South-East London Essy Maliya makes her entrance into the scene with the Rich Music produced RnB track Same Way.
Same Way is a profession of unrequited love delivered through silkily vocals atop an understated drum pattern. The singer/songwriter leans into the vulnerability that comes with yearning in her lyricism, “I'm falling and you don’t think it serious I know that much/ And it's just my luck ‘cause you don’t feel the same way.” The masterful vocal layering makes for gorgeous harmonies and background vocals that accent the track throughout, allowing the vocalist to display her range of skill. On what she wants the audience to get from her debut, Essy shares; “I wanted this type of song to be my debut to set the tone about who I am and my artistry, and let my followers know they can always expect some realness and honesty about life and the feelings we go through within it.”
Having grown up on the stage, performing in schools as well as church choirs, the South-East London artist is primed for the music scene. She draws inspiration from her surroundings as well as her Nigerian heritage; “Nigeria is a massive pioneer of the music we are influenced by today. I believe we are a very musically gifted country.” She continues, “watching how my family and my culture use music to exude joy and freedom and the raw emotion that comes from it inspired me to never be afraid to express myself through song.”
Following the puzzling erasure of RnB artists in the recent Brits awards consideration, Essy Maliya’s debut is timely. She is yet another apt example of the brimming and vibrant cohort of RnB artists in the country. On future collaborations Essy Maliya looks forward to “partner[ing] with some of the other R&B class acts like Bellah and Jack JVCK JAMES.” She adds, “I would also love to collaborate with Scribz Riley, I think he’s lit.”