Photography by Sharon Kilgannon
Who do you get when you sprinkle some Alternative pop magic like that of WILLOW, genre-blending chemistry like Denai Moore and intimate storytelling ability like Arlo Parks and it rises from Kenya to London city? You get the ziggy essence of Indie Pop rising singer HURU. The Jamaican-Kenyan makes her debut with us. The ever explosive fireworks from the indie-pop world which has been taking the world by high demand. Having an international presence from age 15 starting out in eclectic music and from appearing on multiple stages across the UK. singing at the venue FONO in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Nyege Nyege Festival in Uganda and much more. There ain't no surprise why HURU has received dubs and heavy support from Monica Savanne at Tangaza Magazine saying she "is a cosmic force, drawing you in with her positive aura and soothing vocals.”
OreViews asked " where have you been all of my life?? When an artist comes out of the shadows and kills it like this it’s such a triumph for the independent artist. And HURU is fully triumphant!” .
Even on the airwaves with Out Loud Radio and Alpha Sessions. The cosmic singer-songwriter shares more on her latest single and a lot more on GUILTY's rich production and raw, vulnerable and lyrically free cutthroat song.
GUILTY | Click here to stream
1. HURU, we’re heavily feeling this new tune of yours. It’s giving powerful groove with a focus on a very relatable topic. How would you describe the journey making this record? HURU: I found that the lyrics came through freely and unfiltered and I was really just laying my thoughts and feelings out on the table. The production initially was giving an 80s ballad due to the synth I used to lay the chords, but it wasn’t quite the direction I wanted to go in so I set up a session with my good friend and long term collaborator Scott Colcombe. He is such a sick producer/artist and is able to capture my ideas and add his own flava. We played around with it a lot with the final version you hear now drawing inspiration from Willow’s track ‘Wait A Minute’. I love that the production has this drive and playfulness to it, it’s a nice contrast to the rawness of the lyric.
2. You dropped your music style as cosmic with eclectic flow, poetic lyricism and hooky melodies and we sure heard that on this track. Based on the song topic could you give a little more ground on what’s about? HURU: Cheers! Yes soooo… I’d gone through a pretty gnarly breakup and heartbreak. The more I began to heal the more this song began to manifest itself. It’s really an ‘a ha’ moment. A realisation of all the red flags I failed to notice before the heartbreak. I guess in a way it’s a moment of reflection and the song that helped me make peace with the situation.
3. Ayyye Listen, it’s so fab to hear more music from the indie-pop genre. You channel your inspirations such as Willow, Denai Moore and Arlo Parks by using alternative pop and intimate storytelling. What are some of the favourite gems that you like about these artists?
HURU: I’d struggled a lot with genre identity and would label myself as R&B or Neo-soul when my songs really didn’t resonate with these genres at all! So these three artists and many others showed me that there is in fact space to be a Black artist and be queer, alternative, indie, and break the boundaries of genre and there will be people who vibe with you. Honestly, Denai Moore’s album ‘Modern Dread’ was soo good, really kept me inspired through 2020.
4. Now you’re based in London but started growing your sound from your Kenyan roots going through the music scene over what was that like and did you learn anything that helped with where you’re currently at in the UK music space?
HURU: Living in Kenya is truly a highlight of my life so far. A couple of friends and I started a band in high school and we would jam in between classes and spend weekends in-studio sessions writing, creating and dreaming. The summer before I moved back to London I was fortunate enough to have an internship at a creative company/studio in Nairobi and met some absolute legends. Every Sunday evening I’d perform a 20 minute set with some of east Africa’s finest musicians. I was so blessed to be surrounded by people who believed in me and mentored me and inspired me too. Its experiences such as these that really helped me develop my confidence, and to strive to be authentic with my music.
5. It’s nice to hear about you, what do you hope for the single GUILTY among new listeners and supporters? HURU: I hope this song leaves new listeners and supporters feeling empowered. With the understanding that heartache will subside, that we learn, grow and can create beautiful things out of tough shit.
6. Finally, what can the world look out for from HURU this year? HURU: I will definitely be playing some more gigs, the next one being the 23rd of March and I also have some more music coming through the airwaves too so feel free to come vibe with me on the socials for all the updates!
As a special treat, the Jamaican-Kenyan superstar in the making takes us down to the West West wild with her luscious and rough-edgy music video for GUILTY out now
Directed by Kristian Fitsall. Co-produced by Scott Colcombe. Director of photography Cody Leigh-Stannard. Camera Assistant: Tyra Hartman and Models: Alex, Katie, Aaron, Sam.
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