“I think I stuck with music because I’m honestly not good at anything else,” said the Lang freshman known as Neffy.

Inspired by the likes of Tracy Chapman, Laura Love, Amy Winehouse, and Bill Withers, Neffy, whose real name is Mecca Russell, grew up in Arlington, Virginia. “My dad is music geek, so I was exposed and inspired by good music pretty early,” she said.

In the third episode of Free Press Live, Neffy debuted “Mrs. Jones,” an original that will soon be available online.

“Recently I’ve had a bit of heartbreak, so I’m inspired to get back in the studio,” she said as she relayed her plans to return to her hometown to record her EP.

“I’ve always connected to lyrics since a very young age and have ever since,” she said, and it shows in her painfully honest songwriting and soulful voice. With 10 songs available on Soundcloud, we can’t wait to see what else is to come for the already talented Neffy.