HuneyFire Release New Single – Manswer: Mother-daughter Afro/Latina country duo, HuneyFire, has released “Manswer,” the first single from their forthcoming album. HuneyFire features the lead and harmony vocals of mother, Cheaza Figueroa, and daughter, Marriana Nevarez.
Taste of Country hosts the Exclusive Premiere of “Manswer.”
“Manswer” was written by Nashville songwriter, Caitlin Evanson, who is also known for her live performance work with Taylor Swift, Ringo Starr, and is currently on tour with Kelsea Ballerini. The song puts a unique and humorous spin on the art of “mansplaining.” “We write a lot of our own material,” explains Cheaza, “But when Caitlin played ‘Manswer’ for us, we instantly knew we had to record it. It is fun, edgy, and lyrically spot on. It felt like home.”
“I asked you a question, straight up
No backpedal, roundabout, downplay side step
Come on wake up, I didn’t just fall off of this turnip truck
Hey two timin’ side stepping dancer
I asked you a question
Don’t give me a manswer”
The legacy of HuneyFire’s family musical history courses through their bloodlines. Cheaza grew up following in the footsteps of a big-time show business entertainer. Her mother, Stonye Figueroa aka Barbara Cook, was a member of the legendary Ikette’s, the electrifying backing vocalists and dancers for The Ike and Tina Turner Revue.
Among other dizzying career accolades, she was a part of the group’s powerhouse historic performance of “Proud Mary” captured in their debut appearance on ‘The Ed Sullivan Show.’ “I grew up under the musical influence of my mother, and Tina, of course,” says Cheaza. “I was also inspired by Whitney Houston, Dolly, Pat Benatar, and Shania Twain. So, my musical tastes are very broad.”
Daughter, Marriana, also claims musical royalty in her bloodline; her father, Alfred Nevarez, is a founding member of the pop vocal group, All-4-One, best known for their mega-hits, “I Swear,” “So Much in Love” and “I Can Love You Like That.” “I draw musical inspiration from Miranda Lambert, Maren Morris, Demi Lovato, Miley Cyrus, Paramore and Caitlyn Smith, among others,” Marriana states.
“Manswer” was co-produced by Cheaza Figueroa and Jason Pennock, whose discography includes production, writing and engineering credits for a dazzling array of talents across multiple genres, including Brian Wilson, 2Pac, Anastacia, Natasha Beddingfield, Peabo Bryson, and many others. The track features Cheaza and Marriana trading standout lead and harmony vocals, Caitlin Evanson on fiddle and backing vocals, Wanda Vick Burchfield on banjo, Eddy Dunlap on steel guitar, Michael Vattima on drums, and Hugo Castillo on bass and electric guitar. It was engineered by Castillo and mixed and mastered by Pennock.
ABOUT HUNEYFIRE:
The legacy of HuneyFire’s family musical history courses through their bloodlines and career arc of the dynamic mother-daughter Afro/Latina country music duo, HuneyFire.
Mother, Cheaza Figueroa, grew up following in the footsteps of a big-time show business entertainer. Her mother, Stonye Figueroa aka Barbara Cook, was a member of the legendary Ikette’s, the electrifying backing vocalists and dancers for The Ike and Tina Turner Revue. Among other dizzying career accolades, Stonye was a part of the group’s powerhouse historic performance of “Proud Mary” captured in their debut appearance on ‘The Ed Sullivan Show’ in 1971.
Daughter, Marriana Nevarez, also claims musical royalty in her bloodline; her father Alfred Nevarez is a founding member of the pop vocal group, All-4-One, best known for their mega-hits, “I Swear,” “So Much in Love” and “I Can Love You Like That.”
“I am definitely the Fire, and Marriana is the Huney,” Cheaza explains the origins of their name, HuneyFire. “We are polar opposites as singers. And that is what makes it so special. We can cover a lot of ground from soft and tender to intense and rocking.’ That’s how we do it!” When they aren’t performing or recording, Cheaza spends time working out and catching up on self-care. Marriana is a nature lover and enjoys spending time outdoors.
Cheaza began performing doing auditions for television shows, and started touring at the young age of 10 years-old with a bilingual Spanish/English singing group called The Be Aware Girls. Since moving to Las Vegas in 2003, Cheaza has performed with the likes of Wayne Brady, Jon Secada and sang on album recordings with Marie Osmond, Barry Manilow, and others. She remains an in-demand performer on major cruise lines.
Marriana cut her teeth as a child singer and dancer in the 2005 film, ‘Hip Hop Harry Perfect Picnic,’ before growing into her own artistry and eventually teaming with her mother in HuneyFire.
The duo began singing together in 2011 and founded HuneyFire as a duo in March of 2021. HuneyFire has released four singles, “Temporary,” “Breaking Necks,” “O Holy Night,” and a cover of the Judd’s country classic, “Love Can Build a Bridge.” Working from their home base in Las Vegas, the duo recently completed writing and recording their debut English album, with a bonus Spanish track, which is set to release in Summer 2023.They are currently recording a Spanish EP to pay tribute to both of their cultures and backgrounds.
Together, they carry on the legacy, family ties and musical histories that they are bringing to a new generation of fans, all wrapped in a big, powerful, beautiful package of amazing talent.
