RECLAIMING MY IDENTITY:

GOODBYE LATRICE HELLO ROCHELLE

So many people have asked me, “Why did you change your name?”

Hey my name is LaShana Rochelle—formerly known as LaShana Latrice.

Earlier this year in 2025, I decided to officially switch to LaShana Rochelle, which is actually my birth name. It felt so natural to go back to it—I didn’t have to overthink a new name because why not just embrace the one I was given from the start? So, where did “Latrice” even come from? Let’s rewind.

I was 17, enrolled in music college for performance and engineering. At that point, I wasn’t fully committed to pursuing music professionally; I just loved singing and wanted to learn a little more about the industry. One day, a classmate and I were at lunch break, talking about our futures, and he asked, “What would your stage name be if you ever became a superstar?” Honestly, I’d never really thought about it before. I tried coming up with a few ideas, but nothing felt right. Then he suggested “Latrice.” He said it sounded sultry, catchy, and mysterious. I loved it immediately and ran with it. From that day on, I introduced myself as Latrice. If anyone asked my name, it was Latrice—no one knew about La Shana except for close friends and family. I carried that name from age 17 all the way to age 26.

By 26, in the year 2020, I was finally ready to release my debut single, I added “LaShana” back for artist branding, so I became La Shana Latrice. That continued until 2025, when I chose to drop “Latrice” completely. I just didn’t identify with it anymore. Truth is, I had been battling with that name for a while leading up to the decision. I shared how I was feeling with a few close people before making it official, and a lot of them encouraged me to keep La Shana Latrice. They said it’s such a strong artist name and that’s what people already know me by. But the more time went on, and the more I grew—as a woman and as an artist—the less it resonated with the person I was becoming.

Latrice carries a lot of bad memories, I’ll admit some good ones too but mainly bad. Still, it’s a past version of me that I no longer connect with. Names matter. What you call yourself holds spiritual weight —it shapes how you show up in the world and how you introduce yourself which is important to me.

When I look back at Latrice, I see my old modeling days, my younger self—the selfish times, the immature phase, the version chasing selfish gains and vanity— a lost soul.

This change goes beyond the name—my image has shifted too. I went more natural, removed the colored contacts (even though for years I told people they were my real eyes —SORRY), and my style moved from promiscuous and secular to modesty. I feel more peaceful and relaxed now that I’m saying Lashana Rochelle. I’m more solid in my identity—not just because of the name, but because I’ve surrendered my life to Jesus and as a believer, identity in Him changes everything. Honestly, it’s that simple. There’s no dramatic story. I just don’t identify with Latrice anymore.

Once I let go of Latrice, so many other things that needed to be addressed just naturally came to the surface and I was able to deal with them. Crazy right but so true!

The rebrand has been challenging—getting my music back into the algorithms and rebuilding has taken some time—but I trust God’s plan and purpose for my life. With over 8 billion people in the world, I know the right ones will find me and join this new chapter.

I’m beyond excited for the new music, the fresh sound, and what’s ahead. It’s not just about me anymore—it’s about what God wants to do through me and I am so ready. Stay tuned. God bless you all. Thank you all for the support. X.