Uwade was born in Nigeria but cut her teeth in North Carolina. You may remember hearing her vocals on Fleet Foxes’ 2020 album Shore, or seeing her open for artists including The Strokes, Jamila Woods, Sylvan Esso, and Local Natives.
This was all while she was studying at Columbia and Oxford, but now, she’s launching her music career in earnest with her debut album, Florilegium. The project is set for April 25 and it features Afrobeats-inspired songs like “Harmattan.”
Ahead of the album’s release, Uwade sat down with Uproxx to talk about Latin, Yoruba food, Harry Styles, and more in our latest Q&A.
What are four words you would use to describe your music?
Grounding, gentle, melancholic, energetic.
It’s 2050 and the world hasn’t ended and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?
As a soothing force that inspired a healthy mix of introspection and dancing!
Who’s the person who has most inspired your work, and why?
My dad. He taught me what it means to appreciate the sublime. He would regularly cry when he encountered beautiful things, so from a young age, I sought those moments of transcendence in my own listening and creative exploration.
Where did you eat the best meal of your life and what was it?
Last summer (2024) I had a Yoruba dish called “àbùlà” at a restaurant called Amala/Abula Spot on Okun-Ajah Road in Lagos. Amala + ewedu + gbegiri + stew. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
Tell us about the best concert you’ve ever attended.
When I was in high school I went to a Chance The Rapper concert with a dear friend and my mom. It was a great concert, but what made it the best was that my mom, who is in no way a regular concertgoer, was in the pit with my friend and I just because she didn’t want us to be unaccompanied. Half the time, I was lost in the music, and the other half, I was making sure my mom didn’t get lost in the crowd.
What song never fails to make you emotional?
The Ratatouille main theme by Michael Giacchino.
What’s the last thing you Googled?
“Sequence of tenses in indirect discourse latin”.
Where’s the weirdest place you’ve ever crashed while on tour?
A tour bus. Very cool, of course, but also kind of weird.
What’s your favorite city in the world to perform and what’s the city you hope to perform in for the first time?
I really love Paris, so any time I get to spend there is a blessing. And I want to perform in Lagos someday soon!
What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?
Do the things that feel hard now, it will make your life so much easier later. Also mom is right: If you’re sad or stressed, it’s because you be on that phone!
What’s one of your hidden talents?
I think I’m quite good at giving massages.
If you had a million dollars to donate to charity, what cause would you support and why?
I’d donate to sickle cell disease research in honor of my brother who passed away from the illness.
What are your thoughts about AI and the future of music?
I’m pretty skeptical about the idea of AI taking over the music industry or anything like that. Sure, there will always be people who want to use technology to churn out more stuff and drive up profits, but I think deep down we want to experience each other, rough and real.
You are throwing a music festival. Give us the dream lineup of 5 artists that will perform with you and the location it would be held.
Damon Albarn, Julian Casablancas, Vampire Weekend, Solange, Rema. A beach in Senegal.
15. Who’s your favorite person to follow on social media?
What’s the story behind your first or favorite tattoo?
I don’t have any!
What is your pre-show ritual?
No food so I’m not gassy on stage, little bit of eye makeup if I’m feeling it, and then suddenly get nervous until it’s all over.
Who was your first celebrity crush?
My first deep one that was unfortunately exacerbated by my unrestricted internet access as a 6th grader… Harry Styles.
You have a month off and the resources to take a dream vacation. Where are you going and who is coming with you?
I’ve never been to Jamaica, but I think it would be good for my spirit to visit.
What is your biggest fear?
Well, they say you attract what you fear, so in that case, I’m terrified of 10 million dollars.
Florilegium is out 4/25 via Ehiose Records/Thirty Tigers. Find more information here.
