Young M.A On Health Scare, Alcohol Battle, Relationships, Brother’s Death, God, Brooklyn & Music

Young M.A faced a severe health scare due to daily alcohol consumption (a bottle of Hennessy). She credits her recovery to a deepened relationship with God and her own will to heal, rather than a brief, unsuccessful attempt at rehab. The withdrawals were particularly frightening, but her determination to change, fueled by not wanting her mother to lose another child, was paramount.

She states, 'I'm a self-healer. I got myself into this. I'm going get myself out.' and 'after this situation, I created a relationship' with God. She recounts leaving rehab after 'not even 20 minutes' because she felt she didn't have an 'addiction' but needed to heal from something else. She also mentions consuming 'a bottle a day' at its worst and being scared of the withdrawals.

Her brother was stabbed to death by a former friend when she was 17. This event was a pivotal moment, marking a 'separation of innocence to real life' and forcing her into a 'responsibility mode' to support her mother and younger sister, who were deeply affected by the loss. This tragedy accelerated her maturity and commitment to her music career.

Young M.A states, 'that very moment when I heard those words, like my whole outlook, spirit, everything just felt life all at once.' She adds, 'it actually forced me to to really get into a responsibility mode for my mom and my little sister.'

Despite offers, Young M.A remained an independent artist, a decision driven by her desire for control and the labels' inability to present a clear, long-term strategy beyond her initial viral hit 'Ooouuu.' She recognized the value of owning her masters and building her brand organically, though she regrets not monetizing her association with Hennessy early on.

She explains, 'I just wanted to see what would they do after the song?' and 'once I wasn't delivered that, then I said, I got to do this on my own then.' She also states, 'I think the drinking became a lifestyle because Henny was so attached to my name... No, that's why I regret it.'

Young M.A maintains a strict separation between her public music persona and her private life. She was initially upset when a barber and a former partner posted videos of her during her health crisis, but later accepted that these public exposures might have been 'meant to be seen' to share her story. She actively avoids controversy and believes people fabricate narratives due to her private nature.

She states, 'I don't bring nothing personal. A lot of people don't know a lot about me.' Regarding the leaked videos, she says, 'I don't think it was meant to be hidden.' She also mentions, 'people just try to find a narrative to run with about me because it's none.'

Identifying as a woman who loves women, Young M.A prefers to date straight women who are specifically attracted to her, rather than women who identify as lesbian. She discovered her attraction to women in kindergarten and kept it private for a long time. She is currently in a committed relationship with the woman who posted her hospital video, having forgiven her after a deep conversation and recognizing her partner's unwavering support during her lowest point.

She states, 'most women I've dated was straight... they just attracted to me and that's it.' She reveals knowing her preference 'since I was in kindergarten.' She confirms being in a relationship with the person who posted the hospital video, stating, 'she stayed around... she was cooking for me. She was really nurturing me.'

Young M.A echoes Lizzo's sentiment that algorithms are detrimental to the music industry. She believes they force artists to prioritize creating content for engagement over producing high-quality music, making it harder for established artists with strong fan bases to reach their audience without 'extra effort.'

She agrees with Lizzo, stating, 'Facts. I just posted that... people are not trying to they're not trying to make great music. They're trying to get into the algorithm.' She adds that 'you almost got to put extra effort in now then your followers is not seeing.'