FEATURE:
Venthouse Suite
Deyah’s Care City and the Welsh Music Prize
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I think there is a bit of…
IMAGE CREDIT: Welsh Music Prize
bias when it comes to covering music prizes. The Mercury Prize gets a lot of attention, but I think that the Welsh Music Prize is as interesting and incredible. The field for this year’s shortlisted works was incredibly strong, and I know about/have covered a few of the acts. This article from Stereoboard gives some details about the shortlisted and introduces us to the winner of this year’s Welsh Music Prize, Deyah:
“Deyah has won the Welsh Music Prize for 'Care City', a record she released through her own label High Mileage, Low Life that mixes spoken word, rap and soul.
The rapper and singer — who previously operated under the NoNameDisciple moniker — saw off competition from Ani Glass, Colorama, Cotton Wolf, Don Leisure, Georgia Ruth, Gruff Rhys, Islet, Keys, Kidsmoke, Los Blancos, Luke RV, Right Hand Left Hand, Silent Forum, and Yr Ods to succeed last year’s winners, Adwaith, who took home the gong for 'Melyn'.
Returning for its 10th year with an increased shortlist of 15 albums, the award recognises the best in creativity from the growing Welsh music scene. In place of its usual Cardiff-based celebrations, the winner was announced via a livestream ceremony due to COVID-19 restrictions.
The 2020 judging panel featured Polly James (Radio X), Gemma Cairney (BBC Radio/author), Mark Sutherland (Music Week), Daniel Minty (Minty’s Gig Guide), Ffion Wyn (Ladies of Rage), Angharad Jenkins (musician/composer), Emma Zilmann (Bluedot/Kendal Calling), and Sian Eleri Evans (BBC Radio Cymru/Folded Wing)
The Triskel Award, which was introduced last year and is presented to acts that have "a bright future for music in Wales", was given to Eädyth, Mace The Great, and Malan”.
I hope there Deyah will get a lot of attention because her E.P., Care City, is fantastic. It is one of the best releases of this year! I adore her voice, and one can easily get lost in the songs - they have a combination of beauty and potency that draws you in. I really like the percussion through the E.P./mini-album, which has a sort of Trip-Hop vibe and it beautifully blends with the vocals. The lyrics are personal and hugely thought-provoking, and the combination of sparser – yet very evocative – compositions and a powerful lead makes it an E.P. that everyone will want to get a hold of! Make sure you follow Deyah on Twitter. At eight tracks, I guess Care City is a long E.P. or short album, but I think that sort of focus and relative brevity makes it an incredibly powerful and memorable listen. I want to bring in an interview from Deyah and a review of Care City but I hope, after winning the Welsh Music Prize, there is a vinyl run of Care City and that it gets played a lot more across a range of music stations! If you need a little bit of background regarding this unique and hugely promising artist, this article from the PRS Foundation is useful:
“Deyah is a gifted MC, who’s music combines Lo-fi Hip Hop with a hint of old school and new school vibes, neo-soul, and R&B.
Her influences include Lauryn Hill, Queen Latifah and Fela Kuti to name a few. Still in her early 20’s , Deyah has gained the attention of Lily Allen, who has publicly stated that she is going to be the next big artist in 2019 as well as Wiley, Kojey Radical, Little Simz, JME, Shakka, Jessie J and Bugzy Malone who have all shown their appreciation.
Her first EP project “Therapy Sessions 77” back in 2017, gained attention and support from Linda Serck @ BBC Introducing Berkshire , DJ Semtex (Capital Xtra) and DJ Target (BBC 1Xtra). Her performances include Reading + Leeds Festival in 2018. She’s featured on Etta Bond’s “Surface” remix with proceeds going to Nordoff Robbins charity. Manga Saint Hilare featured her on his “Outsiders Live Forever” project. In 2019, Deyah was added to BBC Introducing’s Hot List for International Women’s Day.
Deyah remains humble as she focuses on her calling, the task at hand, being a messenger, a storyteller, shelling bars to make her audience think, and feel empowered, uplifted and entertained, all at the same time”.
The Care City E.P./mini-album has received a lot of praise; people noting this phenomenal talent whose music, once heard, does not shake from the mind! One of the most interesting and impassioned reviews came from The Line of Best Fit back in April:
“Realising she can’t depend on others, she finds some kind of comfort in solitude. Sleepy synth pads score declaration of independence "Planet X", where she sing-raps about inner- peace and taking time for herself, and laughs off an ex who wants to reconnect. On "SYS", she swears off the Tinder generation altogether. Bookended by dialogue with an older woman who doesn’t see the appeal of online dating, the song is a scathing repudiation of men who can’t commit to a relationship.
In the past, religion was her port in this storm. Her Lover Loner EP was flush with paeans to faith in the face of habitual heartache. Promoting that project, Deyah told I Am Hip-Hop magazine last year: “My underlying message is about seeking a relationship with God”. Now, her conviction is shaken. Closing track "Liquor Lament" is a scream into the void wherein she proclaims she’s “never felt so far from the God” she used to know, while ‘Mars’ is a sobering look back to the moment she lost her faith. The only track on the EP without a drumbeat, Deyah’s words echo around a bare arrangement of piano chords and guitar tones.
“Rehab got me on my way to a long road/I need to be clean if I’m gonna chase the dream,” she resolves. Deyah has been to hell and back, but still she looks ahead to better days. “After dark, light does prevail,” she stresses on "Terminal 7". Her voice quivers with a touch of uncertainty”.
I am going to finish up in a minute but, just before wrapping up, I want to bring in a really good interview from I Am Hip Hop Magazine - who spoke with Deyah about the release of Care City and its influence; they asked where she was going to head after this:
“Care City is an incredibly raw album that tackles really personal struggles like substance abuse, heartbreak, rehab and depression. During the creative process was there ever a fear of being too personal or too open with your art? For instance, was there ever a moment where you thought, ‘I don’t want to put that in there, it’s too sensitive,’ or did you find it cathartic?
I never for a second had any fear of being too personal. I wanted to be as authentic and as transparent as possible. I feel like when you go through certain experiences, the fear of mankind no longer exists within you. This is why creating Care City was so different compared to my other projects, I never thought once to rephrase a sentence or to try dumb it down a little. I went with my soul on this one. The only thing of course I didn’t mention, is the names of people, I would never do that, I’m not that type of person.
What is/were the healing process like when dealing with those issues? Did focusing on writing music help you heal during this time?
I didn’t initially give time to the healing process, so it was a slow starter for me but once I allowed it, it was the most challenging but rewarding process I’ve ever gone through. I wouldn’t say focusing on music helped me heal but it did allow me to creatively deal with my issues at the time. Funnily enough, I’m finding the healing more so now… when I find myself at a low point, I listen to Care City and helps me a great deal to reflect but also to feel.
Was there any particular sounds or musical influences that influenced you during the making of this EP?
Not particularly but maybe subconsciously. At the time, I was only listening to garage and house music and there’s definitely no influence of that in the project. I will say though, Jaden Smith and Diggy Simmons creative versatility has always inspired me regarding sound. In general though, the openness of J Cole, Wretch 32 and Saba’s music has for sure pushed me more so to be even more transparent than before and Little Simz lack of fear in production and delivery also encouraged me to be more versatile and go with the soul.
Now that you’ve released three projects, what vision do you have for your music in the future?
I just intend on continuing to create material that i like. I don’t really think much of those other two projects, as I feel they were trial and error/experiments. Care City is the first project i’d actually call an adequate body of work. I’m currently working on my next project which is unlike anything I’ve ever created before. I want to continue moving in this fearless space that I’m in and create whatever it is on the inside that I feel I need to”.
Go and check out Care City - and you can follow Deyah on Instagram and Spotify. I know she will be a big name of the future and, when venues open up next year, she will be keen to capitalise on the Welsh Music Prize win and the plaudits Care City has received. Go show some love for Deyah because, in Care City, here is one of 2020’s…
MOST extraordinary works!