Women of Modern UK Jazz
Women of Modern UK Jazz Playlist highlighting a new wave of female jazz artists. People’s playlists by: Ivana Pintaric You Might Also Like Recent Posts
Cross The Tracks 2025 Review – A Standout Summer Festival
Photo Credit: @garryjonesphotography Cross The Tracks 2025 Review – A Standout Summer Festival Love was in the air, along with some great jazz, funk and soul 8 June 2025 By Caitlin Taylor The last time I was at Cross the Tracks, I remember running towards Khruangbin just as the summer rain started. It was a top ten magical experience and this year had a lot to live up to, at least in my eyes. Last year saw Erkyah Badu controversially pull out at the last minute, and the recent drama about whether all Brockwell park festivals would be allowed to continue meant that I entered this year cautiously. Lynda Dawn was one of the first artists we encountered. She actually played last time I was here back in 2022 and it was nice to see her get a main stage upgrade. Her stage presence was incredibly impressive and she attracted a large and unexpectedly engaged crowd for such an early slot. It’s always nice to watch people who genuinely seem to be having fun while performing, and her dancing along with her backup singers put a smile on my face. We began wandering around, and were promptly pulled in by Nala Sinephro’s siren song. She and her band were a wonder to watch, her talent was completely captivating and what was meant to be a quick stop-off ended up with us staying for her whole set which involved her seamlessly moving between a harp and synthesiser. Fun fact: she also recently composed the soundtrack for the new Benny Safdie and Dwayne Johnson film ‘The Smashing Machine’ – definitely someone to keep on your radar. © Khali Ackford After a short group discussion about who to see next, we decided it was time to dance. Last Nubian were playing at the Funk Junction, featuring vocals from Achanté, who kept the crowd moving the entire time. It was a smaller stage but absolutely swarmed by people and we quickly became enveloped in the crowd, no complaints though! They worked perfectly together the entire time, definitely a standout. Luke Dyson @lukedyson http://www.lukedyson.com It’s undeniably amazingly curated, wherever you end up you’ll be hearing something great which is something I haven’t truly experienced at any other festival. It should also receive praise for being open to all generations, with such a variety of artists that both parents and kids will all have heard of at least someone – JGrrey to Gilles Peterson, Cymande to Jordan Rakei. It’s a festival that feels right at home on a Sunday, with the only caveat being the unfortunate fact that the grass has been stomped grey by the Dr Martens mosh pits at Wide Awake the previous Friday. The evening closed out with some mind-blowing sets from Last Nubians and Ezra Collective, two of the best performances I and the people I was with had ever seen. As the sun set and I looked back across the past few festivals I’ve attended, I couldn’t help but feel this one felt the most ‘right’. Stood in the centre of a massive group of people, spanning a large range of ages, everyone was smiling, laughing, singing along. When times are hard, this is what it feels we should hold on to, magical moments like these. Photo Credit: @garryjonesphotography You might also like ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ Recent Posts ⋆⭒˚.⋆
Our CROSS THE TRACKS 2025 Top Picks:
Our CROSS THE TRACKS 2025 Top Picks: Can’t wait for Cross The Tracks on Sunday? These are our must-sees. 22 May 2025 By Caitlin Taylor I still count Cross the Tracks 2022 as maybe my favourite festival experience ever so here’s hoping this year is more of the same. I’m not sure where else you’ll find a lineup this talented – Ezra Collective, Jordan Rakei, Michael Kiwanuka and Free Nationals all in one place. We’ve picked out a few of our favourites you should give a listen to before the headliners, maybe you’ll find a few new favorites. ESSENCE MARTINS – 12:05 pm @ The Caboose Stage We were early fans of Essence Martins here at TNAM, and she’s only grown greater as time has progressed. Her new album Sleeping On It showcases her talent as a singer/songwriter with relatable lyrics that’ll leave you reminiscing about your last breakup. Delicate and peaceful, perfect for a Sunday afternoon. FABIANA PALLADINO – 2:20 pm @ Locomotion Stage We’re all for bringing disco back in 2025, and it’s something Fabiana Palladino has been doing over the past year. Her critically acclaimed self-titled album set her apart from your typical pop act with funky beats and smooth vocals. We caught her last year at RALLY, and again at All Points East where she performed with the legendary Jai Paul, a regular collaborator of hers. NIA SMITH – 2:15 pm @ D-Railed Stage Nia Smith is perfect for a festival like Cross The Tracks. A singer/songwriter with a reggae influence and strong soul sound, she seems moments away from blowing up to Jorja Smith levels. Last year she performed at SZA’s Hyde Park takeover despite only having released her first song on streaming services a month before. Catch her before she hits the main stage. JGRREY – 1:30 pm @ Mainline Stage JGrrey is one of my absolute personal favourites. Her first release For Keeps in 2019 is still a regular play and her newest album If Not Now? Is equally as good. She’s still a leading force in the London RnB scene despite putting nothing on streaming for the past 2 years. Hopefully, her appearance at Cross The Tracks will set the stage for some new releases..? LULU. – 12:30 pm @ Mainline Stage LULU. (the full stop is intentional!) is another artist who only started releasing music very recently but is already selling out headline shows. Her music draws inspiration from her childhood growing up in the church and her love for afrobeats, the perfect music to dance to in the sun with your friends. It’s rare to find music that feels so genuine and uplifting – we’re excited to see her on stage! You might also like ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ Recent Posts ⋆⭒˚.⋆
Our GALA 2025 Top Picks:
Our GALA 2025 Top Picks: Going to GALA festival this weekend? Here’s who we think you should see. 21 May 2025 By Caitlin Taylor If you’ve never been to the Peckham Rye DJ-focused festival GALA, you’re in for a treat. It’s pretty small, but their lineups always pack a crazy punch. Last year saw Joy Orbison, Girls Don’t Sync and Chaos in the CBD take to the park, and this year is somehow even better. We’ve put together a list of our top picks, if you’ve not yet got tickets hurry up! FRIDAY Savssounds is truly up and coming with a really eclectic mix of experience behind her. Her live set for Art Beyond the Shell made Nirvana’ Smells Like Teen Spirit a song that you could grind to. She recently started the club night Altverse focusing on black alternative music featuring the likes of The Internet, Doechii and Kaytranada, and also somehow manages to juggle both being a DJ and a financial consultant – a seriously talented woman. View this post on Instagram A post shared by SAVSSOUNDS (@savssounds) SATURDAY Amaliah is super popular at the moment, playing a crazy run of shows over the summer. Other than GALA, catch her at Shangri-La, Maiden Voyage and Boiler Room in Ibiza. She started DJing in 2018 after record collecting since her teens. Her sets are varied, she plays around with house, techno and UK funky and she started the collective Borne Fruits to showcase some of the best underground music, something we can definitely get behind. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Amaliah (@amaliahppeche) If you’re maybe in the mood for something a little more retro, Portuguese-born London-based Mafalda is known for her brilliant taste in soulful disco tunes. She doesn’t believe in guilty pleasures, as she told Dust & Grooves “Good music is good music”. She radiates joy, so if you’re in the mood to feel good make sure you get to her set. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mafalda (@mafaldafromthesun) SUNDAY If you’ve been DJing for over two decades you better be good, and Michelle Manetti certainly is. Self-described as a ‘genre non-conformist’, she loves to experiment with a variety of genres from house to disco to acid. She also promotes and helps to curate multiple female/non-binary-focused club nights in East London including Femmme Fraiche. If you tend to spend your nights at Dalston Superstore, this is the set for you. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Michelle Manetti (@michelle_manetti) Millie McKee is a standout on this list. Her taste skews more into the psychedelic, with percussive dub and spiritual jazz beats. Another decade-long vinyl collector, she even manages the record store Hidden Sounds on Ridley Road. Truly a Sunday vibe, and maybe a good one to add to your itinerary if you’ve attended all 3 days of the festival and are looking for something to chill out to. You might also like ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ Recent Posts ⋆⭒˚.⋆
New EP: Nikhita “Solace”
New EP: Nikhita “Solace” Hailing from Scotland and based in Edinburgh, RnB artist Nikhita stuns with the release of her debut EP, Solace. 5 April 2025 By Sankavi Naresh Currently Listening to: This five track collection is a deeply introspective exploration of self worth, identity, troubled relationships and familial struggles-woven together with Nikhita’s entrancing vocals, live instrumentation and the soothing frequencies of Himalayan singing bowls. At the heart of Solace is Nikhita’s ethereal vocals, soaring effortlessly over a delicate neo soul and RnB soundscape, reminiscent of Cleo Sol and Raveena. Languid rhythms and radiant sonic textures blend seamlessly, inviting listeners to lose themselves in a space that is both reflective and healing. Solace is mesmerising from start to finish, but these three tracks are my personal standouts. “Lake Karachay” serves as a heartfelt introduction, the title being a nod to a Russian lake, once used by the Soviet Union to dump radioactive waste in. It’s aptly melancholic and hurt in its tone. Whilst “Insurance” eases you in from the beginning, maintaining an assertive presence without being brash or forceful. “Golden Child” is quietly empowering, its soulful melody tugging at the heartstrings. With imagery of “bangles stacked in gold” and “turmeric on her toes” and lines such as “you can come to me for anything”, there’s an allusion to finally reaching self-acceptance and self-love. The lyrics seem to reflect on a past self, in need of the love and compassion she delivers in this beautifully woven track. “Golden Child” is certainly a testament to Nikhita’s artistry and emotional depth. In her own words, Nikhita says “writing these songs was a place of solace for me, helping me navigate some challenging situations – and solace is what I hope others will find upon listening. I have always thought of music as an avenue for healing, and recently I’ve been learning more about how to intensify that effect sonically, in traditional ways, linked to my heritage. I play singing bowls on a few tracks – these instruments originate from the Himalayas and produce a set of overtones, creating vibrations which can aid in our meditative process and regulation of the nervous system. I am only just beginning my sound healing journey, and there is so much more I am eager to learn about using frequencies for healing.” Nikhita’s intention to utilise her music for healing is evident throughout Solace, which feels both rejuvenating and restorative. The EP acts as a cathartic release for Nikhita and her listeners; there’s something metaphysical and uplifting about it, transporting you to a safe, dreamlike space where worries are eased. Both her music and her lyrics pay homage to her heritage, intertwining personal narrative with cultural pride. Beyond the studio, Nikhita is no stranger to a live performance. She has graced stages at PITCH Scotland, Solas Festival, Kelburn Garden Party, and more. Nikhita’s growing reputation has been further cemented by praise from The Scotsman, Tenement TV, and multiple appearances on BBC platforms, including a notable live radio performance at Maida Vale Studios for International Women’s Day. Solace is more than just an EP. It’s an invitation into a healing space, where personal catharsis is married with innovative musical expression. Nikhita has firmly established herself as a rising RnB artist, ready to captivate audiences both on record and on stage. Catch Nikhita live on the following dates: 10th April 2025 – Solace EP Launch (Headline Show) – Whitespace Gallery, Edinburgh 26th April 2025 – Poetry and live music night at Gallery Natami – Edinburgh You might also like ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ Recent Posts ⋆⭒˚.⋆
New Single: Demae “Ain’t Easy”
Born and bred North Londoner Demae is back with another tasteful track titled Ain’t Easy, released on the 24th of January this year.
With a soulful sound and clear R&B and Hip-Hop influences, Ain’t Easy is a light and dreamy soundscape where Demae is free to offload with introspective lyrics. The song has a strong backbeat and bass groove which you can’t help but jam to, but the smooth and silky vocals keep the mood chilled and relaxing. An effortless delivery and an easy listen.
✧⋄⋆ Interview ⋆⋄✧ Raelle
Raelle @ the Royal Albert Hall by Temi ✧⋄⋆ Interview ⋆⋄✧ Raelle Over the last 3 years, orchestral soul artist Raelle has been developing her beautifully warm and intimate live shows. Words by Callum Lidington 9 July 2024 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcwbDKc8HS4 In that time, she has performed at a host of notable venues, including the Jazz Cafe, Village Underground, and now, for a second time, The Elgar Room at The Royal Albert Hall for her first sellout performance. The New Age Magazine caught up with Raelle after her show for a Fantasy Festival Q and A. She takes us from Norwich, to London, to France and even to Latin America, as she talks us through her journey so far, as well as her hopes, dreams and ultimate music festival fantasies. Raelle today you will be headlining your own fantasy festival, we’ll be discussing your dream venue, food, drink, and guest artists as well as your songwriting philosophy and your journey so far – Shall we take it back to the start – St Laurence Church in Norwich for Wild Paths Festival 2021, your first festival performance and I was blessed to catch it… What do you remember about that day? Yeah, it was very surreal for me, I could barely even digest the fact I was performing at a festival. It was very soon after I had started releasing music, so it was pretty like ‘whoa, this is a big thing for me’. It was a great day though, and it’s a beautiful venue. How have things changed in the 3 years or so between that performance at Wild Paths and yesterday’s performance at The Elgar Room? What hasn’t changed? Everything’s changed I think. Before I was very much still finding my voice, my feet, what I wanted to stand for, and what I wanted to sound like. I think I’ve grown within those three years, the way I look at music is super different and how I make music is really different. I really want my shows to be an immersive experience. I want to bring the audience into my world, and inside the songs with me. I think doing this is one of the biggest changes to how I perform. They are both stunning locations, and you’ve played at plenty of others in between, what’s been your favourite venue to play? Oh my God. My favorite? I really liked Village Underground supporting Marie Dhalstrom, that was sick, a really beautiful venue. I’ve seen so many acts there and then I was on the stage, I was like ohh OK, this is different now, that one felt like a really big deal for me. View this post on Instagram A post shared by rebekah lindo (@_raelleeee) But this is your Fantasy Festival – What would be your dream venue or destination? It has to be somewhere hot by the sea. It would be a mix of party and chill. Holistic, but also carnival style partying! There would definitely be an eclectic bunch of people in the crowd, and on stage, and I’d be there moshing in the middle! The day would end with us all chilling at the beach. The first people are arriving at your festival! They’re super excited for the day ahead but they are going to need some sustenance. At your Fantasy Festival what food and drink is everyone having? I really enjoy Latin American food and culture, so I’d probably have Colombian or Mexican food! I’ll go for crispy prawn tacos with guac, rice, beans and cheese. And to drink spicy margaritas with a chilli rim! Now whilst you prepare for your fantasy festival headline performance tonight, we have some of your recent collaborators keeping the crowd entertained – you worked with S.Fidelity, Collard and Gabiga on the single ‘Stolen’ released in November last year…What was it like working with all of them? They are my brothers for real! I love them all. It was such a beautiful experience as well the way that song came together, it was at this writing camp in France. S. fidelity, and I had been working together throughout the week, and it had come to the last day of the camp. We were sitting in this beautiful studio in the South of France and I just started playing this bass line, and then Gabiga got on the drums and started playing, then Collard started singing his verse. It all happened so organically. I think that’s how a lot of my new stuff is in the way that it’s happening. There’s a really organic process in the way it’s being made, and sounds, even the choice of words I’m using as well. I’m seeing S.Fidelity in Berlin soon to work on a new project! The time has come for you to take the stage. The crowd has been waiting for this moment. One of the reasons people are so excited to see you perform is for your lyricism. You’ve said in previous interviews music isn’t just about what sounds good, it’s about communication – your newest EP Bloodlines is a homage to the Windrush Generation and it’s crafted around a really beautiful and thought-provoking spoken word interlude… How important is it still to write music that brings attention and gives voices to people and events from history and the modern day? I try to have a message or story at the core of my songs, that way it lasts because it has that resonance. I don’t think that the human experience is something that is particularly changeable. I feel like people have experienced the same kind of range of emotions throughout history, but they just look different throughout different time periods through different lenses, but the feeling is always the same. If you’re able to capture that feeling in words, and then bring it out even more with the music, then I think you create a timeless piece. Who or what influenced your songwriting philosophy and attitude? I really
°✩ Gig Review ⋆｡ Raelle at The Royal Albert Hall
Raelle @ the Royal Albert Hall by Temi °✩ Gig Review ⋆｡ Raelle at The Royal Albert Hall ‘It feels like the end of a chapter, a new beginning, I’ve gone full circle’, Raelle tells the audience. Words by Callum Lidington 9 July 2024 https://youtu.be/k3uz_KBkAE4 She gives snippets of the thoughts and feelings behind each song as she performs, with each bit of poignant dialogue bookended by the soulful vocals and free flowing compositions of her back catalogue. The chapter she is referring to being the first in her story – 3 years since she started putting music out in the London scene. As a writer it’s a journey I have seen at its start, and at its end, from her first festival performance at St Laurence’s church in Norwich for Wild Paths Festival 2021, to her first sold out show at The Elgar Room at The Royal Albert Hall in 2024. The Elgar Room has a natural warmth and intimacy, like that of an art-deco cinema with its grand nature and warm-dim lighting. Tonight’s show, she explains, is a display of ‘Raelle then, now and what she’ll become’, adding this could be the final outings for some of her earliest tracks, to well and truly move into a new chapter in her artistry. She opened with a cover of SWV’s ‘Rain’ before venturing into one of her earliest singles, the 2021 release ‘Purple Skies’, a track that, in its stripped back design, beautifully highlights Raelle’s vocal abilities, closing with some angelic harmonies. She continued to move effortlessly through her entire artistic evolution, ticking off the 2022 single ‘Grace’ which is a personal favourite with swooning strings and Raelle’s mesmerizing vocal control gripping attention from the candlelit circular tables and the rows of us standing to the back with our heads swaying. Raelle @ the Royal Albert Hall by Elfreda @elffrbb Raelle and her band oozed a laid-back confidence and chemistry, which was clear to see and hear. Together they were a 10-piece band but Raelle said they felt more like a family. With so many musicians on stage at the same time, the set had a real free-flowing, jam-style feel, bouncing between slick solos on their respective instruments to punctuate Raelle’s soulful orchestral singles. She continued through to her latest single ‘Stolen’ featuring S.fidelity, Collard and Gabiga, a slick and soulful tune birthed from a group improv session in France. It’s a track that has had an overwhelmingly positive reception, racking up over 300,000 Spotify streams and becoming Raelle’s most popular song. It will likely be the first of a few collaborations we will be seeing from her over the coming months! In an interview after the show Raelle said that one of her biggest developments as a live performer was her desire to pull the listener into the song; to understand the intentions and messages in the lyrics and the headspace from which is written. This was definitely evident on this occasion, as she would give snippets about the next track’s inception after the close of the previous one. The level of intimacy and honesty to her interactions, in a venue that was already so warm felt like being reunited with an old friend, discussing the ‘remember when’s’ and ‘I can’ wait to’s…’ of life. The set closed with Raelle’s personal favourite song ‘Round Round’ which signified the end of her first musical chapter, with her second waiting eagerly to begin. She is working on some new singles with some exciting collaborators, and hopes to release a new project next year. WANT A PROFILE? JOIN TNAM DEMO CLUB Sign Up You might also like ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ Recent Posts ⋆⭒˚.⋆
⊹ ₊ New Track ₊ ⊹: Ngaio – ‘Four Quarters’
⊹ ₊ New Track ₊ ⊹: Ngaio – ‘Four Quarters’ Goddess, the captivating new single by renowned singer, DJ, and activist NGAIO, is set to be released on June 6, 2024. On the same day, her highly-anticipated self-produced debut EP Four Quarters will be released and this track will serve as its final instalment. 06.06.24 Words by Isaac Phelan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8iP_itjFHU The latest chapter in her story: the piano-led ballad “Goddess” is an uplifting meditation on the significance of maintaining spiritual ties while carving out time to honour our ancestors. Goddess, according to NGAIO, is about “understanding that we are connected to more than the physical space of here and now – It’s about knowing that we can find that connection in nature and ourselves”. Through the lens of connection, “Goddess” also encourages listeners to celebrate women. “Society is always trying to censor us as women and control a narrative around our bodies. How we look, what rights we have, who we should be”, NGAIO continues, “Goddess is about saying we’re all Goddesses – no matter what anybody tells us. We don’t need to starve ourselves. We don’t need to have the same face and body. We don’t need to be ashamed of our uniqueness – it’s what makes us individuals. And if you ever forget that, it’s important to go to the places that will help you remember – which is what the song is for”. A truly unique sound is created by NGAIO throughout the EP through the combination of West African percussion, trip-hop influences from Bristol, jazz, dub, and soulful lyrics. It is a reflective and introspective voyage that reflects NGAIO’s investigation of cultural heritage, self-expression, and the difficulties of expressing one’s true self in a society that is frequently unreceptive to different points of view. Alongside her impressive library of music, NGAIO continues to contribute to supporting gender-fluidity in modern music. NGAIO founded Booty Bass as a space for women and non-binary folk to come together and play big, bad, unapologetic bangers. Since its conception in 2018, it’s become a space that promotes an appreciation of different cultures and sounds worldwide where dancing and laughing is key. In 2022, NGAIO launched Obsidian in collaboration with Shade Cartel – a micro venue that launched at Boomtown and took over Glastonbury and We Out Here festival in 2023. As a curator, she also produced a Booty Bass Takeover at St Paul’s Carnival with the first female/non-binary run Soundsystem and takeovers at Shambala festival. She also produces and hosts her monthly radio show on Soho Radio broadcast in London and New York. NGAIO was also recently a part of the Censored campaign highlighting female nipples being sexualised which was part of a city-wide exhibition addressing the hypocrisy of it and the consistent policing of women’s bodies. 2023 also saw NGAIO quickly rise to become a highly successful and sought after musical talent. NGAIO hosted her first Boiler Room in Bristol, Keep Hush as part of the Booty Bass Takeover and supported D Double E, Lowkey, and Bugzy Malone at the WikiLeaks event organised by Shangri-La. At last year’s Glastonbury festival, she performed tracks from her new EP on the Greenpeace stage. By shattering preconceptions of what identity can be, NGAIO’s sound will continue to resonate with audiences for many years to come. You Might Also Like
★⋆ Interview . ✦ Iyamah @ Cross The Tracks Festival
Credit: @iyamah_artist Instagram ★⋆ Interview . ✦ Iyamah @ Cross The Tracks Festival “The name stands for ‘I am’ and it’s to remind people that you are whoever you want to be; we don’t have to be defined by any one thing”, Brighton-hailing musician Iyamah (pronounced eye-yam-ah) tells me during our interview at Cross the Tracks. 03.06.24 Words by Amalia Castle https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RS_a_8M1hw “Iyamah is open, as you can choose who you want to be at any point, any time, any day, you’re not tied down to one thing, you are not restricted”. When digging through to her catalogue, this candid illustration of her artist name rings true. Iyamah’s music seems to serve a greater purpose than just a great listen. It’s about community, transformation and self-enlightenment, all qualities I detect in full effect when sitting down for our chat. Having just settled down after an extensive UK tour, Iyamah set the jazz and soul lovers of this year’s Cross the Tracks festival alight. In a beautiful showcase of her instinctual bond with music, the Brighton-born songstress took her tour energy straight to the Caboose stage to put on an electrifying, powerful – at points stripped back – and vocally immaculate performance. Iyamah’s catalogue of celestial, neo soul melodies chronicle her vibrant upbringing in Brighton. She illustrates her colourful environments surrounded by world sounds, dance and the vivacity of the festivals she frequented on weekends, all through her conceptual works. Her vocals dance across jazz-injected production with dustings of reggae, hip hop and latin sounds. “My auntie was a dancer, she would do west african dance. It was very raw and organic with sounds of drumming, lots of rhythm, a heartbeat.” she tells me. Digging as far back to her first releases, Iyamah’s relationship with movement, this heartbeat she describes, is painted in vivid technicolor through her music. This same love of rhythm, bass and movement saw Iyamah forge a love for dance music from a young age. “I’ve always felt like beats are very important to me, so when I started clubbing, (way under age)” she adds laughing “me and my mates just loved drum and bass. It’s a similar feeling when it comes to community, when you’re listening to drum and bass”. This early pull to the genre led the Brighton songstress to start writing to these heavier, fast-paced productions, leading to releases with veteran producers like Pola & Bryson, Holy Goof and My Nu Leng. Though neo soul and jazz stands strong throughout her own releases, Iyamah pulls together an eclectic mix of influences through her collaborations, from Dance Music to Hip Hop and R&B. “Being a mixed race girl growing up in quite a white area I was drawn to a lot of R&B and soul singers, I felt a connection to that as well.” From the moment I sat down with Iyamah, I instantly eased into my seat as we laughed about the impromptu nature of our chat and the potential mishaps she might experience with her gorgeous patterned two piece – which of course stayed put during her performance. Iyamah radiates an inescapable lightness, and instantly the radiant qualities of her music to come to life. “I feel like they’ve given me such a great tent”, she exclaims, gearing up to her set a few hours from our chat. “We’ve just come off the back of a tour. So me and the band are in the zone right now”. During her performance we saw Iyamah bounce effortlessly off her accomplished band, with moments of calm for her power-house vocals and even a stripped back ukulele solo. View this post on Instagram A post shared by I Y A M A H (@iyamah_artist) Preceding her recent tour and her set at Cross the Tracks, Iyamah dropped an extended project titled ‘In Two Worlds’, which she co-produced. The production process was a luminary one, she tells me, that challenged her in a way she’s never been challenged before. “It’s all about someone trying to get their dreams,” she begins telling me, “trying to change their reality into what they see in their imagination and all the obstacles that they see along the way”. Iyamah’s storytelling throughout the project is often conceptual, painting pictures of her inner monologue and childlike daydreams. “It’s tapping into my inner child in a way, this little girl who had such a big dream, but with all these things that I felt were blocking me from being able to get there.” As she describes, ‘In Two Worlds’ depicts the journey one undertakes to achieve their dreams and pursuit of fulfillment. There’s a beauty in this journey which Iyamah paints in tracks like ‘ladybird’ and ‘ruler’. Yet there’s the risk of getting lost in this pursuit, she reflects, “what if you’re already living your dream, but you can’t see it, because you’re so focussed on trying to get something, that you can’t see what you already have”. These moments of realisation she mentions are seen unraveling as early as the album opening ‘Chasing Dreams’, and the soulful and minimal ‘8 Of Swords’ where she sings ‘sometimes we lose our insight / blindly alive, out of line’. The process of creating the album took on a similar and lengthy odyssey to the pursuit of ‘dreams’ that Iyamah narrates in ‘In Two Worlds’ – which feels symbolic. Having embarked on a two year process of creating the project, I was keen to ask her about this undertaking. Instantly, she let out a brief laugh, “I think the most incredible thing was releasing it, it was starting to become never-ending. Creativity is very close to insanity, they say it’s a very fine line, and I definitely felt like I was crossing that”. There’s a sense of relief, and then excitement, as her focus shifts on bringing the album to life through performance and “falling back in love” with every track. It’s clear that “In Two Worlds” was an enlightening process, that Iyamah wanted to showcase to