The March Issue: Vero Bringi & Untitled Emotions

All stars are the result of a balance of forces and are created when atoms of light elements are squeezed under enough pressure to undergo fusion. During my virtual conversation with Vero Bringi, it was clear I was in the presence of a star in the making.

Vero is a young and talented South Sudanese-Canadian artist based in Toronto who focuses mainly on poetry and songwriting. We met on a crisp Wednesday afternoon in March, where we delved into what writing means to her, talked about her creative process, what self-love means to her and her upcoming poetry book, “UNTITLED EMOTIONS,” releasing on April 1, 2023.

Let’s dive right in! First, I want to know how old were you when you first started writing?

I was really, really young and I started writing songs. My older brother used to write raps and had a really witty style. I really enjoyed listening to him and I’d say he was a key inspiration behind why I began to write. I also found that when I was experiencing very heightened emotions as a young person, naturally, I would rely on writing as a way to cope and regulate my emotions.

In 2011, my sisters and I were watching a Def Jam Poetry Slam performance by a poet named Deb Young and her piece was so captivating; we were so amazed by how she conveyed emotion, we decided to try it at home by writing our own spoken word pieces and presenting them to one another and I’ve had a love for spoken word since!

My poetry is often about my own lived experiences, my perspective of the experiences of others, and stories created to convey an important message.

What a creative family! It’s great that you could bounce ideas off each other. This is actually a great lead-up to my next question - where do you draw inspiration from?

I wouldn't say that I necessarily search for inspiration. I allow life to be and in doing that there's almost always a story to be told or a message to be shared. My poetry is often about my own lived experiences, my perspective of the experiences of others, and stories created to convey an important message.

Did you ever have an early experience where you realized that language had power?

I guess we become aware that language has power from a very young age as we quickly learn what to say or what not to say, or even how something that was said makes us feel - and if we’re intentional about it, this is something we continue to learn and improve.

I continue to learn the power of language through conversation, debates, arguments, listening and understanding. However, as it relates to writing and artistry, my first realization of this was how we can connect so deeply to the words in songs.

Writing has clearly been your destiny! When it comes to writing, how would you describe your creative process?

I don’t think I have a specific creative process, it is always evolving!

I’ll write in nature, while listening to music, on the go, etc. One thing that is always consistent when I am writing is that I use my senses as guidance - seeing, hearing, feeling, smelling, tasting - whenever I have a blank page and I feel lost.

I always wanted to write my own poetry book, but these particular poems [in “UNTITLED EMOTIONS”] were not written with the intention of becoming a book – they were mostly written on the go and I thought it would be nice to compile them into a book. That’s something I really like about the book - it feels raw and authentic.

Writing can almost feel like a prayer to me.

How powerful, Vero! Is the process of writing poetry similar to writing songs?

Sometimes they start out as poems and then become a song or vice-versa. The main difference between the two is with my poetry, I am always writing it down in a notebook, however, with my songs, I never write anything down. I usually memorize the lyrics or record them on my phone (Shout out to Jay-Z!).

That’s really impressive. I can barely memorize two sentences on a page. Switching gears a bit, I want to talk about “UNTITLED EMOTIONS.” What can your readers expect?

Readers can expect a book that is easy to read and flows really well. I hope while reading through, they can see themselves and connect to the poems. There’s something in the book for everyone, whether you're new to poetry or not.

Is “UNTITLED EMOTIONS” about a particular experience in your life or a collection of experiences you’ve gone through?

It’s a collection of my own experiences and the experiences of others. The book is divided into four parts - the beginning touches on heartache and pain, the middle focuses on pride and personal growth, and it ends on self-love and finding romantic love.

That is a beautiful journey! Speaking of self-love, what does it mean to you?

To me, it means giving yourself grace and meeting yourself where you’re at. It also means extending the love we give to others to ourselves as well.

Do you view writing as a kind of spiritual practice?

Yes, I would say so - writing can almost feel like a prayer to me.

Are there any other projects in the works?

My next project will be an EP, but it’s still in the works … stay tuned!

Make sure to follow Vero on Instagram at @verobringi and visit her page https://thenameisvero.carrd.co/.

The “UNTITLED EMOTIONS” Ebook is now available for Pre-Order! Both the Ebook and Paperback will be released on Saturday, April 1, 2023. Mark your calendars!

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.