I Am Fya is an experimental artist from Manchester, based in Brighton, UK. Her music brings together low-end textures with collaged field recordings, referencing sound system culture and notions of belonging, through lyrical narratives delivered in her febrile vocal style.
Her recent work features field recordings of nature and environmental sounds, human interactions and eavesdropped conversations that were all documented over years of family visits to the island of Barbados. The most recent recordings were made during the recent waves of the coronavirus pandemic. The artist travelled to Barbados intending to care for her elderly parents for a few weeks as they were in and out of hospital due to illness. The weeks turned into months due to ever changing travel restrictions and lockdowns.
From this collection of sounds, the album, Homeland was created. It focuses on identity, culture and spiritual connections to land and ancestors. The beeps and bustle of a hospital waiting room, birdsong, crickets, and the rattle of farm machinery is intertwined with the voice of a grandmother giving advice, a mother singing her favourite country song and conversations with a spirited child. The spaced-out dub basslines and vocal harmonies soaked in heavy reverb co-exist with rhythmic, looped percussive instrumentation. All of this makes an emotional experience that captivates and transports us to the humidity of the Caribbean.
Homeland is a concept album and performance piece that centres family, love, culture and belonging. Featuring field recordings of nature and environmental sounds, human interactions and eavesdropped conversations that were all documented over years of family visits to the island of Barbados. Creating an uplifting and emotional experience that captivates and transports us to another world.
She will be developing part of live show for her concept album ‘Homelands’ and doing an intimate sharing of her work in progress at The Rose Hill on 16th June.