Over the years, I’ve developed a really eclectic taste in music and I have learned to find the value and inspiration in so many different genres. I grew up in Croydon and was surrounded by grime, funky house, dubstep etc., which had a huge influence on my love for the UK South London scene. I have a Caribbean heritage as well, which has played a huge part in my music today.
My family parties were usually buzzing with soca, bashment, reggae and lovers' rock and I fell in love with the rhythm, delivery of lyrics and the playfulness that comes with our culture. This has been instrumental in how I represent my culture through music; singing in broken English and repping the sound that I associate with childhood.
Being Indo-Caribbean as well, I’ve taken inspiration from my South Asian heritage, pulling on the vocal stylings of Carnatic and Sufi artists, such as Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Outside of that, I also loved metal and grunge and was drawn to the aggression and grittiness of these genres; something that really influenced my track Choorile.
In my late teens, I truly fell in love with folk, blues and jazz and would spend hours near enough studying the fundamental artists of these genres. Joan Baez, Odetta, Mahalia Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Blind Willie Johnson etc. were constantly being blasted out through my old stereo. I would say a few of the most important records for me would be Missy Elliott's Cookbook and Under Construction, Laura Marling's Alas I Cannot Swim and Joan Baez's How Sweet the Sound.