April 29, 2022 |
Born and raised in Hackney, British-Ghanaian artist ShaSimone is caving herself as one of the buzziest names in British rap. Launching her career at the peak of the first global lockdown, her debut single “Belly” was a culmination of freestyle rap and dynamic instrumentals. Describing her sound as “fresh, lit, feel-good music,” she translates a sense of euphoria into every bar, while the relaxed environment around her informs her diverse writing sessions.
Coming off a successful UK tour supporting megastar Dave, the emerging artist took the stage in Britain’s largest arenas, marking a turning point in her career. Now, ShaSimone gears up to introduce her new single titled “Lock Off”, followed by a simmering EP coming this summer. The single is submerged in a speedy delivery that continues to define ShaSimone’s sound, accompanied by a thumping melody that acts as a homage to the grime scene that raised her. Here we grab the rising star for a quick chin-wag.
- Who is ShaSimone?
“ShaSimone is an innovative artist hailing from Hackney, taking the scene by storm. Doing amazing things, she’s creative, she’s versatile, she is one of a kind, she is her!”
- What’s the best thing about growing up in East London?
“I got to meet so many people from different cultures and different backgrounds, so I feel like I know how to communicate, understand and get on with people from all walks of life.”
- What’s essential for a great studio session?
“Silence. Not total silence but the least amount of people in the studio the better for me. Ideally just me, my producer, water and a Magnum bar so I can just vibe out.”
- If your sound had a flavour, what would it taste like?
“It would taste like Magnum. Coz you be drinking it, drinking it, drinking it, drinking it, not knowing you’re getting drunk as fuck.”
- Who is your dream collaborator?
“J. Cole, Russ or J Hus.”
- Who are your style icons?
“I love Teyana Taylor, Bree Runway. I love people who dress unusual and not the norm. I love that weird, eccentric type of dressing.”
- What can we expect from your new EP Simma Down?
“You can expect to hear something different from a woman from the UK. You can expect to hear an EP that consists of songs that fit every single mood. You can expect to hear me just really rapping and showing my skills and just showing what type of artist I am.”
- What’s your favourite moment from creating the EP?
“My favourite moment has been recording a song and it being so good we were like ‘Ahh damn, shall we just slap it on there’. Everything I’ve been making has been incredible, so we’ve had to make some tough decisions about what I’m going to keep and get rid of.”
- If you could play anywhere in the world tonight, where would it be?
“I would play in Ghana because it’s my home country. I would love to be received by all the people over there and for them to take me in and support me even more.”
- What’s next for you?
“Bigger and better things. More music, more incredible music, more shows, more everything, more being great. More of following wherever God wants me to go and wants to lead me. That’s what’s next.”
Photography by Osas Lab. Stream “Lock Off” on all major streaming platforms now.
