Uwade on Her Debut Album 'Florilegium', Academic Pursuits, and Musical Influences

Debut Album 'Florilegium'

• 🌸 The debut album by Nigerian American artist Uwade is titled 'Florilegium', a word derived from Latin and found in Ovid's 'Metamorphosis'.
• 🎶 The album's creation was a stop-and-start process over two years, with recording sessions in late 2022 and completed in early 2024.
• 💡 Uwade aimed to 'beef up the production and the styles' on this album to showcase the range and potential futures of her artistry.

Musical Journey and Influences

• 💔 The song 'Call It a Draw' was written in late 2023 following a long-term relationship heartbreak, serving as a therapeutic outlet.
• 🎸 Growing up in North Carolina, Uwade was influenced by folk and country music, which she feels is present in her guitar work and overall sound.
• 🚀 The opportunity to perform on the Fleet Foxes album in 2020 was a pivotal moment, leading to management, a team, and touring opportunities.

Academic Pursuits and Classics

• 🎓 Uwade is currently pursuing a PhD at Stanford University, having previously studied classics at Columbia and Oxford.
• 🏛️ Her interest in classics was sparked by an emotional connection to ancient texts, realizing the timelessness of human emotions across millennia.
• 🌍 She is exploring the relationship between literature and enslavement in the ancient world, focusing on writings by formerly enslaved individuals.

Artistic Evolution and Themes

• 💡 The song 'Do You See the Light Around Me?' marks a transition in her music, featuring a more electronically produced sound with drums, which her mother affectionately calls a 'hot song'.
• 🌍 Uwade addresses the Eurocentric perception of classics, highlighting the significant contributions of North Africa to the Roman Empire and challenging the narrow view of the discipline.
• 🌾 The track 'Harmaton' is inspired by the Harmattan season affecting West Africa, reflecting themes of change and resilience.