Sankofa Season Has Begun 🌱✨ (Shows, Single & Something Deeper)
Image: Lauren Russell
So… I said this would be monthly, and it’s been a while. I want to acknowledge that. In the spirit of integrity (and a bit of Landmark honesty), I didn’t keep my word to you about staying consistent with this newsletter. That’s on me. And now, I’m getting back on track - not from guilt or pressure - but because I genuinely want to stay connected with you and share what’s unfolding.
🌸 Spring Energy & Holding On
May has this wild mix of spring blossoming energy - everything bursting into life and yet the pace of things feels so fast. Personally, I’ve been holding on for dear life!
Last week, I performed at Brighton Festival and the show went beautifully, but I was battling inflammation in my body and couldn’t explore the city the way I’d usually love to. Still, I was so grateful to be there.
One person came up to me after the performance and shared that he was from South Africa and had grown up under apartheid. He told me how deeply my lyrics resonated with him. That moment reminded me exactly why I made this record.
You heard it first
🎶 Sankofa EP
I'm so excited to finally share with you- my core people: a full release roadmap of the Sankofa EP before anyone else hears about it:
Thursday 30 May- First single: Stand
Fierce and empowering, Stand is about reclaiming identity, being unapologetically yourself, and no longer waiting for external permission. It’s ancestral rhythm. It’s legacy. It’s a call to truth.
Late June - Second single: Brown Eyed Soul
Neo soul, funky, honest & nostalgic. We’ve also recorded a special live version with Come Play With Me Records too!
Late July - Third single: My World
Dreamy, warm, and intimate- a love letter to self and to something deeper.
Thursday 22 August - Full EP release: Sankofa
A smooth track called Soothe Me & The centrepiece. The title track- Sankofa. A track about remembering and reclaiming. This is the most personal and powerful project I’ve made to date, and I really believe it carries a message we need right now.
Between now and then, you’ll be seeing more from me- images, videos, poems, inspirations- all part of the creative world that this music lives in. I can’t wait to share it with you.
Upcoming Live Shows: Your Invitation
I’m currently on my first UK tour and I’ve got some really special dates coming up:
🎤Leeds - Hyde Park Book Club - Saturday 8 June- Headline! 🎤Manchester - Band on the Wall - Wednesday 26 June- Headline! 🎤 Hull - The Polar Bear- Tuesday 17 June (My Hull debut!)
These are my Sankofa headline shows, where I’ll be journeying through the full EP live - in a way that’s unique to this tour. You’ll experience the story and the soul behind the songs, with live soundscapes, storytelling, and energy that can’t be bottled.
-We’ve got a limited run of handmade Sankofa tote bags (handmade in Nigeria), bold Sankofa bird T-shirts, and some super cute mugs - all available only at the shows.
Whether or not you share my dual heritage, we all long to feel rooted in who we are, connected to where we’ve come from, and empowered to stand in our truth. That’s what this show is about.
If you’ve ever felt the pull to remember, reconnect, or reclaim something deeper in yourself- this live experience is for you.
Number #2 Finding Balance This Festive Season + My New Cover! 🎶✨ Hi there, I hope this newsletter finds you well as we move into the festive season: a time that can feel equally magical and overwhelming! I’ve got a few updates to share, a little music news, and some thoughts on finding balance during this busy time of year. My New Release "I want to Know What Love Is" This week, I released my cover of the iconic Foreigner song, “I Want to Know What Love Is.” This song has been close to my...
Number #1 A Warm Welcome (Finally!) to My First Newsletter 💌 First off, let me say a friendly and heartfelt "hello" and… a little apology. 🙈 This newsletter was meant to reach you a few months ago, but true to form, I procrastinated. (Anyone else a master of overthinking simple tasks?) The good news is: it’s here, and I’m sticking with it. So let’s call today a good sign! I’ll admit, I built this newsletter up in my head as something really technical and daunting, but putting it together was...