Hamzaa has been rising steadily into the public consciousness this past year: there was her sold-out debut headline show at London's St Pancras Old Church, followed at the start of 2019 by another sell-out performance, this time at Omeara - the show got a four star review in the Evening Standard, who compared her to a 19-era Adele. She has supported Ray BLK; been called "the real deal" by The Line Of Best Fit; received radio support across tastemaker platforms like Repezent, national stations like Radio 1Xtra, and Julie Adenuga's Beats1 show; not to mention co-signs from Stormzy, Wretch32 and Ghetts, who both hopped on part two of her sublime track 'Breathing'. On top of all this, last year when when she only had two songs out, the executive producer for BBC institution 'Later... with Jools Holland' heard her on the radio - what followed, very quickly, was a sublime debut performance on the show.
Hamzaa's journey, however, starts long before all that - and, as she puts it, "I want people to fall in love with the journey and the story rather than just the hype and excitement."
Her childhood in East London's Hackney was one full of creativity, growing-up singing-along to a diet of artists she describes as "old school classics" at home (she cites the likes of Aretha, Beyoncรฉ, John Legend, and even Dolly Parton), with her mum encouraging that passion for performance by sending her to various performing arts and stage schools. Aged 11, Hamzaa went to boarding school ("mum wanted me to get a chance to be out of our area"), where she became deeply involved in directing plays, arranging songs, and participating in singing competitions.
Halfway through A-Levels, however, she decided to drop-out and pursue music properly. Via a stint working the cloakroom at Brixton Academy, she was: "Always writing, always singing, always dancing and putting it into whatever aspect of my life."
Indeed, underpinning her rise to prominence was that Hamzaa had started writing songs when she was just nine years old. It was around the same time she had started learning piano, and she began to put her poetry to music. An only child, creating her own place for self-expression was vital - "I had no one to talk to, really, but myself - obviously I could talk to my mum, but it's a bit different when you're younger! So any of the thoughts that I had, I was very good at putting it down on paper and then getting on the piano finding some chords."
Via a now lost EP (the files were on her old laptop), almost a decade later Hamzaa's songwriting process comes from the same place - putting down her thoughts, diary-like, to process things, while also giving other people a space to relate: "I want to open a conversation and make people be fearless in their speech," she says.
'First Signs Of Me' reflects that boldness of intent, self-interrogating her mental space in the aftermath of a break-up, "rather than sitting in my sadness". This is particularly striking on opening track 'Red', which softly speaks of fear and suicidal thoughts and grappling with self-love. The beautiful accompanying video, filmed at Southend-on-Sea and directed by Filmawi Efrem, sees a dancer on the water, keeping above it all while everyone watches from the shore. "I'm very sensitive and very anxious," explains Hamzaa, "I've suffered from severe depression and anxiety, so I really advocate for talking about mental health. I want people to try and be in the best mental space possible, or working towards that - so I try to emulate that myself. It's tough sometimes, but I like to be the strong friend, the backbone of things. It makes me happy when I feel other people are good. I know what it's like not to feel good."
Comparisons with the likes of Amy Winehouse make sense - indeed, Hamzaa even lists her off when she talks about her aims for the future: this is timeless, universal, emotionally resonant music topped with a spellbindingly powerful voice. Not that Hamzaa needs to be compared to anyone but herself - what she's creating is deeply personal, and she's keen to highlight that the only trajectory she's focussing on is her own. Accordingly, she's not in a rush to put out a load of music, instead happy to let people take their time with 'First Signs' - "I don't wanna rush and put out something that I don't completely love," she explains, "I don't want people to see or hear something and just be like 'mmm, it's alright' when I know I didn't fully love it in the first place."
For now, there's a slew of singles she's planning - 'London' is the first post-EP, and is full of evocative, uplifting gospel warmth, as she talks about never giving up and her enduring love for her, at times, overwhelming city. Another forthcoming track, 'Write It Down' is one she describes as "powerful". Hamzaa doesn't like swearing, but admits the track is a "fuck you" to people who don't understand what she's about - to so-called friends trying to invalidate what she's doing and what she's talking about in her music while she's putting her all into it.
It all comes back to that focus on self-expression rather than on expectation; taking her time to evoke emotions that last, rather than riding the hype wave: "The way I want my path to go is longevity, I want to be remembered for my music and for what I was able to do with my music. And that longevity comes when you play your cards... not right, but you play them smart. You could play the wrong card, but if you've taken your time grinding and you've worked for it, it's gonna connect somehow."
And with that attitude, Hamzaa looks set to have a straight flush.
"Music inhabits the soulful jazzy space left by Amy Winehouse. A star is born." - Evening Standard
"There is no doubt about it - we're going to be hearing a lot more from Hamzaa and we are so, so ready for her." - The Line Of Best Fit
"Knows how to sing emotions that you didn't even realise you were feeling." - Julie Adenuga
Breathing
Hamzaa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've been searching for truth
When all this time
It was all in me
I had lost my way
Life had lost its purpose and all its worth was
Far from here
It had almost ended and I was certain why
All I had to do was try
Now I'm breathing
Breathing like I never did
And now I'm breathing
In the sky I have spread my wings
Seas I've sailed and ships I've sunk
Just to lead me right back at one
From my troubles, oh yes, I've run
With this burden now I am done
I had lost my way
Life had lost its purpose and all its worth was
Far from here
And now I'm here to stay
It had almost ended and I was certain why
All I had to do was try
Now I'm breathing
Breathing like I never did
And now I'm breathing
In the sky I have spread my wings
Ooh ooh ooh ooh, ooh ooh ooh
Ooh ooh ooh ooh, ooh ooh ooh
No more will I cry, no more losing sleep
I put up a fight, won't lose easily
Sending my help whenever you need
I'll be there
No more will I cry, no more losing sleep (no-no-no, no)
I put up a fight, won't lose easily
Sending my help whenever you need
I'll be there
And now I'm breathing
Breathing like I never did
And now I'm breathing
In the sky I have spread my wings
Ooh ooh ooh ooh, ooh ooh ooh
Ooh ooh ooh ooh, ooh ooh ooh
The song "Breathing" by Hamzaa is about finding inner peace, overcoming hardships, and self-discovery. The lyrics express a journey of self-exploration, where the artist has finally come to the realization that the truth she had been searching for was inside her all along. The initial lines of the song display the artist's realization of the truth, which was always inside her, but she kept searching for it elsewhere. The artist explains how she had lost her way in life and how everything seemed pointless, which led her to take a step back and re-assess her life, resulting in newfound clarity.
The lyrics state how struggles in the past have led her back to where she began, and now she has a deeper understanding of herself. She has put the past behind her and has come out stronger, shedding her burdens and living life to the fullest. The line "No more will I cry, no more losing sleep" emphasizes how much she has grown and how her struggles no longer weigh her down. The song concludes by portraying the artist spreading her wings and soaring, exploring new horizons.
Overall, "Breathing" is a song that emphasizes the importance of self-reflection and taking a moment for oneself. The lyrics convey the importance of trusting oneself, breaking free from the past, and embracing the unknown.
Line by Line Meaning
All my life
Throughout my existence
I've been searching for truth
I've been exploring to find what's genuine
When all this time
However, all throughout,
It was all in me
The truth was inside me
I had lost my way
I had drifted from my purpose
Life had lost its purpose and all its worth was
I couldn't see the value in life anymore
Far from here
I was lost in a distant place
And now I'm here to stay
But now I've found my way and I'm never leaving
It had almost ended and I was certain why
I almost gave up, but I knew why I couldn't
All I had to do was try
So, I kept going and tried my best to find my purpose
Now I'm breathing
Now I'm living freely
Breathing like I never did
Living with a newfound sense of freedom
In the sky I have spread my wings
I'm spreading my wings and soaring high
Seas I've sailed and ships I've sunk
I've been through hard times and didn't give up
Just to lead me right back at one
Those struggles brought me back to my starting point
From my troubles, oh yes, I've run
I avoided my problems for some time
With this burden now I am done
But now I'm ready to face them and let go of the weight
No more will I cry, no more losing sleep
I won't allow my struggles to have power over me.
I put up a fight, won't lose easily
I'll keep fighting and won't give up easily
Sending my help whenever you need
I'll always be there to help when you need me
I'll be there
I won't abandon you.
Ooh ooh ooh ooh, ooh ooh ooh
N/A
Ooh ooh ooh ooh, ooh ooh ooh
N/A
Lyrics ยฉ Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: Malika Hamzaa
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@NolaMuu
I'm not sure if anybody else can relate but for somebody who has struggled quite heavily with depression for the past two years, this song means absolutely everything. I haven't stopped spinning it for the past 2 months.
"I had lost my way
Life had lost its purpose and all its worth was
Far from here
...
Now I'm breathing
Breathing like I never did"
I pray and hope that this song really finds those it needs to and heals you in the deepest places. Love.
@memphotan
There it is. That feeling you get when hear something new, See someone great, feel a kinship, and hope that it moves you. Thatโs what just happened. So awesome.
@lolaispure4296
Touchรฉ
@shraddhagurung19
You spoke my mind.
@teresaraymondguardiola4177
Perfectly stated!!!
@dianewilliams5335
Beautifully stated..
@shariffbrown04
โคโคโค
@NolaMuu
I'm not sure if anybody else can relate but for somebody who has struggled quite heavily with depression for the past two years, this song means absolutely everything. I haven't stopped spinning it for the past 2 months.
"I had lost my way
Life had lost its purpose and all its worth was
Far from here
...
Now I'm breathing
Breathing like I never did"
I pray and hope that this song really finds those it needs to and heals you in the deepest places. Love.
@desire202
I feel you @Nola.
So powerful.
I have it on repeat with a smile on my face
@shariffbrown04
Aww Nola, i can totally relate..so happy you are feeling better! I too suffer from depression, but I take st John's wort which they take in Europe unlike in the states they prescribe Xanax, etc. I also connect to the universe through sound and vibrations by chanting nam myoho renge kyo. Finally, I am sending you the biggest hug...well a social distancing hug โคโคโค๐๐ค
@mordamoja4676
Wish You well โค๏ธ