I have been keeping close tabs on UK rising star Mahalia since I found her debut tune, “Sober”, sitting in my inbox last year. Since it’s release the track has seen 20M+ streams and also landed her a slot on Berlin tastemakers COLOR’s channel where her feature has been viewed 13M+ Times already.
At 12 years old while other kids were out playing in the park and riding their bikes, Mahalia was home – guitar in hand, writing her first songs. After independently releasing a scattering of projects, Mahalia went commercial only last year and has since been on track to become one of the UK’s most promising stars.
Her signature vocals dripping with soul are just as impressive as her wise-yet-relatable lyrics and the whole package is delivered with smooth and poignant R&B melodies. Her latest tune, “I Wish I Missed My Ex”, is just another step in the right direction for the fast rising talent. Produced by Maths Times Joy – who produced Mahalia’s stand-out debut single ‘Sober’ – and emerging producer Swindle, ‘I Wish I Missed My Ex’ is a perfect example of her trademark, open-hearted lyricism fusing old-school soul and atmospheric synths with R&B/Pop leanings.
Delivered along with a trippy and fun to watch video – Mahalia is well on her way to proving her worth and making her mark on the music world for some time to come. The accompanying video was shot in LA by Director Andrew Litten over a 22-hour stint: “The first time I heard IWIMME, I knew the track needed a big idea. I’ve always loved Spike Jonze’s video for “Drop” by the Pharcyde and decided to pay homage by creating a backwards music video with a contemporary spin. I hired a linguist from UCLA to teach Mahalia the song backwards which she surprisingly learned in a day. The DP, Dustin Lane, and I have always wanted to make something in our neighborhood, Highland Park. We chose family owned locations and hired a few extras while scouting the neighborhood. Mahalia’s reversed performance oozes spontaneity and confidence. I can’t thank her enough for joining us on the journey, and signing on to recreate this insane concept.”
With her first US your and a UK tour in the works for the summer, Mahalia is for sure going to capture audiences on both sides of the pond. She is without a doubt an artist to watch and I will be keeping a close eye on her. You should do the same.
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