Discover... Kemi Sulola-Without Further Adu

In our first interview of 2021, we speak to Kemi Sulola as she takes us through finding inspiration during the pandemic and her single “New Form”. About the song, Kemi says:

“It's about transformation and individual growth. It means that no matter what life may throw at you, when it's your time, it's your time and you will rise and transform. No one will be able to deny you.”

Let’s first of all start off by talking about 2020 in general, how have you been this year, considering the Global Pandemic?

This has definitely been the strangest year of my life. Last year I went through a very personally challenging time; it slowed me down a lot and meant I had to start from a lower place in a lot of aspects and build up my strength again. Then, as things were getting better at the start of the year: bam! COVID and lockdown. Adding the two situations together, my health situation and the pandemic, life is teaching me to just live, do as much as I can and appreciate the people and things I have in my life more, and to be grateful to God for life.

Tell us how you’ve been able to find inspiration to create music during this time.

I have seen the world very differently over the past months. I have learned to be patient and see things from many perspectives, to appreciate the small and unique things I have and to use them to make a difference. I have spent more time looking introspectively at my life and what I want to achieve. My young nieces and nephews have been a wonderful source of inspiration to me, from the way they just live so freely and innocently; [I think] there are many qualities of children that we should emulate. Looking at what’s going on around me and my purpose for being on this earth has inspired me to think more about my music, the lyrics and how to bring my songs to life. I want to concentrate on my passions a lot more.

**Onto your latest single: New Form, you say that “it's about transformation and individual growth” — what has allowed you to have personal growth this year?**

My pain and isolation are instrumental in me growing this year. I learned a lot about myself and how in order for me to grow I have to challenge myself and get out of my comfort zone as well as find a deeper self and new strengths. This meant accepting me, who I am, changes and setbacks as well as believing that I am evolving and will get to the right place when needed. Reflection has allowed me to transform as I've been able to see things in another light and be productive.

How did the creation of the song (melody/lyrics) help you in the above?

The song uses the metaphor of a butterfly forming, it has a slow walk as a caterpillar and a delicate part in a cocoon waiting to break out as a beautiful butterfly that can fly. It relates to the process that humans actually go through in this journey of life more often than we know. This is through many different emotional and physical ways. This process of change can feel like a lot and we can want to give up, but seeing as it is similar to a butterfly, it gives us peace to know things will work out.

So I’m happy I shared the song as it resonates with me getting stronger. Just believe you are meant to make it, to get there, and you will.

You’ve been making music for a few years (with a project released in 2015), what is it about this time which has made you feel like you’ve taken this “new form”?.

Yes, I released my first project in 2015, which was called ‘Fallen For You’, it was an 8-track RnB project about love, people and feelings. Releasing it helped me learn and grow a lot as well as connect with different creatives. I really learnt how to express myself through art and music. It has allowed me to develop a lot more for recent releases and the track allowed me to take on a sense of a new form as a new artist. It allows me to speak for others as well as myself by using the theme of growth whilst using the money made to raise money for Sarcoidosis UK.

What is your favourite song you’ve ever made and why?

Ah, to have one favourite song is hard as at different stages of my life, different songs were my favourite. For example, ‘Your Lady’ was my first single release, I made a music video for it, I was able to perform at different shows and this was the first song I performed on television. But truth be told there are still a lot of songs of mine that are my favourites, which have not been released yet and I am in the process of completing and releasing them. So, my mission is to bring those songs to life. For example, one of my favourites I have written is called ‘Perception’, the lyrics are “it’s just perception, how you perceive it, it will surely be”. That is basically the essence of the song and I love it, as it empowers you and tells you to take control of your mind. Perception also includes a unique sample from a beautiful old cultural song which gives it a universal feel.

And lastly, what does success mean to you?

Success is all about building something out of nothing, being so dedicated to what you believe in and that passion inside of you. You just have to keep going and you will get there. It's leaving something that can last forever and be bigger than what it was intended to be, it becomes more of a deeper purpose and impacts not just you but everyone around you. I want my music to achieve this, [to] impact people on a global scale.

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