Black Women’s music to support yesterday, today and tomorrow

Black is beautiful. Black is soulful. With so much incredible music coming out on a weekly basis, it can be sometimes difficult to keep track of it all. And Black Women have been making some of the most exciting, soulful, experimental and beautiful music for the longest time. They deserve their flowers and a platform for their art. Below is a list of incredible musicians, mainly based in the UK and the US, that in my view, you should listen to and support. Because of the sheer amount of incredible Black Women making art, there will most likely be a part II and part III to this.

Happy Juneteenth to all celebrating, and a quick shoutout to Noname for obvious reasons. If you haven’t listened to “Song 33” produced by Madlib, make sure to listen to it here.

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Ego Ella May

The London-based singer has one of the most soothing and soulful voices to me, and her music has always felt angelic and incredibly textured (partly due to the lush and incredible production from the likes of Melo-Zed and Eun. She is set to release her debut album Honey For Wounds on the 26th June, something I’ll definitely be reviewing. She is genuinely incredible, so please support!

Lex Amor

Soulful, poetic, intricate and pure, Lex Amor has grown to become one of my favourite lyricists. The times I’ve seen her live have given me goosebumps, and with records like “Mood” and “Mazza,” she continues to exceed all my expectations. I know there’s an album looming around, so we’re just gonna have to be patient for the inevitable classic to come out. Support her!

Yazmin Lacey

London-based Yazmin Lacey has released some of the most lively, jazzy and soulful music in recent years. From the incredibly funky and energetic Black Moon to the funky and moody When The Sun Dips 90 Degrees, her music is always a breath of fresh air, and with her hypnotic vocal performances throughout, her music remains mesmeric and utterly beautiful.

Nubya Garcia

Saxophone extraordinaire and overall jazz superstar, Nubya Garcia’s growth as an artist over the last few years has been nothing short of inspiring. With the release of some incredible EP’s like Nubya’s 5ive and When We Are, she continues to kill it, with compositions that are loud, textured and utterly breathtaking a lot of the time. That I’m looking forward to her new album is an understatement.

Shunaji

Producer, rapper, vocalist and all-round talented musician Shunaji is a talent everyone needs to pay attention to. Her poetry surprised me in the best possible way, and it’s about time she gets the recognition and respect she deserves, because she’s been putting in so much great work! Blue Melon remains one of my favourite projects.

Demae

Demae’s dreamy and soulful vocals are backed by mesmeric production. On her join EP with Eun titled We Are Here In This Moment & This Is What We Made, she showcases her range as a vocalist, with s soothing, smooth-as-honey voice that beautifully melodic and utterly mesmeric at times. A true talent that will continue to shine and grow for years and years to come.

Mary Sho

From the small amount of music I’ve heard from London-based Mary Sho so far, I can tell she’s going to be a star. I’ve heard amazing things about her from people within the scene I trust, and the dynamic, off-kilter production and melodies throughout tracks like “All My Girls” and “No Time” make for incredible listens. Definitely one to watch for the foreseeable future.

Moor Mother

Moor Mother’s music requires time and attention. The Philadelphia artist has released some of the most intriguing experimental albums in Analogue Fluids of Black Holes, with an abrasive, punk-like tone that perfectly captures her soul and spirit. This year, she released what may be my favourite verse of the year on “Ramesses II”, off Armand Hammer’s excellent album Shrines. Her spiritual, aggressive but powerful message is something to really admire, and I can’t wait to see her continue to establish herself as one of the most eclectic, incredible musicians today.

Jimetta Rose

LA-based singer, songwriter and all-round incredible artist Jimetta Rose has been making phenomenal soul music for quite a few years now. Her 2016 masterpiece The Light Bearer is still on heavy rotation for me now, and with collaborations with the likes of Blu, Shafiq Husayn and Josef Leimberg, she has established herself as an established voice in the LA scene. I hope she has more solo stuff coming out because it really is fantastic!

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