March 14, 2025 |
Demae is deep in her exploration era – bending soul, jazz and hip-hop into a sound that flickers between past and present. Her harmonies stack like the perfect outfit – intentional, effortless and impossible to ignore. Raised on a steady diet of A Tribe Called Quest, Minnie Riperton and Wu-Tang Clan, she threads nostalgia into honeyed vocals and lush melodic layers. The result? Music that feels both timeless and transportive.
But the North-West London-born singer, songwriter and producer isn’t following in anyone’s footsteps, instead she’s carving out her own niche in the industry. She’s toured with Jorja Smith, turned heads with a Colors performance and built a reputation for making every song an intimate experience – a triple threat. Whether on record or on stage, her soulful delivery and raw emotion pull you in, and have caught the attention of tastemakers like Benji B, CassKidd and Jamz Supernova.
Now, she’s reimagining a classic, produced by Jake Milliner. Demae’s Love Like This (Cover) slows Faith Evans’ ‘90s R&B anthem to a simmer – stretched-out grooves, melting harmonies and a warmth that feels both nostalgic and brand new. “Even if I went years without listening to the song, it would still find its way back to me,” she says. “To all the influences and the amazing powerhouses, I grew up listening to, this is my homage to my own flare and style to a great classic.” Authentic. Effortless. Intricate. That’s Demae.
And the vision doesn’t stop at music. Fashion? Just another way she blends influences, plays with contrast and tells a story. Vintage meets future-facing, structured meets slouchy, soulful meets offbeat – just like her sound. Whether she’s crafting a song or curating a look, it’s all instinct, all feeling.
Her last single Ain’t Easy, produced by Sam Crowe, was proof of this. Lush harmonies, hypnotic rhythms and vintage visuals brought her one-of-one sound to life. With a new EP on the horizon, Demae is letting her inner child run wild in the studio. Here, we caught up with her to talk about Love Like This (Cover), fearless reinvention and what’s next in her honey-toned universe.
1. Who is Demae?
Just a girl, searching and exploring the best parts of herself.
2. How did your musical journey lead you to merge soul, hip-hop and jazz in your work?
Those genres have been with me my whole life. I grew up with all sounds through every chapter of my life; it’s in my DNA it’s naturally a part of me. I’ve never just listened to one genre so naturally I think all of my influences are weaved into my sound.
3. What’s the most unexpected song or artist on your playlist right now?
Sex Object by Kraftwerk, ha!
4. How do you approach creating lush harmonies that have become part of your signature sound?
Not having any musical equipment other than logic and garage band early to late teens really forced me to find ways to be creative. I used to use my voice as an instrument which I think was good training to which producing and arranging just became second nature.
5. Your music feels both timeless and fresh. How do you balance honouring your influences with creating something uniquely your own?
Oh thank you, I think whenever I’m creating I tend not to listen to current music or just a lot of music in general. It’s usually just one or two artists in rotation or a little playlist. I really respect the people who came before me, and I do believe that it’s their job to guide you along your journey but you have to put in the work. I think it’s really easy to be influenced subconsciously, so I make sure I kind of switch off and tune into my own frequency when I create music. I also have a deep fear of sounding like other people, just because I feel like you are one person, one of one uniquely your own so why would you want to sound like anybody else? So I always find it enjoyable to tap into my own thing, and find different sides of myself and you get something new every time, so yeah never repeating yourself is one thing that I live by.
6. How are you planning to push your sound and style forward in this next chapter?
I think the main thing is trusting myself, feeling confident and fearless and having fun. People underestimate staying connected to your inner child, that is the sweet spot of bringing the best out in yourself, I feel like this year with the new things that I’m creating, I have really been staying connected to my inner child because that’s where the fun and the creation happens. I think if you’re tuned into having fun and not really worrying about the outcome you will naturally just make the best product.
7. In what ways does fashion help you express your identity beyond music?
That’s a great question, I don’t really feel like I’ve ever thought about it until now but I think the same way I mix textures or patterns and colours is the same way I approach my music. I like layering with clothing and also vocals. I like colours, but also bright colours sonically. So I probably haven’t realised that until now, but my fashion and my music actually have the perfect marriage.
8. How has studying fashion influenced the way you approach visuals in your music?
It’s hilarious to me, because I was such a different person in that period of my life, and I actually dropped out because my heart wasn’t fully in there and I didn’t have the confidence that I have now. But if there’s anything that did influence me. I would say it would be ‘the briefs’, building a concept or a capsule for a collection, having to explain your ideas in depth or having someone understand your idea being your garment without saying anything at all. All of this gave me training on how to approach a project or come up with a theme and make it cohesive.
9. If your songwriting process were a fashion piece, what would it be – a tailored suit, something vintage, or maybe something completely experimental?
Experimental always, big drip, loud, go hard or go home, big silhouettes, bright colours, sharp details. Give me all of it.
10. What’s next for you?
More exploration, more growth, more fun, more fashion of course, and more music.
Photography courtesy of Demae.
