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“I feel like melodies hold the keys to everyone’s heart,” DARKOO tells Apple Music. “So even if it’s rap, I’ll always try and make it melodic, because that’s the stuff that never dies out.” The Nigerian-born, London-raised artist knows her history when it comes to the power of melodies, but her debut EP presents her as the creative, freewheeling future for British Afrobeats and Afroswing. It succeeds one of 2019’s most significant breakthrough tracks, “Gangsta”—released when DARKOO was 18. For some observers, the track's bold sonic approach (androgynous vocals, gender-neutral lyrical love interests, breezy genre-hopping) placed her at the vanguard of a new dawn of fluid British artists comfortable presenting both the masculine and feminine. “I'm still figuring out who I am,” she says. “What I’m into, what the fans will love, and making everything work together. As an artist, you can come in with a look or a sound, but what you’re actually amazing at is something different. So I’m still looking to how I’ll evolve.” Arriving through this prism of duality, her debut is a sampler of all that makes her special. “Drunk Texting” is a standout, drawing on DARKOO's Yoruba heritage for a sharp, percussive ballad, while rap excursions receive support from Tion Wayne, Blanco, and Unknown T. Here, she guides us through a sparkling introduction, track by track.
“Oti Bere” “Even though I was born in Nigeria, I’ve still had to really, really educate myself on where I'm from recently. And I've learned so many things that I’m able to put into the music now. Before the pandemic, I wouldn't have felt comfortable enough to try a song like this. The title is Yoruba and translates to ‘It’s started.’”
“She Like” (feat. Blanco) “Between the guys I mention on this track [‘says she likes F boys, trappers, real-life gangsters’], personally, I prefer the trappers. They’re a bit humbler with it than the fraudsters. F boys are the type to get £100k and spend it, same month. The trappers have the whole business thing going on, at least.”
“Drunk Texting” “I wrote this song last year on my first trip to Malaga. I remember my manager telling me, ‘Whatever you see out there—write it down. You see something you like? Get it down. If you're having a conversation, whatever, just write it.’ So on one night, we’re all drunk. We’re out having a good time, and one of the guys is texting a girl. I wrote that in my notebook: ‘Drunk Texting.’ It’s a good technique, honestly, it really helps. And once you have the topic, and you know where you wanna go, everything else is easy.”
“Pick Up” “This track is very personal. It was written a long time ago in a bit of a rough moment for me. But that’s how it goes—you fall in love and get over it! I want people to know that every single lyric in this song is true to the story; my fans deserve that real honesty from me.”
“Slow Down” (feat. Tion Wayne) “I wasn’t a big fan of this song at first. I was in the studio with [UK producer] iO, and we recorded this one and a bunch of other songs that day. Because we have the same manager, Tion was able to hear the song, and jumped on it. He loved it, so from there, we get into an argument about who should have the song. He’s claiming it’s his now, because I didn’t believe in it! I said, ‘Listen, if you feel this song is good, then I'm keeping it!’ He definitely has a good ear, and has been in the game for a long time—I’ve been listening to Tion since I was in year eight!”
“Interlude” (feat. Gabzy) “This was the final track I made for the EP, a week before it was due for hand-in. At this point, I just felt like it was missing something that the streets, or maybe the real lovers of Afrobeats, would enjoy. If you’re not into this type of UK-style Afrobeats, then you might not know Gabzy, but I had to do something for those that understand.”
“Come Up” (feat. Unknown T) “I kinda grew my confidence on drill after jumping on [Tion Wayne and Russ Millions’] ‘Body’ remix and getting a great reaction to my verse. I was scared at first—it’s a different world—but when I first heard this song, what hooked me was the vocals on it. If I do drill, then it has to at least be something you can feel in a certain way. It has to be something that can touch the heart.”