Fabloid (October 2020)
The cold wind blows over the canal as I settle into my new apartment just outside of Cornbrook station in Manchester. Looking out the balcony window, I feel a sense of accomplishment and wonder as I await the new opportunities Manchester might have to offer me. Although I’m happy to be here, I can’t help feeling a bit of sadness for leaving Liverpool; a city I called home for three years.
Since my arrival to the UK in 2017, a lot has changed. That young woman who struggled to find her place in the world seems so far away from the person I am today and I can't help but to feel proud in this moment. When I first arrived in Liverpool, it was fresh and new and I could hardly understand anyone’s accent. I struggled for months trying to adjust to this new dialect that I truly came to love. I was embraced by the city with open arms; less than a year after arriving I was welcomed into LIMF Academy’s Top 3 Most Ready Artists of 2018-2019. The academy wasn’t just a place where I went to learn about my artistry and the music industry but a place where I felt fully supported. Little did I know, I had so much of the city behind me. BBC Introducing Merseyside, Liverpool City Council, Arts Council and various other organizations supported me for who I am and I’ll always be grateful for that. There’s nothing better than feeling accepted for just being yourself and that’s exactly what I got from my time in Liverpool.
As the years passed by, there were ups and downs, twists and turns. I slowly started feeling like I had reached the ceiling of what Liverpool had to offer me. The Liverpool music scene desperately needs to change. In these testing times, we surely have no idea what is in store for the future of live music but in the time I spent in Liverpool there was no dedication to the genre of music I and so many others love and play. Rnb, Jazz, Hip Hop all live in small corners of the city but are rarely heard regularly even in shops and restaurants. Places like Fredrik’s Jazz Bar, 24 Kitchen St and Zanzibar were amongst the gems of the city but we recently saw Zanibar close due to the lack of support from the government alongside other venues across the city. It seems like these venues are the ones always on the verge of not making it through and it’s sad to see this happen. There doesn’t seem to be a progressiveness to the scene in the sense of what music is supported through Liverpool and no one seems to really be bothered. For me to rise to the top of Liverpool’s most known Rnb artists in such a short time is shocking. I wish there were more musicians, more collaboration, more ways in which I should be challenged to rise to the top. Because the scene is lacking, it wasn’t hard and I personally feel like I got a lot of recognition when I don’t necessarily think I deserved all of it. So I moved to Manchester for more of that challenge. More of a way to find what success means to me and how I can further myself along this journey. I have loved so much of my time in Liverpool and I will always support the scene, but It’s time for me to move on.
In other recent news, my latest single is here! Slow Down ft Sonny Miles is a track by me (iamkyami). I had some help from my lovely friends Emma Bozson, Gili Goldberg and Becky Slater who all contributed to the sounds of the song. Have a listen and save it to your playlists here:
https://ffm.to/slow-down-ft-sonny-miles
Ahead of the release, my track has already received support from BBC Introducing Merseyside, BBC Radio 1, Bido Lito! Magazine and after release, reviews from Neon Music, Liverpool Noise and HRMNY Presents. I’m so happy that people are enjoying the music and content I’m creating. It’s been a long road to get where I am now but I’m ready to take on what’s next.
Last but not least! If you ordered a t-shirt from me, GOOD NEWS! The shipment of shirts is on the way so shirts will be delivered shortly. My online shop is closed for the time being but I will be reopening it soon with some new bits and bobs!
