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British with a Bajan twist – at least, that is one way to describe the distinctive sounds of Basheba, an upcoming singer/songwriter from North West London who feels an intrinsic musical connection to her Caribbean roots. Developing her vocal style from the age of 14, with help from inspiring yearly visits to Barbados, it is clear to see that Basheba wholly embraces her unique tone when performing live. Her stage presence exudes power and poise simultaneously, qualities that resonate in her music and which are prominent in her latest four-track project: the “Sessions” EP.
The “Sessions” EP is stripped back with smooth sounding acoustics, thanks to the accompaniment of cello and keys. Following on from her bassy and energetic single “High ‘N’ Dry”, this project tells a different tale about Basheba, whose productions usually sit well within UK Garage and Drum & Bass. What makes the transition more apparent is that the Sessions EP includes a down-tempo, more atmospheric rendition of “High ‘N’ Dry”. As such, the project greatly emphasises Basheba’s soulful range as the focal point, especially in the track “Hold On”.
The narrative in each song is what drives Basheba’s creativity. In her own words, “a song is nothing without a story. I’m a storyteller, I just tell my stories through song.” Unsurprisingly, her passion has grabbed attention from the likes of Rudimental and award-winning songwriter Blair Mackichan. The story doesn’t end at music, as Basheba works closely with artistic photographer Linda Blacker who has captured the young talent’s natural beauty and eye for fashion.
Combining the voice, the looks, and the powerful feminine attitude, Basheba is definitely a name to look out for this year.
