Cyrena Wages is a "born and raised Memphis girl" currently on a mission to share the "damn gospel" of her hometown. Known for a "soulful, sultry voice" that commands attention from the first note, Wages is stepping into the spotlight as a solo artist after years in the Nashville system and a stint in the duo Lost Wages with her brother. Her debut solo album, The Vanity Project, arrives in May 2024, marking a defiant transition from her days as a Tennessee beauty queen to a raw, independent songwriter.

Wages views her hometown not just as a city, but as a "tapestry of her soul". Growing up near the Mississippi River in Millington, she was raised on a "medicinal" diet of Al Green and the Staple Singers. This environment cultivated a sound she calls "music for the river fairies," embracing the "mystery and inspiration" of the water. To Wages, the Memphis spirit is defined by an "underdog mentality" that is "raw, gritty, and imperfect"—traits she mirrors in her own artistry.

The title of her debut album, The Vanity Project, was born from industry sexism. After a music executive dismissed her as a "vanity project" before even hearing her music, Wages reclaimed the insult. She uses the title as a "middle finger" to the "limiting narrative" surrounding women’s roles, particularly in the South. It serves as a tribute to her pageant past while proving she is far more than a "mannequin wearing a cowboy hat".

Central to Wages' philosophy is the "freedom of curiosity". She reflects on how "small town religion" and southern culture can often make "expansion feel dangerous," encouraging people to "play by the rules" and stay "buttoned up". Wages rejects this, choosing instead to explore the "polarization of her light and her dark". After "losing a decade to the machine," she is finally ready to "kick the door down" and live an examined life through her music.