November 15, 2021 |
We all love a good dose of R&B, and up-and-coming artist Tora-i has crafted the perfect potion to keep you enchanted by her musical magic. London-based artist Tora-i (previously known as Tora), has been all over recently. Quickly rising to the spotlight, her debut EP Cavalier, which was released last year, racked over 10 million streams on Spotify alone.
Coming in as her first official introduction into the music world, she was inducted into No Signal’s Class of 2020 alongside 14 other breakthrough and rising artists to watch out for, being named ‘most likely to save the planet’. Building her own sound has been a journey for the 21-year-old artist who takes inspiration from diverse artists everywhere ranging from Mariah Carey to Outkast and Kelis.
The singer is back with her latest track “PBFF”, which explores the impacts of difficult relationships and the aftermath of it all. Her inspiring lyrics and skillful visuals aim to highlight the importance of learning from difficult situations. Here, we sat down with Tora-i for a quick chin-wag.
- Who is Tora-i?
“An artist chasing butterflies.”
- Describe your sound in five adjectives.
“Experimental, soulful, cute, fab, pensive.”
- In your opinion, what is the greatest love song ever written and why?
“For “All We Know” by Donny Hathaway, love isn’t meant to be complicated and it’s said so simply in this song. The more poetic answer is that it’s a reminder of the fragility of life so to appreciate the now and live by choice, not survival.”
- What was the inspiration behind your new single?
“In the first session of “PBFF”, I didn’t come into it with any idea of where I wanted to take it. I just let the music take me and wrote/sang as directed.”
- If you could have any designer make all your tour outfits, who would you pick and why?
“’90s-’00s Cavalli for sure, because it was just fun.”
- What’s the best way to spend a Saturday night?
“Chilling with friends with good food.|
- Where do you hope to be in a year’s time?
“In Jamaica, eating fish on the beach, coming fresh off a tour.”
- What’s the best pair of shoes you have in your wardrobe?
“I made some Nike ID’s when I was 11 and the colours and textures are crazy! Even though they’re wild and I would never now, they still feel like me regardless of time.”
- What is your dream festival to play next Summer?
“Primavera in Barcelona. I went a couple of years ago and it had the most alluring atmosphere. I’d love to experience it from the other side too.”
- What can we expect next from you?
“Blossoming!”
Photography by Alfie White. Stream Tora-i’s PBFF here.
