Simone Joy, known musically as S!MONE, is the kind of artist who refuses to be boxed in. Her brand of R&B moves with ease between the classic and the contemporary, rich with the kind of lived-in storytelling that makes every note feel personal. On Magnet, her debut album, she blends neo-soul textures with sleek, modern production, offering a soundscape that is both reflective and effortlessly vibey.
“Even some of them being really rough experiences, I still want to dance through those things. I still want to smoke through those things. I still want to just hang with my friends through that,” she said of the emotions she channels into her music. That duality—where catharsis and groove can coexist—defines her artistic approach, making her one of the more compelling new voices in R&B
But music is just one facet of her creative identity. Since graduating from Carnegie Mellon in 2021, S!MONE has moved fluidly between artistic mediums, pushing herself beyond her comfort zone in ways that have only deepened her skills. “I feel like now I’m in the studio with an instrument rather than just my voice,” she shared, emphasizing how her growth as a musician has elevated her songwriting. At the same time, she’s been expanding her creative reach behind the camera, shadow-directing on Bel-Air, and developing her own TV scripts. “I plan to make my directorial debut within the next year,” she revealed, a testament to the ambition that has guided her through the industry.
Her journey has been defined by an unwavering belief in herself, even when the path wasn’t clear. After college, she knew she wanted to act and make music but refused to take the expected route. “I didn’t want to go to New York because it just felt like a treadmill going on at the highest speed that I could not get off,” she recalled.
Instead, she carved out space for herself in Los Angeles, trusting that the right opportunities would come. That faith paid off in real time—on her way back to Texas, she booked Bel-Air, the Peacock reboot of the iconic Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. “There are so many people who don’t get it until everyone else gets it,” she said of her approach to risk-taking.
Now, with Bel-Air airing its final season, S!MONE is reflecting on what it means to have a proper sendoff—something many Black-led shows aren’t afforded. “I feel grateful that we even have an ending,” she said. “A lot of shows get canceled or cut off, and they don’t get to finish their story the way they want to.”
For S!MONE, the experience has been formative, offering her a masterclass in storytelling that she’s eager to apply to future projects. But if there’s one thing she’s made clear, it’s that she won’t be defined by just one thing. Whether through music, acting, or directing, she’s here to tell stories—and to do it entirely on her own terms.
EBONY: In addition to music, you’ve been acting for quite some time. Did you move to LA at a young age knowing you wanted to enter the entertainment industry?
S!MONE: I graduated from Carnegie Mellon in 2021. My lease was up, and I didn’t want to go to New York because I’d lived there before. It felt like a treadmill going at the highest speed that I couldn’t get off. If I was going to be auditioning and making music, I wanted to relax and make sure I knew what my own energy felt like, rather than what people were making me feel should happen. Let me do my own wave. Coincidentally, I had driven my stuff halfway across the country to Texas, and I had my final Bel-Air audition there. On my way home, I booked Bel-Air, which is nuts.
That’s a lesson to follow your own tempo and your own groove versus doing what everyone assumes you should do. While you were still at Carnegie Mellon, you were acting and juggling a lot at once. Did that prepare you for where you are now in creating music?
One hundred percent. I’m a person who loves to have my hands on everything. In high school, I’d go from basketball practice in the morning to changing into dance clothes for different clubs. In college, it was a rigorous program; we worked from 8:30 in the morning to 10:00 p.m., not including homework. It felt like a natural transition, honestly. I was really happy I chose Carnegie and that they welcomed me, because that schedule felt normal to keep up. On set, there’s no end time—just a start time. It’s whenever you get it done. I’d say it definitely prepared me.
You blend classic neo-soul vibes with a modern, fun and palatable approach. How did you navigate that sonic balance? You almost get two experiences—listening passively or paying close attention to the instrumentation, your vocal performance, and the message. Was that intentional or did it come together naturally?
Thank you for listening so intently. I was talking to D Smoke, and he said listenability is really important. He mentioned listening all the way through and that’s exactly what I wanted. These are my real stories. I’m often working through things in the studio because that’s how I express myself. Even rough experiences—I still want to dance through them, smoke through them, hang with my friends through them.
On “Short Notice,” you sing about sometimes ignoring the signs, the romantic or relationship-oriented red flags. When you think about your music and career, have there been times you ignored the signs, and it worked out in your favor?
Yes! There are so many people who don’t get it until everyone else gets it or until it’s popular. I’ve seen that a lot in my life as an actor. When I first started, my very first audition was The Lion King on Broadway in New York, and people told my parents, “Girl, don’t do that. It’s a waste of money. It’s a waste of time.” That jumpstarted my entire career at nine years old. Or deciding I’d go to Atlanta to work with someone I thought was great in the studio— “Short Notice” came from that. People were like, “Girl, what?” Having an eye on your goal, vision and dream is more important than focusing on your current situation.
Even on that side of collaborations, what songwriters, producers or artists would you like to work with soon? Maybe on the next project or hopping on a verse for someone else?
Yes, 100%. I want to work with really great people: Black Party—I think he’s incredible—Masego, Willow, so many. I’d love to work with Andra Day and singers like Tank and the Bangas. “Let’s sing together!” I have a long list of people I’m coming for this year, and I’m excited.
That’s something missing from R&B: real duets, real harmonies, not just back-and-forth. There’s a synergy in figuring each other out and translating that on the track. When that time comes, I’m super excited for it.
I want to do a “When You Believe” moment like Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey, or a Patti LaBelle duet. I would live for that.
This year the final season of Bel-Air is airing. How do you feel about the show ending?
I feel grateful we even get an ending. A lot of shows get canceled without finishing their story. Having our writers and actors come to set with integrity and a common goal is special. It’s like leaving school after four years—at the start of senior year, you think, “Oh no, how will I deal with life afterward?” But by the end, you’re ready to go. We didn’t wear it out, which is wonderful. Everyone is so talented, so it’s not like we’ll never work again. I’m really happy about it.
How have you changed or evolved since that first episode came out, now that you’re also putting out music and building your brand?
Whoa, that’s huge. The S!MONE arc has been ginormous. It started as a delusional confidence and became a knowing confidence: ‘Yes, I do this. I love this.’ I did a movie in between, and having people trust me as a lead is beautiful. I was on set thinking, ‘I don’t know what I’m doing,’ then realized, ‘No, I do.’
You released Magnet near the end of last year; are there new ways you’d like to show up this year? It’s still early in the year—people are doing resolutions—so how do you want to evolve in the next few months?
I never stop learning and growing. I’m working on my musicianship. Now I’m in the studio with an instrument, not just my voice, which makes my melodies richer. I’ve been embraced by great musicians, but I want to speak their language. I’m also writing for TV and shadow-directing on Bel-Air—I plan to make my directorial debut within a year.
I’m thinking more about fashion as well, looking at visual storytelling and how it shows up in my videos and what I wear. I used to be more of a sports-and-theater girl in sweatpants, but now I want to see what turning myself inside out looks like visually.
