PIXTAPE is a sonic tale. The Blues Project invites select artists to take us on a journey into their musical mind-frame. A playlist of the music they gravitate to, that shapes them, the music that soundtracks their lives. This week, Amaal shares her picks...
The stunning singer-songwriter, Amaal, makes gorgeous, sensual R&B tunes. On Friday she dropped her latest track ‘Heaven’ which is the perfect follow up to her previous single, the sultry ‘Honey’. Amaal’s new era of music is putting female liberation and empowerment at the forefront, and this stems from her powerful story.
Amaal’s silky vocals, seductive beats, unapologetic lyrics and otherworldly visuals, all mesh together to celebrate the power and beauty of womanhood. Her upcoming EP is titled ‘Milly’, which represents the part of herself that she hid for a longtime. Born in Somalia and then immigrating to Canada when she was young, Amaal grew up in different cultures, and originally received backlash from her family when she decided to start making music. Feeling the criticism but not wanting to be held back from her creative expression, has meant she’s since been on a journey to self acceptance, and arrived at the commitment to be her most bold and true self. Her new EP ‘Milly’ [out October 28th] represents letting it all go, being your most cocky, sexy self – and this attitude oozes out of most recent single Heaven. Not to mention in ‘Honey‘ when she signs off that track with the statement: “Sometimes you gotta flex, and show ’em. Let ’em know” over the sick, Nick Davey produced beat.
Amaal’s Pixtape selections show how her story bleeds into the music she loves. It’s clear to see the appreciation and influence that strong female artists have had on Amaal, as well as the sonics that make her feel empowered, and some great genre-spanning selections.
Don’t forget to check out her most recent single ‘Heaven’, and don’t miss the stunning official video which drops on September 30th. Amaal is a goddess, enjoy getting to know the music that fuels her…
Amaal x PIXTAPE Interview
Pick to sing in the shower: “SWV – Weak”
“This song is classic and brings back so much nostalgic memories. It’s one of those songs that if you sing it enough, it even strengthens your vocals because the runs, harmonies, and adlibs. They are so advanced it only makes you get a better understanding of R&B”
Pick for the hair routine: “Sade – Pearls”
“Really any safe song during this time because my hair care days are spiritual for me. It’s very ceremonial and I like to feel at peace during the entire process. I detangle, oil, deep condition, and add treatments that nourish and bring out my curls. I follow that by a face mask and then a bath with Epson salt. It’s a whole self-care day and Sade is the perfect backdrop”
Pick to wind down to: “Tracy Chapman – Fast Car”
“There’s so many records I could pick but from the moment I heard this song, it stole my heart and it was a pivotal moment for me. From her beautiful melodies, storytelling, and deep silk vocals just captivated me. A song about getting out of your town, your world and journeying off in to what you feel is bigger and better. Coming up against obstacles and going from hopeful to hopeless, it all deeply resonated with me then and it still does now. It’s a reminder for me to not let the disappointments of life bring you down for too long. Sit with it if you have to for some time, but eventually we let it go and get in that fast car to our destination”
Pick to romance to: “Burna boy – On The Low“
“Personally Afro music makes me feel the most sexy and romantic. Anything that gets my hips swaying – puts me in a trance. This song does that to me and makes me feel so empowered!”
Pick to spring clean to: “Marc Anthony – vivir mi vida”
“This gets me right in the mood! Cheerful, happy, singing at the top of my lungs! It’s such a powerful, anthemic song and makes me feel so alive. It’s just what I need when I’m cleaning, especially when it’s going to take a lot of my energy! “
Pick for a Friday night Turn up: “Moneybagg Yo – Time Today”
“I mean this is pretty self-explanatory! It’s the bravado, fun, sexy let loose have fun type song that is exactly what’s needed before heading out! “
Pick for the wedding first dance: “Calvin Harris & Disciples – How Deep Is Your Love“
“It’s fun, loving and still carries that romantic message but gets the whole party hype. That’s my type of vibe and I remember playing this record over and over again thinking I’d want this played in that Moment”
Pick for the work out: “Charly Black – Gyal You A Party Animal”
“This song is hands down one of my favourites, top 10 . I first heard it in Uganda back in 2016 and it captured my heart instantly. I would dance non-stop and that alone helped with my weight loss and health over all. So now anytime I’m working out I play it on repeat as motivation and it’s like an injection of coffee because the energy is undeniable”
Pick for Healing: “Frank Ocean – Godspeed”
“This song get me, every time without fail. It has the power to stir up emotions of love, forgiveness, compassion and hope. It’s this feeling I usually need at the end of a day because life could be very hectic and it just allows me to reset and prepare for what’s to come. It allows me to remember to have fun, life is a journey and we weren’t always going to get it right but the goal is to never give up. Keep trying, keep going! “
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Listen to Amaal’s new single, ‘Heaven‘ out on all platforms now.
