Singer/songwriter Asa mesmerizes fans in the music video for her latest single, “The Beginning,” the first release from her upcoming fourth studio project and first in 5 years. In the clip, the Paris-born/Lagos-Bred Nigerian artist uses body movements and a male dancer to deliver her message of a broken heart.
Asa’s new LP will arrive in October 2019 via Shanachie Entertainment. “Asa is one of the new generation of ‘world citizen’ singer-songwriters whose beguiling voice melds a wide array of influences into a moving, intimate expression,” states Randall Grass states, Shanachie General Manager and A&R Head.
Born Bukola Elemide, Asa was born in Paris to Nigerian parents, who took her back to Lagos, Nigeria at an early age where she was raised and attended boarding school. “I have lived most of my life in Lagos,” says Asa. “It is a throbbing city that never seems to cool down. You have to be street smart to survive there.” Asa’s father was a music enthusiast and she was introduced to various music through his record collection. “My father had a large library of vinyl from soul music to funk, Afrobeat, highlife, Apala you name it; we had it all. All these formed the foundation of my songwriting.”
At 19, Asa returned to Paris where she was able to artistically explore her roots as both a Parisian and Nigerian. “It was like being a room with its walls splashed in different vibrant colors with no end to it,” she shares. “That was how I viewed the art scene in Paris. Here art is infinite, it’s a lot of freedom I could allow myself to think globally while I remain close to my roots my authentic self.” Lucid is Asa’s most personal and revealing recording yet. “There’s been a lot of growth,” reflects Asa. “You can hear it through the records. I see the world differently now. In the beginning, I was a little naïve, wanting to be a savior. Now I am more understanding and patient with the world. This has made me introspective, looking from the inside out; it’s more personal.” The songs were born out of her own personal experiences as well as some of her friends journeys and the lessons they have shared with one another. “I hope the songs are as healing for others as they have been for me,” says Asa.
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