Key Takeaways
- Atia “Ink” Boogs first introduced herself to Beyoncé at the 2019 Roc Nation Brunch, which set the stage for future collaborations.
- She co-wrote tracks on RENAISSANCE and COWBOY CARTER, including “ALIEN SUPERSTAR,” “TEXAS HOLD ’EM” and “AMERIICAN REQUIEM.”
- Ink officially launched her solo career with BIG BUSKIN’, an EP that blends country, Hip Hop and R&B influences.
Songwriter Atia “Ink” Boogs went from playing music outside of a 2014 Beyoncé and JAY-Z concert to being a key collaborator on the genre-bending albums RENAISSANCE and COWBOY CARTER. Countless people hope that their day to work with the queen will come, but Ink believed it would happen, and then, she put the songstress on notice.
Her pen game helped to shape album standouts like “ALIEN SUPERSTAR” and “THIQUE.” The writer also co-wrote the country crossover juggernauts “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” and “16 CARRIAGES,” along with the emotionally stirring ballad “AMERIICAN REQUIEM,” which boasts production from uber-talented musician and singer Jon Batiste. The magic of the two projects unfolded after Ink and the globally celebrated entertainer crossed paths at the 2019 Roc Nation Brunch.
In a new episode of Rolling Stone’s “Nashville Now” podcast, the melodic storyteller rehashed how she seized her moment to manifest a working relationship with Bey. She recalled walking right up to the Houston native. “The stars and the planets [were] aligning; they [were] circling, spinning, and I just stepped into the galaxy,” Ink said. “I just said, ‘I know what you need, and I think I can help’ — not verbatim.”
The wordsmith also disclosed that she missed her first chance to introduce herself to Beyoncé a week earlier during a separate event. “I had [gotten] starstruck,” she shared. It was a mistake the industry newcomer would not make twice.
At the brunch, “She walked directly towards me, it’s like nobody else, and then I’m like, ‘I gotta Ink it out,’” she said about their second run-in. “So, I go up to her like, ‘Look, I’m tired of going back and forth with you. I'm [going] to write your whole next album.’ She started laughing. She thought it was so funny, and then we just locked in ever since then.”
Ink charts solo career with new EP, BIG BUSKIN’
The endlessly creative collaborator’s résumé features songs with Childish Gambino, Justin Bieber and Lil Nas X, as well as Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s Billboard Hot 100 single “Luther,” among others. However, in October, she stepped into the spotlight herself with the release of her debut EP, BIG BUSKIN’, for Big Loud Records. The 12-track project is a medley of Hip Hop, country, R&B and pop influences, showcasing why her craftsmanship has made Ink a sought-after songwriter by some of music’s biggest names.