Mawule

Photo by Xavier Hadley

Music is in His Soul

When did you first get into music?

I was born and raised in Ghana and music was always an integral part of my family. Growing up around the church, the gospel roots served as a stem to my being, so I always found myself singing music frequently. It wasn’t till the age of 13 when I decided to pursue a path in music. Since then opportunities have landed in my lap, one after the other and I have never looked back.

Who or What inspired you to pursue a career in music?

Life circumstances and experiences inspired me to pursue a career in music. I always found myself at a very young age gravitating to music that gave me hope. From that, I found myself writing music to make meaning of my own life as I navigate the realities of the world.

How would you describe the music that you create?

I would describe my music as a reflection of my passion for the human connection and a source of both comfort and empowerment for others. I am inspired by what is real about life, relationships, social justice, diversity, trust, love, doubts, and abuse, which I done in a cloak of deep lyrics and catchy rhythms.

How has your music evolved since you first began playing music?

When I started the business, I wanted to prove that I was an artist/songwriter that could write to any genre.The flavors of different sounds and genres can be noticed with a quick listen to my “Reflections” EP and “Chosen” album . As my understanding of my artistry has developed, I believe I have found my voice and sound in R&B/Souls and the acoustic singer songwriter lanes and I plan on driving down that road in the years to come.

If you were forced to choose only one, which emotion, more than any other drives you to stay in this tough business? Is it joy, anger, desire, passion or pride and why?

Love would be the emotion. I love the music I get to write, the canvases I get to shade with my lyrics, and the beauty within the artistic creative process of music. The love for the work from start to finish and the people that come along for the ride and/or jump on board on the journey makes it all fun.

Which ingredient do you think makes you special and unique as a performing artist in a genre overflowing with new faces and ideas?

My grind, I’ve been able to get this far not knowing how to read or write music from the theory aspect. Everything has been self-taught from a very young age and I now understand all aspects of the business with my knowledge growing day by day. I see the future and vision. I am determined to paint it.

What has been your biggest challenge as a musician/singer-songwriter? Have you been able to overcome that challenge? If so, how?

Investing in myself. There’s only so much you can do especially when you feel like no one out there is throwing you a bone to nourish you for the next journey ahead. I’ve overcome that by identifying all the resources at my disposal like LinkedIn and leveraging my network there to fill in knowledge gaps to keep my fire burning for success.

A common phrase in the industry is, “you must suffer for your art”. Do you agree with this statement? If so, how have you suffered for your art?

Yes, self-investment can lead one toward a road of many internalizations that can break you down, especially when you don’t see the fruits of your labor. But within that, pivoting upon learning new things along the journey will always lead to the construction of new pathways. So, the process of building a career is a path of suffrage because nothing comes easy, but you must always find ways to take the exits that leads you to new opportunities.

How do you feel the Internet has impacted the music business?

The internet has created many channels for people to get discovered. So, the smart thing for every artist to do is to learn how the algorithms work on all social media platforms and tap into them.

If you could change anything about the music industry, what would it be?

There are lots of great artists and music that go unheard so I would want a system for good talent to be recognized. I would also want better inclusion and recognition of musicians of color within the industry and the academy.

What are the 5 albums that have helped make you the person you are today and why?

To be honest I only have 1 album and that is John Legend - Once Again. That whole entire album was filled with great messages and it’s the only album that matched my vocal ability perfectly and a project I rocked with at every stage of my life.

Photo by Luke Gottlieb

Tell us about your current project.

Currently, I have a bunch of collaborative EP projects with local musicians and bands including Gydnce, Codakolar, Britney Jane, Eman, Glenn Sawyer, and Sombo Music. So, i’m sitting on a lot of new music and will resume all these projects when things return back to normal after COVID-19.

What’s next for you?

I see my future more on the business side of the industry. I have big plans of running Mawule Music Group as music company dedicated to supporting other artists with their goals and dreams.

How can fans-to-be gain access to your music?

www.mawule.com and all social media site using the handle: @musicmawule

Photo by Xavier Hadley

Photo by Xavier Hadley