In the new video “What is love,” from his upcoming EP Rose Hertz, the Nigerian-born British artist questions the idea of love through the prism of familial roles for Nigerian women.
“Women can do all work men do. There’s no job a woman cannot do. But men cannot necessarily do all the work women do. Nowadays women work the most.” The message is clear. Caleb Kunle’s title highlights the strength and courage of Nigerian women through his collaboration with Ennovate Dance House and the Oworoshoki community in collecting testimonies and converting words into movements. This artistic performance gradually takes the form of a field investigation into what love means to these women facing ongoing daily challenges.
Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Caleb moved to the Irish countryside at the age of 8, where the wild landscapes and traditional music of the region helped him find his warm and pop-inflected musical style. This journey of self-discovery led him to draw inspiration from old soul legends such as Sam Cooke and Nina Simone, as well as the energy of Fela Kuti and Angelique Kidjo, all wrapped in modern production. During his formative years he trained with the local choir and learned to play guitar, before releasing his first mixtape entitled When I was 17. A move to London soon followed, where he won the Thatchers Haze x NME award for ‘Emerging Artist of the Year 2017,’ which led to the release of his first EP Eden.
For his latest release, Rose Hertz, Caleb’s music undulates towards an airy and sensitive atmosphere, where solid yet unattached voices intermingle with melodies. The artist dissects love in all its forms and probes the human soul for answers, becoming the spokesman for an introspective era.
Rose Hertz EP will be released on October 23.
Listen to Caleb Kunle in our playlist Songs of the Week on Spotify and Deezer.
