Quick-fire Questions: 10 minutes with Uma
It’s not very often that an artist emerges on the scene with an accomplished and fully-fledged approach, immediately setting themselves up for a fruitful future. Yet, Uma certainly has that. On her latest EP, Luther, released on September 20th via Slow Dance Recordings, she crafts a collection of six tracks that blend R&B, trip-hop, electronica, and other forms that envelop with cinematic splendour, pushing her approach forward from previous releases. Within seconds, the listener is fully immersed until the last notes ring out.
Luther is a profoundly sensory record, constituted of Uma’s warm vocals, unrestrained lyrics, hypnotic basslines, narcotic grooves, and crisp production, and every element works in tandem. It’s one of those rare records that has genuine substance to it, and with each listen, you find something new that enraptures, a sign of genuine songwriting nous.
“Luther is all about romance. The romance of losing something and finding yourself,” the songwriter explains of this latest collection. “Based on a romcom fairytale, each track explores the different stages of romance: infatuation, the first fight, forgiveness, understanding, lust and finally the happy ending”.
For Luther, Uma, who is Catalonia-born and based – with an English mother and Thai father – and has spent much of her life traversing land borders as she travelled the world with her parents, aptly sought to “free” herself of the boundaries of genre.“If you’re gonna do something that’s creative and unpredictable and has no financial security, then you might as well enjoy it,” she maintained.
Raised in an artistic environment, with her mother running an international women’s performance art festival, naturally, creativity courses throughout everything Uma does. Adding another significant and refreshing element to her praxis is that collaboration and community are two things she holds dear. Inspired by the creative hub that she grew up in, she runs the artistic sanctuary Can Obert – ‘Open House’ in English – in the Catalonian home her mother bought years ago, which has seen the likes of Puma Blue, Nilüfer Yanya, and Rosie Lowe stay and contribute to the milieu. She even contributed to the latter’s new album, Lover, Other.
With Luther brilliantly building on Uma’s previous releases, there was no better time to get to know the artist more. She answered our quick-fire questions and offered insight into her music, loves and hates. There’s even a mention of a group meditation session with Richard Gere.
Quick-fire Questions with Uma:
1. What song would you want played at your funeral?
“‘L’Etang’ by Blossom Dearie.”
2. Is there one genre of music style you haven’t tackled yet but would like to?
“Mor Lam.”
3. Have you ever cried at a concert?
“Yes.”
4. Who the fuck is Mark E. Smith?
“Who the fuck knows. (I did end up Googling this, and it turns out he’s a post-punk legend – you learn something new every day).”
5. What was the first song you remember loving?
“Avril Lavigne – ‘Sk8ter Boi’.”
6. You’ve been asked to create a soundtrack for the forthcoming movie adaptation of a book; which book would you like it to be?
“Our Wives Under The Sea by Julia Armfield.”
7. When are you at your most creative?
“Early in the morning with a cup of coffee or late at night when you’re so tired you don’t feel tired anymore.”
8. What classic record do you think is wildly overrated?
“Mozart’s Requiem.”
9. If you could only pick one, who would you say your ultimate music icon is?
“Sade.”
10. Have you ever had a weird celebrity encounter?
“When I was six, I led a group meditation session with Richard Gere.”
11. What’s your most controversial cultural opinion?
“Cookie journalism is out.”
12. What has been your favourite album of 2024?
“Ravyn Lenae’s Birds Eye or Lover, Other by Rosie Lowe. Also, not out yet but will be, and it is amazing is What You Do Alone by Salpa. I was lucky enough to do some writing on it, and I’m very excited for it to be out in the world.”
13. One meal you had in a foreign location that you still crave again?
“The most incredible arros I had in Menorca last year.”
14. What venue would you love to play?
“Somerset House.”
15. Are The Beatles overrated?
“No.”
