Q&A: FULLCRCL on Friendship, Storytelling, and Shaping The Future of R&B
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
☆ BY NTHATILE MAVUSO ☆
MISSY ELLIOT, ALICIA KEYS, WONDAGURL, NOVAWAV, AND NOW FULLCRCL – belong on the Mount Rushmore of Black women music producers. Although the aforementioned women are legends and have each garnered critical acclaim, it is still a rarity for black women to be recognised and celebrated as producers at the rate that their male counterparts are. Sage and 2.0 of the producer duo FULLCRCL are here to challenge these ideas and to revitalize contemporary R&B.
Known for their breakout on Coco Jones’ “No Chaser” from her Grammy-nominated debut EP What I Didn’t Tell You, FULLCRCL bring soul, storytelling, and immersive soundscapes to every record they create. With their fully self-managed creative vision encompassing songwriting, vocals, and visual direction, they are bringing an entirely new storytelling experience to life
Introducing FULLCRCL Presents: HIM. This is FULLCRCL’s debut release, “Ooh La La,” a fantasy-driven R&B series curated and vocal-produced by the duo. The visual premiere features Zae France as the leading man in a one-night-only story told through song and intimate cinematography.
Luna sat down with FULLCRCL to discuss their creative journey, the making of FULLCRCL Presents: HIM, and what it means to bring their cinematic vision to life.
LUNA: So you’re bicoastal, and that’s great. What are you doing out there in your respective cities—working on any music or promotion activities?
SAGE: Right now, we’re promoting our first artist single featuring Zae France, called “Ooh La La.” It’s been doing great, and we’re having a good time building it. I’m also releasing my first single next month, “Mama Made a Winner,” produced by Oren Yoel (Miley Cyrus) and Juice.
2.0: Yes, it was written by Sage and me. We’re working on a lot simultaneously. Aside from shopping records from our catalog, we’ve launched our artist careers as FULLCRCL, and Sage is preparing to launch her solo career as well. We’re trying to put all the pieces together and do everything at once as best as we can.
LUNA: I’d love to know how FULLCRCL came about. Where did you two meet, and what inspired you to start making music together?
2.0: We’ve been best friends since seventh grade. We were always singing together, and Sage introduced me to writing. We were in school and always put the music first – we were dedicated.
SAGE: We were serenading people in the hallways, always drawn to pop culture and artistry. Once we became friends, we realized we could merge our interests, and from then on, we locked in. We’ve been going ever since.
LUNA: Another thing I admire is how you’ve worked behind the scenes as songwriters and producers—something rare for women in the industry. How has that shaped your current projects?
SAGE: Across all industries, when women take control, we’re met with resistance. We’re socialized to be timid, but no matter how nice you are, as a woman asserting yourself, you’ll face pushback. At this point, we know what we want, and we walk into every room with confidence. Our vision comes from years of experience, and we want everyone in the room to feel empowered, but we also won’t compromise our voice.
2.0: Exactly. Often in sessions, people ignore us—even when it’s our session. They’ll compliment the engineer or the men in the room for the work we did. It’s frustrating, but it motivates us to make sure women, especially Black women, get the recognition they deserve. We love collaborating, but we also want to be respected for our creativity and contributions.
LUNA: You also have your HIM series. Can you explain why you started it?
2.0: We love R&B, and we miss vulnerability in male R&B specifically. Too often, it’s either overly sexual or lacking depth. We wanted to reintroduce vulnerability and showcase men expressing themselves honestly. The HIM series creates a space for that and highlights our perspective as FULLCRCL.
SAGE: It’s also about equity and ownership. Songwriters don’t get master points, even though lyrics are what listeners connect with. By producing and creatively directing, we ensure women like us get proper credit and control. It’s also political—we want to make sure Black women are seen as creatives and owners in this industry.
LUNA: That’s powerful. Let’s talk about the state of R&B. Where do you think it is right now, and what’s your place in it?
2.0: R&B is in a fragile state. We’re losing some of the “recipes”—the background vocals, storytelling, vulnerability. Too many artists sound the same. We’re trying to bring back the essence of R&B while still keeping it fresh and current.
SAGE: I’d add that there’s a yearning for nostalgia right now, but the industry often waters things down by chasing the latest hit. There’s less artist development, less storytelling. That’s why people feel something is missing. We believe every artist has a story, and our role is to help them tell it authentically.
LUNA: Let’s talk about your debut single Ooh La La with Zae France. How did that collaboration come about?
2.0: Zae is a longtime friend, and we’ve always admired his voice. We wanted to create something that played into his vibe—sexy, charismatic, and powerful vocally. We included little French touches in the lyrics to connect with his name and persona. It felt like the perfect collaboration for our debut, and we’re grateful to him for sharing his platform with us.
LUNA: What’s next for you?
SAGE: We’re taking it one step at a time, moving one foot in front of the other, and applying everything we’ve learned from years in the industry to our own brand. We have more artists joining the HIM series, including T.A. Thomas, Leo Waters, and Ant Clemons (Justin Timberlake, Ty Dolla Sign, Chris Brown). We’re also working on visuals and performances to expand the world we’re building.
2.0: And we’re always open to new collaborations. There will be more volumes and more opportunities for artists to be part of HIM.
