with the four sisters about breaking into country music and how they envision their future. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
How did you become interested in country music?
Kylan: Growing up, our music taste has been very diverse. Our parents played everybody, from Stevie Wonder to Dolly Parton. So it's always been a part of our roots.
About a year ago, we hopped on TikTok and literally decided to be ourselves. We had our hats, our whole western gear at the house. The audience was loving it. With country music, we love the storytelling in this genre and we love the live instrumentation. And also once we learned more about the history behind country itself, it became very empowering to get involved more seriously.
Given that country is currently a predominantly white genre, what obstacles have you faced as four young Black women pursuing a career in this industry?
Alona: People really embrace us, especially at the CMT Awards. We haven't really had any problems being accepted, and I'm really glad that we don't, because I've heard people have had other experiences.
Nytere: I think it really just boils down to knowing the history behind country music and knowing that we belong in this and we should make sure that we know that ourselves, and are confident in that.
Kylan: Overall we are part of the evolution of country music. We're taking it to another level, including infusing other genres and styles. We're not traditional country, and we feel like this is what the world needs in a way. Everything's evolving and country music also needs to, too.
What do you hope your position in country music will result in for listeners of the genre and aspiring country musicians?
Alona: We hope every little Black girl will be inspired and to dream big and to know they can be whatever they want to be. They can be in country, they can be in hip-hop, they can infuse it all. They don't have to just stick to one genre. They can do whatever inspires them.
You've played at pretty diverse events, including Black women's empowerment conferences in Atlanta, rodeos in Dallas, and elementary schools in Brooklyn. What's been your most memorable performance?
Nytere: We visited Middle School 35 in Brooklyn back in December and it was so amazing. They knew who we were. They wore cowboy hats and did a whole line dance to "Girls Night." Some of the kids were doing splits and flips to the song, and it was just really cool to see that people from all over really do like us.
Kylan: To see how much of an impact we made on these kids in New York was such an overwhelming experience. We were so grateful and we were not expecting that. We were there to surprise them, but they truly surprised us.
How important is it to you guys to include advocacy and social issues in your artistry?
Anale: I think our purpose here is to help each other and help heal this nation in any way that we can. So being a part of things like nonprofits or organizations that are really bringing the community together and bringing attention to issues in our community and worldwide — I think it's powerful and it's just who we are and we're grateful to do that.
You guys recently were invited to sing with Shania Twain during her Nashville tour stop, on "The Kelly Clarkson Show." How did it make you feel to be recognized by a legend in country music?
Nytere: It was crazy. First, going on "The Kelly Clarkson Show" where we met two idols that day — Kelly Clarkson and Shania Twain. And when Kelly mentioned there was a five-time Grammy Award winning country artist who knew us, we had no idea who she could be talking about. And then it was Shania and we were all completely shocked. We thought there was no way that she knew us.
What are you guys working on right now? What can we expect next?
Kylan: We are working on more and more music, and still building our great catalog. We're still working with different writers and producers out of Nashville and Atlanta. We've got some special things coming up that we can't really quite say. And we're looking forward to being on stage with Shania on June 7th in Nashville.
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