Artist of the Month, November – Kima Otung
Our Artist of the Month is the incredible Kima Otung. She has launched onto the music scene in the past year, bringing her powerhouse vocals to the forefront. Kima is a Nigeria-born, Wales-raised, East London based ‘genre bending’ contemporary RnB and Neo Soul artist.
Her new single, ‘If Nobody Told You’, landed a week ago and has been soaring on streaming services. The upbeat song was premiered on BBC Radio London where Kima shared details of her career so far and her mission in music. The single was highlighted by BBC Horizons as one of the best releases this week, and we deem her to be a hot talent and one to watch. Madison Square Garden London also recently named her as one of their upcoming artists.
Kima says “I make my music for women, to help us really realise our greatness. I think we talk so much about women empowerment but we often completely neglect the fact that the greatest threat or asset to our empowerment is the long-term partner we choose. So much in pop culture is telling women to feel bad about ourselves, to settle, and to lower our standards (hook up culture, body shaming, ride or die narrative, situationships, side chicks etc.), but my mission, through my music, is to make women feel so good about themselves, that we expect more from the people around us, and from our partners. This is all inspired because of my personal experience with toxic relationships.”
“I make my music for women, to help us really realise our greatness”
Her debut single, ‘Morning’, came out in 2019 and flaunted her emotion-filled vocals and detailed the turbulent story of a dysfunctional relationship. She was featured on ITV’s Love Island and played on BBC Radio 1 where she performed live sessions.
She comes to the realisation that no matter how much you love someone, sometimes that’s not enough for them to pause and consider your feelings in a given situation. Whether they do it intentionally or by accident, sometimes you’re going to have to deal with a selfish partner.
On the single, Kima Otung tells it like it is and urges you to know when it’s time to pump the brakes on the lavish love and attention you focused on your partner. And with a few glazed piano keys she bears out her songwriting finesse.
Kima Otung helps us reconnect with our values through positive affirmations. Her soaring vocals add dynamic tension to hammer in and maintain a distinctive point of view on the tune.
Kima plans to release a third single before the close of 2020, and come out with her first EP in early 2021. You can follow her on Instagram, Facebook, SoundCloud and Twitter.
