Louder Than The Music

Following her popular lofi neo-soul release Still On You last month, which has garnered 17K Spotify streams in 2 weeks, Imani Shola will release R&B Soul melody, Soft Maverick, on 21 June 2024.

The upcoming release tugs continues her theme this year of bringing her listeners back to her RnB Soul niche, following her explorative EP, Mapmaking Vol. i (2023). Heavily inspired by the likes of Cleo Sol, Alex Isley, Gaidaa, Snoh Aalegra and Nyah Grace, fans are sure to love the track’s soothing bass and catchy chords. And, of course, what would an Imani Shola banger be without her silken, immersive harmonies to top it off?

“Soft Maverick is a love letter of affirmation to my younger self. It’s what I’d say to a friend, someone I care about. I hope listeners feel my care and love through the vocals and lyrics. It’s supposed to feel close and provide hope, like a good, honest, gentle friend.”

Imani’s characteristic harmonies and prominent backing vocals introduce the soothing, melodic track, and also lead its second half. Her ethereal lead vocal ushers listeners into heart-to-heart conversation on the universal struggles of not always fitting in, trusting your intuition, and trusting the process. The lead shares the testimony; the backing vocals recount the lessons. The track reminds listeners that they are right where God wants to be, right on time, not too late, and He’s got them.

Imani worked with friends and producers Július Korbela, who mixes and masters most of her works which we love, and Philip ‘Vivace’ Asiamah, who also produced her latest track. “It’s always a privilege to work with Július. He’s a musical genius with an unparalleled eye (or ear) for detail and cares about making each track superb. And Philip is incredibly gifted and creative - a maverick and an absolute pleasure to work with.”

Hailing from North London, the daughter of a gifted jazz-saxophonist father, Imani has been aligned with the best in Jazz, Soul and Gospel for as long as she can remember. She was raised on the melodies of greats such as Aretha Franklin, Nina Simone and Mary Mary; Miles Davis and Erykah Badu; Eva Cassidy and Norah Jones. More recent influences include the detailed harmonies of Alex Isley, the feminine flair or Nao, and the soothing vocals of Snoh Aalegra and Cleo Sol. Like these artists, undertones of jazz and soul colour her works. Imani characterises herself with distinctive harmonies and authentic lyricism, that set her apart.

So far, she has worked alongside producers such as gospel mogul Duane Caleb, Jay Picasso and Jacob F. Essel, who have seen her gift, captured her vision and helped her burst into the industry with a distinctive sound. She's already built up a buzz since her 2020 debut, and has garnered press features from names such as We Write About Music, A Step FWD UK Christian Charts, and Color, to name a few. She's bold, talented, charismatic, and full of soul, and we can't wait to see what 2024 has in store for Imani.