Meet The Emotive Vocal Powerhouse… Naomi Kimpenu

Naomi Kimpenu is wise beyond her 22 years. The East London native have just released her debut EP ‘Prelude’, which is the perfect introduction to an artist who is built to last. Featuring the singles ‘Only’ and ‘Who I Am’, the collection is brimming with hushed, soulful melodies and stories of love, self-acceptance and packed with emotion. Written, recorded and produced by Naomi, the EP is timeless and proves that Naomi Kimpenu is in it for the long haul. We were able to chat with Naomi about everything from her debut EP, living in London, her live shows and so much more. Read the full interview below.

Are you able to describe yourself to our readers with 3 simple words?

Honest, strong, thoughtful.

And your music – if you’re able to, how would you describe the sounds that you create? 

I would describe the music that I create as being very emotive. It’s from the heart and I think that a lot of people who hear my songs, really connect with them. They resonate with the listener. Another word that other people have often used is timeless, which is really flattering.

What is your first memory of music – are you from a musical / creative family, and what sort of sounds can you remember at home as a child?

My first memory of music is dancing to Congolese rumba and Pop music at my parents’ house parties. They were both really into music, and still are. I listened to every genre and style of music when I was younger. From Britney to Magic System, Pink Floyd, and Sade. Whitney Houston was also very popular in our house, and my parents are massive fans!

Can you remember and tell us the first record you ever purchased with your own money?

Buying music was a bit before my time, as in actual physical albums but I did buy some singles from Beyonce’s Lemonade album on iTunes a few years ago. I’ve also been gifted a lot of music and my Dad bought me Lana Del Rey’s ‘Born To Die’ album for Christmas one year and I was mesmerized by it. I can safely say that I’ve listened to that album about fifty times!

And the last – what was the last record you can remember listening to all the way through, no skips!

I’ve been listening to Mariah Carey’s MTV Unplugged EP on Spotify. I love her!

How has a city like London shaped you as the artist that you’ve become?

London is my home. I was born in Whitechapel and have lived in East London my whole life. Bethnal Green is my local neighbourhood and I love everything about it. My studio is nearby, as are my friends. Victoria Park sits in the middle and plays host to some amazing music festivals.

We’re seeing some incredible talent shining out of London at the moment, yourself included. What other homegrown talent are you really championing?

I’m championing my friends, who include some amazing musicians. Some of them joined me in the studio when I was recording my EP, including my good friend Omar aka Solaariss! He’s a ridiculously talented artist, as well as being a multi-instrumentalist.

We adore your debut EP ‘Prelude’ – it feels timeless, yet modern. How does it feel to finally be releasing this body of work?

Thank you. It feels quite surreal, and it always has, especially when my music is played on the radio. I love reading people’s comments on my posts and on YouTube. I’ve had so many people sending me messages of support and it’s really nice to receive them. I feel very encouraged by it all and the whole process has been a very formative experience.

How did you decide which tracks made the EP, and which track are you most proud of?

I already knew. ‘Only’ and ‘Yellow Bridge’ were part of the project from day one. They were the tracks that I was most confident about, having performed them live on stage at some early gigs. They would always receive a good response. ‘What About Me’ didn’t come until much later, and it actually replaced another song, as my manager and I decided that it would be a better fit. As soon as I started the recording process, we both knew that it was meant for this project. The track I am most proud of making is ‘Who I Am’. It’s very personal to me and was also very challenging to produce and record. It took me to what I thought was my breaking point, but it actually turned out to be a major breakthrough. It taught me to trust myself. It was also the first time that I had recorded live strings and piano for a track and I’m very happy with the outcome.

You wrote, recorded and produced the whole record which is just incredible. Do you hope to see more women producers visible in studios in the near future?

I do, absolutely. I think a lot of women are intimidated in this industry, and there are a lot of men who are quite disrespectful towards us. That’s the main barrier. When we speak our voices aren’t always given the same respect that men receive. In the early days a lot of people thought what I was doing was crazy, and they just didn’t get it and couldn’t understand it. Most people are more comfortable with the idea of a male producer and a female singer with the roles being strictly defined. Women sing, men produce. I’m the outlier. I’m also lucky to have a manager who believes in me. He would reinforce what I said to whoever it was that wasn’t listening, and still does.

The turbulence of the past year has affected everyone, but artists have really taken a battering with no live shows or festivals. How did you navigate through the pandemic, and what do you think you’re going to take from it moving forward? 

In life we have to be adaptable and not let our lives be crippled or ruled by fear. The pandemic couldn’t stop my recording process. The extra time allowed me to refine the music even further. Obviously, doing some live shows around the time that singles were being released would have been a massive help, but my manager and I had to rethink our plans and make radio, sync and press the main priorities.

We can only imagine how beautiful your live shows are going to be. What can you tell us about how you plan to perform live this year into next?

We do have some plans, but nothing set in stone just yet. I was able to perform at some amazing gigs and shows before the pandemic hit but I hadn’t actually released any music at that point, so I was only just dipping my toes into the live side of things at that stage. I love performing full stop. It doesn’t matter how big or small the venue or crowd is. What matters is the connection that I make with the listener.

Make sure to listen to Naomi Kimpenu’s brand new EP ‘Prelude’ below or here.