Rising Stars: Meet MystiQuë Washington of North Carolina

Today we’d like to introduce you to MystiQuë Washington.

Hi MystiQuë, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’m an R&B singer, songwriter, content creator, and entrepreneur from Charlotte, North Carolina. Music has always been a huge part of who I am, and growing up with gospel influences really shaped the way I approach contemporary R&B today. I’ve always wanted my music to feel authentic and honest while still evolving creatively.

My journey really started professionally when I released my first EP *Vibe* in 2017. The single “Slow Joint” ended up winning Best R&B Music Video at the Carolina Music Video Awards in 2018, which was a huge milestone for me early on. After that, I released *Throne Room* in 2018 and then *Until..* in 2020, which included “Who U Choosin’?” featuring RnB Key. In 2022, I released “No Restrictions” featuring Kiwi Sweet, and that won Best Female R&B Music Video at the Carolina Music Video Awards in 2023.

Outside of music, I’m also the founder and CEO of The Onyx Muse Movement LLC, which is a multifaceted multimedia entertainment and arts company. I created it to help independent artists, small business owners, and personal brands develop creatively and build their presence through media, branding, and storytelling.

Over the last few years, I’ve also been growing as a content creator and influencer. A lot of my content focuses on nostalgic 2000s and 2010s music and media, and it’s been amazing seeing people connect with it. As of December 2025, I’ve reached over 2 million views and counting across my content, which honestly showed me how powerful community and shared nostalgia can be.

Right now, I feel like I’m entering a new era creatively. I’m pushing forward with my next project, *VILLAIN*, which really represents growth, confidence, and stepping fully into who I am as an artist and creator without holding back.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has never been an easy road for me. Honestly, the only thing that ever felt easy was knowing that music is my purpose. I’ve always known this is what I’m meant to do. But everything that comes with pursuing it, especially as a brown skinned, fuller figured woman in this industry, has been a challenge.

The music industry can make you feel like there’s only room for a certain type of woman, or that you have to fit a specific standard to be accepted, whether that’s behind the scenes or in front of the camera. On top of that, being taken seriously without feeling pressured to oversell yourself or oversexualize yourself has been one of the biggest battles I’ve faced.

There were definitely moments where it felt like I had to work twice as hard just to be seen, heard, or respected for my actual talent and creativity. Even now, that’s still a battle I’m fighting. But I’m not just fighting it for myself anymore. I’m fighting for the creative people who are going to be influenced by my work moving forward. I want people to see that you can be authentic, confident, creative, and successful without changing who you are to fit somebody else’s version of what’s acceptable.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
What sets me apart from others is that I really can do it all. I’m not just an artist in front of the camera, I’m also heavily involved behind the scenes. I work closely with other independent artists, creatives, and brands, so I understand every layer that goes into building something from the ground up. Whether it’s music, visuals, branding, creative direction, or performance, I take pride in being hands on with my work and helping bring other people’s visions to life too.

I’m definitely a stickler for professionalism and creativity. I believe you can be creative and still move with intention, structure, and excellence. That balance is really important to me, especially as someone leading my own company and creative movement.

Right now, what I’m most proud of is honestly the work that people haven’t even seen yet. My upcoming album is going to be the first time I fully show all of the different genres and sounds I can tap into. R&B is always going to be my foundation, but I want people to understand that R&B has influenced every genre just like every genre has roots in R&B. This project allows me to explore that freely while still staying true to myself as an artist.

I also specialize in live vocals, and this project is bringing me back to the core of that. Real singing, full voice, no fluff, no hiding behind effects. I want people to actually hear the emotion, the technique, and the artistry live and in real time. That’s something that means a lot to me because true vocal performance is becoming rare, and I want to help bring that feeling back.

If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Believe it or not, I was actually extremely shy growing up. I was always very creative though. I always had an eye for visuals, music, storytelling, and anything artistic. Creativity was kind of how I expressed myself before I fully learned how to speak up for myself.

I wrote my first little song when I was about three years old, so music has honestly been part of me for as long as I can remember. Even as a child, I was very anxiety driven and stayed in my head a lot. Looking back now, it’s funny because I could be nervous or shy in everyday situations, but the moment it came to singing for people, something changed. I was always confident in my voice.

I think music became the place where I felt the safest and the most understood. It allowed me to communicate emotions that I didn’t always know how to explain out loud. That creative and emotional connection I had as a child is still very much a part of who I am today.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themusicalmystique
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@themusicalmystique