With her soulful sound and powerful message, the newcomer is one to watch.
Rising R&B Star Saleka on Her Inspiring New Video and the Power of Expression
The average music video in 2021 is an explosion of bright colors, outfit changes, and provocative imagery. The glut of “in your face” clips makes sense, given the attention that artists compete for online, but it as a result, a less-is-more approach can stand out even more. The soulful music video for ‘Grafitti’ keeps things simple, focusing on a girl, her piano, and a one-of-a-kind voice. The young woman in question is Saleka, the 24-year-old singer-songwriter from Philadelphia whose experimental R&B sound calls to mind the Neo-soul movement of the late ’90s. A classical pianist since childhood, Saleka has been immersed in music for most of her life. Initially anxious about sharing her talents with an audience, performance has become a vital part of her self expression. “As I got older, it became a more personal connection,” she shared via email. “I would find myself enthralled by the emotion of a certain chord progression or melody.”
The daughter of The Sixth Sense and Split auteur, M. Night Shyamalan and psychologist, Bhavna Vaswani, Saleka grew up in a family where all forms of expression were valued. “My sisters and I grew up on film sets, witnessing all different types of art be created,” she says. “We were raised with a profound respect for art and creativity and were constantly aware of the intense discipline and passion it would require.”
This story originally appeared on: Vogue - Author:Janelle Okwodu
