In Mega’s new EP I Am Enough – released last Friday – the British-Ugandan artist, who’s based in North London, steps into her own power. Soulful and strong, she taps into a mix of alt-pop, R&B and afrobeats, with melodic influences from her gospel background and Ugandan roots.
In the artist’s debut single, Chariot – released in 2018 and having now wracked up almost 43 million Spotify streams –, she sings honey-sweet words of reassurance to a loved one. On I Am Enough, she turns it back on herself, looking inward and reflecting on where she’s currently at in her life while offering that same sense of comfort and encouragement that’s explored in Chariot.
The EP starts off with Change, a definitive statement on how Mega chooses to continue moving forward. She urges you to wake up and shake up, empowering and inspirational, she delivers a gripping start. Leaning into an indie mood with head-nodding guitar interludes, Mega goes into more upbeat rhythms with I Am Enough, which feels more like an intentional, and inherently personal promise. Being set free from limiting beliefs and daring oneself to step out into the world, steadfast and assured. She then delves deeper and takes us into My Bones where her Ugandan heritage shines through. There’s an all-encompassing steadfastness, a bonafide trust in her voice. She feels it in her core and that sincerity fills the EP with a comforting depth.
The next track, Roots, takes on a mellow feel, slow and serene. The gospel foundation is striking in the chorus, built upon a symphony of layers, while an unshakable beat carries you through. In the final few seconds of the song there’s the sound of an ice-cream truck and children laughing, cementing the personal roots it’s built upon. In closing, she pulls us into Fail as Me wherein Mega is assured. She’s true to herself and delivers a compelling testament of trust: “I knew / My heart would guide me / Guide me to somewhere new”, she sings.
With a steady and smooth voice bolstered by a strong sense of confidence, Mega delivers a diary of self-healing in I Am Enough. She sings with heart and emotion, with sincerity in every note. It’s warm and all-encompassing, leaving you with a feeling of unbridled freedom. Here, we sat down with Mega to hear about the stand-out moments from the making of the EP, what her biggest guilty pleasure is and how her music has evolved since her debut.
1. You’ve mentioned drawing inspiration from the likes of Amy Winehouse and Nina Simone. Are there any contemporary artists that have similarly inspired you?
Adele, Michael Kiwanuka, Jon Batiste.
2. Describe the new EP in just ten words.
Remembering the power that I hold and believing/knowing “I am enough”.
3. Dead or alive, who would be your dream collaborator?
Ooh no, that’s a tough one. I couldn’t possibly choose between all my favourites. I’d love to be in the room with Nina Simone – even if it was just have a session and to see what her creative process was like.
4. What is your biggest guilty pleasure?
Crime documentaries.
5. How has your musical style evolved since your debut single in 2018?
I think that I’ve evolved since 2018 personally and I think that is reflected in my music too. I would say that rather that looking at things through a musical style lens, I create music more from a place of where I am currently at in my life; and that influences the sound if that makes sense.
6. Is there a particular memory during the making of your upcoming EP I am Enough that stands out?
Yes. Being able to travel back to Uganda to create a music video for My Bones stands out for sure. It holds a deep meaning in a way that I haven’t explored in my previous projects.
7. What is your go-to karaoke song?
Oooh if I had I to choose one, it would be have to be Whitney Houston I Wanna Dance with Somebody.
8. You recently headlined at Meltdown Festival, do you have a dream place you would love to perform at?
The royal Albert hall and Alexandra Palace are quite sentimental to me, so I’d love to perform there.
9. You’re on a road trip and can only play one song on repeat. What are you playing?
It depends on how long the road trip is but I can’t have one song on repeat, haha. I’m more of playlist on repeat kind of person. My playlist would be ’80s biggest hits or an old-school Afrobeats playlist.
10. What’s next for you?
I hope to be able to tour the new music from my project very soon.
Photography courtesy of Mega.
