London artist Amahla has unveiled her new single ‘Sticky’.
Raised in Hackney to a large Guyanese-Jamaican family, Amahla grew up on a smorgasbord of sounds; Motown, ’60s Reggae, and British Soul. But it’s perhaps jazz that has left the most indelible mark on her repertoire, informing new track ‘Sticky’ – Amahla’s first release of the year.
The song, which explores the push and pull of a fateful relationship, was created in the wake of Amahla discovering her love of Latin dance. Guided by her jazz training and the lissom, lyrical feel of salsa, ‘Sticky’ sees Amahla tap into a more languid, sensory sound.
Explaining how movement informed the track’s conception, Amahla shares:
“Sticky is the first song WAVSDNTDIE and I wrote together. When WAVSDNTDIE played me his idea, unknowingly he’d been building this world that I already loved. As soon as I heard the bassline, I knew it was iconic. For the first time I could feel how the instruments connected to my body. I must have written ten different versions trying to make my lyrics feel as effortless as the instrumentation. I wanted every line to feel irresistible. My melodies are inspired by jazz scatting, so they’re playful too, just like the spirit of the song.”
Amahla emerged with her debut project ‘Consider This’ in 2019, culminating in three sold out headline shows that same year. She’s been the recipient of funding from The MOBO Awards, Help Musicians and the PRS Foundation, and made appearances at The Great Escape, Cheltenham Jazz Festival, Wilderness Festival, The Jazz Cafe, and The Royal Albert Hall.
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