At just 20 years old, CieraTheRapper is already making a name for herself in one of music’s most competitive genres. With a thick Appalachian drawl, an unapologetic attitude and an extensive knowledge of rap history, she arrives on the scene as a voice that feels both brand-new and unmistakably rooted.
Raised in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in Eastern Kentucky, she brings a perspective (and an accent) few artists can replicate. Once an insecurity, her distinctive accent has become a draw on her mixtape “Trappalachia,” launching her career as an emerging artist in the country-rap space. Rather than sanding down her edges, she leans into them, turning her voice, her roots and her lived experience into a brand that feels refreshingly authentic in an era where many young artists are still trying to figure out who they want to be.
In this interview with EXOTICDANCER.com, CieraTheRapper opens up about her roots, her accent, her influences and the path she’s paving for herself and the artists coming up behind her. Additionally, she delves into her experience collaborating with That Mexican OT on “Country Outta Me,” a track which is available for download for all adult nightclub DJs via StripJointsMusic.com.
ED: You’re down in Moorhead, and I know a lot of entertainers from around in that area, and they have some of the most unique voices I have ever heard. So, how did you get into rapping, and have you always tried to keep that accent? Did anybody ever tell you to drop it?
CieraTheRapper: I’ve always had a passion for music. There are videos on YouTube of me at four years old singing songs, which we should probably get taken down. But I’ve always wanted to make music, and I think that’s what really got me into rapping. People have always commented on my voice, though. It has become a major part of my brand. I used to be really insecure about it. I used to make R&B music and I would hide my accent, but now that I’m 20, I’ve accepted it. This is how I talk. If you don’t take me as I am, you can kiss my ass.
ED: I know you sing on your album as well, but rap seems to be at the forefront of most of your songs. What made you lean more into rap?
CieraTheRapper: I would love to tap into all genres, but I have such a deep-rooted passion for rap music. I think I always have. One thing I brag about a lot is that I know a lot about the history behind rap music. That’s such an important thing to know when you’re in the industry. Nowadays, rap isn’t necessarily what it used to be, and I’m leaning into it more because I want to show y’all what it is. I want to be one of the greats, like Eminem, because he is such an inspiration to me.
ED: One of the things I love about your music is that you are definitely rapping about your perception. You’re not a white artist trying to rap as a black artist. You’re being true to where you’ve lived and what you’ve experienced. I think that’s the key to what you’re doing, and what separates you from other white artists who have tried to do rap.
CieraTheRapper: I always want to be authentic. Like I said, I love the genre, and I want to be amazing in the genre, but at the end of the day, I know where it comes from. I know the history behind the genre. I’m not gonna sit here and fake on anything. I’m a hillbilly. I’m from the Appalachian Mountains. The foothills in Kentucky. So, I’m gonna sound like it. I’m gonna talk about it. I’m talking about all of that in my music.
ED: What does your dream collaboration look like? I know you said that Eminem was one of your influences, so who else would you really love to work with?
CieraTheRapper: I would absolutely love to do a collab with 2 Chainz. If it’s my dream world and I can have anything I want, it would be me, 2 Chainz and Eminem on one song.
ED: Is “Trappalachia” the name of the album coming out? Or is that the name of the tour?
CieraTheRapper: “Trappalachia” is the mixtape that I just released on November 14. I wanted to use this mixtape to lay some groundwork. This is my introduction, but I want everybody to know that whatever I release next will be more than groundwork. I’m swinging, and I’m gonna show y’all why I deserve to be here.
ED: You’re going on tour with That Mexican OT, and he’s featured on the track “Country Outta Me.” How did that collab come about?
CieraTheRapper: He actually followed me on Instagram. I had been following him for a while. I’ve listened to his music, and I think he’s very talented with all the rolling letters and shit. I sent him a DM and I was like, “Yo, what’s up? Do you want to work?” He actually left me on read. He never responded to me. And then out of nowhere, he messaged me to come to his place, and that’s when we did the song.
ED: How do you feel about your music being compared to hip hop?
CieraTheRapper: I don’t like to consider myself a country rapper, and I don’t consider myself someone who makes hip hop. I just think I am a woman who is country that makes rap, you know? I don’t feel any type of way towards the genre. I like the genre. It’s just that at this point in my career, I want to develop my own genre. I want to pave my own way without being compared to anybody else, because if you do listen to it, my music is very different. It’s not going to sound like any other hip hop that you hear. It’s not going to sound like any other country rap.
Calling it country rap is just a way to simplify what I do, and I don’t want anything in my career to be simple. Nothing about me is simple. I’m a very complex, all-over-the-place kind of woman. Country woman, duck nails, red hair, brown hair, blonde hair. Nothing is ever simple with me; it’s usually all over the place. So, I’m gonna make my own genre. My goal is for it to stand out from country rap and hip hop.
I don’t like to consider myself a country rapper, and I don’t consider myself someone who makes hip hop. I just think I am a woman who is country that makes rap.
ED: We interviewed a female artist, Tinashe, a few years ago, also from Kentucky. It seems like the music scene is starting to bubble up in that area.
CieraTheRapper: There is very much a hidden music scene in Kentucky, especially where I’m from in Eastern Kentucky. Morehead, Lexington, Olive Hill, that entire area. There’s a whole underground music scene that doesn’t get to shine, and that’s another reason I do what I do. I want to pave the way for people like me.
ED: Our audience is made up of a lot of people in the strip club industry, and I believe you were an entertainer at one time, right? Can you tell us a bit about that, and explain to the entertainers who are listening why they should play this song?
CieraTheRapper: Yeah, I used to be a dancer. It was for a short time, because I can shake a leg, but it don’t mean it’s gonna move. It’s a hard job to have, so I love to shine light on dancers. “Country Outta Me” is going to be a fun song to dance to. It has a nice beat, a nice rhythm, so it’s something easy to move to. But also, there’s something about the song that gives you a lot of confidence, and that’s something that you really need on stage, so I feel like a lot of dancers will appreciate it, especially in areas where you have a certain customer demographic. They want to hear a certain type of music, and if you’re dancing to music they like, they gonna throw more dollars.
ED: Using the name CieraTheRapper, do you think people will get confused, as there’s also a famous singer by the name of Sierra? Do you think that will help or hurt you? How did you come up with the name CieraTheRapper?
CieraTheRapper: So, Ciera is my legal middle name. My mother named me after Sierra because she’s such a big fan of hers. I don’t think it’s gonna necessarily hurt or help. Our music is very distinct, and my name is spelled differently. I never go by just Ciera. My mom and I are big fans of her music, and while we’re talking about it, we can add her to my list of dream collabs.
ED: When do you go on tour with That Mexican OT?
CieraTheRapper: My first show is on the 21st, in Waco, Texas. I’m very excited to go to Texas and perform “Gassed Up,” which is about the gas station Buc-Ee’s that started in Texas. Everybody likes Buc-Ee’s, you know?
ED: Where can people find information about this tour?
CieraTheRapper: You can go to my Spotify page and click on the events. It’ll show you whatever shows are closest to you, and direct you to Ticketmaster so you can get tickets. I’m very excited to start touring, and hopefully I’ll get more bookings so I can tour more.
For more information, visit CieraTheRapper’s Instagram, TikTok and YouTube or listen to her interview at StripJointsMusic.com.
