Ok, I know exactly what you’re going to say when you listen to this song. “What the fuck is this? This isn’t even Hip Hop”. Being that it’s on a Hip Hop blog, and not even Hip Hop means that it’s so fucking dope I had not choice but to post it. The last artist to make it out of New Zealand on a large scale is a group called OMC with a record called “How Bizarre”. Other than that, you don’t hear much about the music scene out there. I really believe this will change with Wallace. The soulful songstress collabs with Crooked Letters for “Diaspora”. This song is pretty amazing to say the least. A smooth electric piano and synth pad combination slowly brings in the record, and then the production gets even better with a piano chord progression surrounded by shakers and an off set snare. Wallace distinctive vocals takes over from there and she smoothly sings her soul out. “Digging my roots up, now that I’m older” she almost mournfully sings and the piano and guitar drops out, only leaving her voice and the bassline and percussion section. It’s very rare that you run across a song, and upon first listen you say “Wow”. I’ve said it a million times while listening. This is a record that the world needs to hear.
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About Wallace
New Zealand born future-soul singer Wallace is back with her first offering for 2017, “Diaspora”. A collaboration with Sydney producer and vocalist Crooked Letter, “Diaspora” is created on a beat that samples Nigerian funk. Stemming from an exploration of his parents homeland, Jerry Agbinya aka Crooked Letter delves deep into African inspired sounds as Wallace sings of her own diasporic experience, with her Scottish father living in New Zealand.
“I wanted to highlight the connection that we both feel towards places where we didn’t grow up”, says Wallace on the track. “We bonded over the idea that looking back at our roots gave us a sense of affirmation and appreciation for what makes us who we are“.
“My Granny Gollan has always joked that if my dad was any further away he’d be on his way back. Back being Dundee, Scotland, which he left when he was in his early twenties. So excited to have his beautiful voice make a sneaky cameo on the track.”
Wallace is a refreshing talent, whose music is a mosaic of jazz, blues, hip-hop and soul. Her trademark jazz-influenced, soulful vocal and magnetic presence are a marker of a dynamic artist who vibrantly creates music which showcases her absorbing vocals and clever songwriting.
