Storytelling

Science

ReRooted Musician

IYAMAH

​​IYAMAH grew up on the sounds of African drumming and reggae music in the seaside town of Brighton. Immersed in festival culture, IYAMAH was raised by her artistic mother, who encouraged her with a creative upbringing. Since moving to London at 19, IYAMAH has developed into one of the UK’s most exciting up and coming artists in the scene and describes her sound as ‘Rootsy Soul’, a combination of her favourite genres.

I think in the city, it's sometimes hard to get a perspective other than everything that's around you. Everyone's busy, everyone's rushing somewhere, everyone's focusing on themselves and you get very lost in your own head. Whereas I think as soon as you step outside, the birds chirping, you know, the sound of of the wind and the breeze and the leaves. I think it reminds you that actually you're a part of something else and something bigger outside of yourself.

Iyamah

On what it feels like to step back into nature.

...there's this particular song called Ladybird that I wrote on there, and it was very much about me feeling very lost in the city and sort of too in my head about stuff. And so I stepped out of London for a few days and stayed with my mum and, she was living in the countryside at the time. There was this pond and I looked in the pond and in the water was this lady bird and it looked like it was drowning. So I put my hand in the water and it crawled on my finger and then I realised that its wings were broken. And so for about 10, 15 minutes I just watched this Ladybird fix its wings. And it was beautiful, like delicate wings. And it was just, you know, taking its time. And then it flew off and it was honestly the message that I needed to be reminded of that day, that you cannot fly until you fix your wings.

Iyamah

On Ladybird - A song featured on her new album 'In Two Worlds'.

‘Ladybird’ is a single from her debut album ‘In Two Worlds’. Released earlier this year, in the album IYAMAH analyses her relationship with her past, her inner child and the impact this has had on her relationships with: nature, success, money, religion, childhood, education, mental health and spirituality.

Iyamah in action

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