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, Beyoncé, 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
RED
Hamzaa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was dealing with everyone else first but me
If you ever felt like I was going off the rails
Why didn't you hold on to me?
I know it's not easy
Complications turn to hate
And suicidal thoughts, they rain in
Complications turn to hate
And suicidal thoughts, they rain in
And the color of my pain is red
But I'm making my way back to love
Loving me
But I'm making my way back to love, to love
Loving me
Sometimes as people, we get caught up in lost affairs
And we don't want to face our fears, for the fear of losing
And the one close to you, we never seem to hear
But they have to loudest cries in the silence they share
Complications turn to hate
And suicidal thoughts, they rain in
And the color of my pain is red
Complications turn to hate
And suicidal thoughts, they rain in
And the color of my pain is red
But I'm making my way back to, back to love
Love, loving me
But I'm making my way back to love
Loving me
Loving me, yeah, yeah
But I made my way back to loving myself
Hamzaa's song Red is a vulnerable and introspective track that explores the complexities of our emotional struggles. The first verse of the song talks about how sometimes we let everyone else's problems take priority over our own, and it can be difficult for others to understand what we're going through. The line "If you ever felt like I was going off the rails, why didn't you hold on to me?" suggests a sense of abandonment and feeling alone in one's struggles. The chorus centers around the idea of pain being the color red, a potent metaphor for the intensity and rawness of emotional turmoil. The repetition of "complications turn to hate and suicidal thoughts" drives the message home that these feelings can be consuming and overwhelming. The second verse shifts to a more collective experience, suggesting that we often don't listen to the people closest to us who are also struggling. The final lines of the song signal a message of hope and self-love as Hamzaa sings, "But I'm making my way back to loving myself," signifying a shift from despair to empowerment.
Overall, Red is a poignant track that delves into the depths of human emotion and takes the listener on a journey through the highs and lows of the human experience.
Line by Line Meaning
If the line ever seemed like it was too long to get to me
I was too busy and overwhelmed to deal with other people's needs.
I was dealing with everyone else first but me
I prioritized the needs of others before my own.
If you ever felt like I was going off the rails
If you ever thought I was losing control or acting erratically
Why didn't you hold on to me?
Why didn't you support me when I was struggling?
I know it's not easy
I understand that supporting someone who is struggling is difficult.
Complications turn to hate
Difficult situations can turn into negative emotions.
And suicidal thoughts, they rain in
I experience thoughts of suicide that feel overwhelming and out of my control.
And the color of my pain is red
My pain is intense and feels like a deep, red color.
But I'm making my way back to love
I am learning to love myself and recover from my struggles.
Loving me
I am choosing to prioritize my own well-being and love myself.
Sometimes as people, we get caught up in lost affairs
Sometimes we become preoccupied with situations that are beyond our control and end up feeling lost.
And we don't want to face our fears, for the fear of losing
We avoid confronting our fears because of the fear that it will lead to loss or pain.
And the one close to you, we never seem to hear
We often fail to listen to the cries for help from those closest to us.
But they have to loudest cries in the silence they share
Their inner turmoil may be hidden, but it can be overwhelming and urgent.
But I made my way back to loving myself
I found my way back to prioritizing self-love and healing.
Writer(s): Cassandra-malika Pesa Namiba Hamza
Contributed by Ella H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@who-ami2111
[Verse 1]
If the line ever seemed like it was too long to get to me
I was dealing with everyone else first but me
If you ever felt like I was going off the rails
Why didn't you hold on to me?
I know it's not easy
[Chorus]
Complications turn to hate
And suicidal thoughts, they rain in
And the color of my pain is red
Complications turn to hate
And suicidal thoughts, they rain in
And the color of my pain is red
But I'm making my way back to love
Loving me
But I'm making my way back to love, to love
Loving me
[Verse 2]
Sometimes as people, we get caught up in lost affairs
And we don't want to face our fears, for the fear of losing
And the one close to you, we never seem to hear
But they have to loudest cries in the silence they share
[Chorus]
Complications turn to hate
And suicidal thoughts, they rain in
And the color of my pain is red
Complications turn to hate
And suicidal thoughts, they rain in
And the color of my pain is red
But I'm making my way back to, back to love
Love, loving me
But I'm making my way back to love
Loving me
@inyikaodero4053
Breathtakingly beautiful
@musicalldaynknight
How have you not blown up yet??? Why am I JUST discovering you???!!!
@AvonCosmeticsUK
Smooth Like Butter 💗 💗
@lazarddiankson1400
I've just discovered her work, I must say she's incredible this girl!! I'm in love with her music.😍
@paulkwarteng7252
Hamzaa, i love your music
@FashionRoadman
Hamzaa always raising the bar
@beeverhausenanastasia2999
Raw, beautiful, soul provoking talent
@preciousmashiyane8498
HOW AM I ONLY LEARNING ABOUT HER NOW?
@epela6400
I love this song. "The color of my pain is red"
@thanatos2972
Hamzaa love from Nigeria 🇳🇬🇳🇬🇳🇬🇳🇬🇳🇬🇳🇬🇳🇬