Tiana Major9 on ‘November Scorpio’: ‘It Feels Like a Self-Titled Album’

Tiana Major9 was born on the Cusp of Revolution.

“I’m on the cusp, like Scorpio-Sag,” says the British-Jamaican singer (born Nov. 22). “But growing up, every time I would look up my horoscope, it would be Scorpio, so it was something I wore with pride.”

Major9’s debut album, November Scorpio, soars beyond her astrological sign, though it did inform it. “I’m very connected to being a Scorpio,” the Grammy-nominated singer says. “It feels like a self-titled album, but it’s not. It depicts my love for signs and understanding myself.”

November Scorpio arrives nearly six years after her major-label debut EP, At Sixes And Sevens (Motown). And a lot has shifted for the “Collide” singer since then.

After releasing her 2022 EP, Fool Me Once, with plans for an album to follow, Major9 went on a hiatus. In that time, she parted ways with her label.

Since she wasn’t contractually allowed to release music within a timeframe, Major9 kept herself immersed in making and consuming music. “It helped because when you’re not able to release music as an artist, sometimes it could take you down a spiral,” she shares.”

After signing with indie label +1 Records, Major9 returned with the album’s lead single, “Alone,” which was fittingly released during Scorpio season 2024 (Nov. 11).

“‘Alone’ is such a vulnerable offering to the world, through the lyrics, my vocal performance,” explained Major9. “It feels like a re-introduction to Tiana Major9 and an exclusive look into the world of TM9.”

November Scorpio was recorded across London, Los Angeles and Jamaica. It’s Tiana Major9, as we’ve known her, with soulful vocals that lift and vivid lyrics that help deepen connection. Yet, there’s much to learn about her across the album’s 11 tracks.

The opener, “Have Your Way,” gives the keys to unlock her heart, while “Waikiki” imagines a romantic getaway under the Hawaiian sun. Major9’s natural ability to embed affirmations in her music flows through “Grace,” a self-compassion anthem.

The hip-hop soul-flavored “Shook One” exhales the frustration of unrequited love rooted in fear: “I just wanted you to say when I say that ‘I love you’ / But you run / Like a shook one.”

November Scorpio includes collaborations with Yebba and Keyon Harrold, with production by PRGRSHN, Brody Myles, Pera and more.

Below, Tiana Major9 discusses November Scorpio, her love for astrology, life after Motown and her place in R&B’s queer renaissance.

What’s the most Scorpio thing about you?

Being an introverted extrovert.

How deep into astrology are you?

I wouldn’t say I’m an expert. I just have a genuine interest in astrology and how it relates to how I show up as a person and how other people show up. It allows me to recognize my blind spots, but also celebrate parts of my personality I want to keep around and strengthen.

After releasing your Fool Me Once EP in 2022, you went on a hiatus and returned in 2024 with “Alone,” released independently. How would you describe that period of growth from when you parted ways with Motown to the time you worked on November Scorpio?

I grew creatively by not fully stopping. There were times where I wasn’t making anything — just listening, doing the research and talking about music; that helped me expand my ideas around music.

It also helped because when you’re not able to release music as an artist, sometimes it could take you down a spiral. My love for music is bigger than anything in the world. So, I had to do a lot of encouraging myself that I care about music more than I’ve known.

How did you approach the songwriting process for November Scorpio?

The lyrics and the music are king. If it doesn’t feel good to me, then I don’t want to do it. Sometimes, if I’m not sure about a song, then I won’t give it too much thought. The songs on this album I genuinely loved and couldn’t stop thinking about. The main focus was like, “I really need to love all these songs wholeheartedly.”

I wanted to work with people who understand me musically and are not afraid of working with songwriters as well. I’m very proud to say I’m a songwriter, but I love working with other songwriters. If it feels like it’s something that I can’t do myself, I’m taking that song (laughs).

There’s power in collaboration.

Yeah, especially because some of my icons, like Whitney, didn’t always write their songs, but Whitney sold you that song like she wrote the song. I kept that in the forefront of my mind when it came to picking songs I didn’t write.

I also wanted to showcase my own writing style and let people know that I’m really serious about writing music and poetry.

Which song on the album would you say reflects that?

“Money.” I was really being vulnerable. On the day I wrote the song, the words were coming to me. Not to be cliché, but that doesn’t always happen. Sometimes I’m in the studio, and it takes a long time to figure out what I want to talk about.

What was the session for “Money” like?

When I did the session, I was working with Brody Myles, who is an incredible producer from Canada but lives in LA. He was playing me some guitar.

During that time, I was in a new team situation. I was excited to be back in Los Angeles writing — this was after the hiatus. It was like, “OK, I’m back.” I did all of my journaling, trying to prepare myself for the sessions. I turned up to that session with Brody, and it was just flowing because I felt like I came to the session with the intention to write music.

You previously told us that you wanted your debut album to have 10 songs. November Scorpio has 11 tracks, so which song was the one that had to make the cut, no matter what?

I would say “Have Your Way.” It’s the oldest song I wrote for this project. I feel like it’s followed me with every iteration of this project. It had to stay because I love it.

How long have you had “Have Your Way”?

I wrote “Have Your Way” in 2020 with my friend Daniel March, who’s an Australian guitarist. We figured the song out that day and it kept growing. PRGRSHN, my executive producer and friend, I’ve been working with since I was 20, put his flavor on it.

You collaborated with Yebba on “Always.” You’ve mentioned starting the song years ago and revisiting it later at a writing camp. What made you go back to it then, and how did Yebba get involved?

I would say that it stayed. It was a song that didn’t leave my psyche, which is a good sign because there are songs I have that I’m like, “When did I do this? I’m glad I don’t remember that.” I decided to reach out to Yebba because I’m a genuine fan. We’ve been internet friends for a while. So when I was talking about features, she came up and I reached out to her in DM. She said, “Yeah.”

“Grace” feels like a mantra song. How do you give yourself grace as an artist and as a person?

I give myself grace by understanding my world revolves around me, but the world doesn’t revolve around me. It’s OK to make a mistake as long as there’s some sort of resolution, accountability, and plan to improve. I give myself grace by taking a breath and understanding we’re going to die at the end of the day.

Your mother appears at the end of “Grace” with encouraging words. You tend to incorporate affirmations in your music. Is that who you get it from?

Yeah, definitely. My mom is a big part of keeping me on track and taking me outside of myself. When I want to talk, she’s the first person to pick up. My dad is also the same — one of my biggest fans.

What does it mean to have your mom featured on your debut album?

It’s really special. It’s like a musical time capsule. We don’t know the time or the hour for either of us. So it’s important there’s evidence that me and my mom existed and existed in this way as Black people, but also as people that just are creative and want to do a good job at this life. It means a lot that I have my mom archived forever.

“Energy,” featuring Keyon Harrold on trumpet, has a two-step-friendly groove. What did you want to achieve sonically?

For a while, I felt fearful of uptempo and a little lost in terms of how I would approach it, because I have songs like “Collide” and “Same Space,” which are in slow pockets. When I was signed to a major, it was always that conversation of, “OK, uptempo.” And I did have uptempo like “On God,” “Think About You” and “Real Affair.” With “Energy,” I wanted to make something that didn’t have to be uptempo, but had a real infectious groove like reggae, lovers rock and all the stuff I grew up listening to.

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“Desire” is a standout track for sure. What went into that song?

“Desire” came at the transitional time [when] I was meeting people and being intentional with my career and how I wanted to show up personally. I was feeling myself, crazy. I was running, going to the gym. I was really confident in my identity as a queer person.

In my head, I was like, “I can take somebody’s babes” (laughs). It’s not a real story. I don’t believe in cheating or taking someone’s partner. If you can be taken by someone, you could do that to me, too. Anyway, I was just feeling myself, and that was what came up for me.

There seems to be a queer renaissance happening in R&B right now, with artists like Kehlani, Durand Bernarr, Destin Conrad and yourself. How does it feel to be part of that?

It feels really good. I feel so proud about my own queer identity and how it’s being expressed. I’m proud of everybody else for doing the same thing, too, because for a while, we weren’t able to do it. There were so many icons we don’t even know who weren’t able to fully be themselves in their music and art. I feel happy and proud that we don’t give a f**k, and it is what it is. We’re here, and we’re not going nowhere.

Is there anything else you want people to know about November Scorpio?

This album means a lot to me. I wanted to showcase the range of my musicality and interests. It is definitely an R&B foundation, and it will always be that, but I wanted everybody to know that R&B isn’t so rigid; it’s literally a universe. I was trying to showcase some of my best players within the universe, and I’ll continue to do that. If the music confuses you, that’s good. It’s challenging your perception of R&B.

Stream Tiana Major9’s debut album November Scorpio here.