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Live Review: Wafia explores her own vulnerabilities on 'Only Love'

20 December 2017 | 8:26 am | Holly O'Neill

On her third single from her upcoming EP VIII, WAFIA draws from raw personal experience to translate it into her own brand of heartstring tugging RnB

WAFIA is set for big big things. Sure, her stripped back RnB-electronica has put her on the Australian music radar for some time now, but her long awaited EP VIII and upcoming American tour is set to capture the international spotlight. Her most recent singles have marked a change of pace for the artist, and 'Only Love' is her most recent offering showcasing polished production and vulnerable lyricism.

Backed with a downtempo RnB beat, Wafia sings her train of thought, exploring feelings of same sex attraction the only way she knows how. Her delivery is earnest as she explains herself and commanding in the choruses, showcasing bravery in the face of potential heartbreak.

The track builds off a warped chord progression, with layers of marimbas, bells and guitars creating a lush soundscape that perfectly accompanies the vocals. Skittering percussion syncopate in the off beats of the melody, pulling along the mellow half time beat. On this track she's linked up with some big names in the production world, HazeBanga and Rogét Chahayed who between them have worked with big names like Kendrick Lamar, M.I.A and both Knowles sisters.

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From what we've heard of VIII, this upcoming release features a bold honesty in the lyricism and delivery and a more commercial RnB sound. Like on 'Only Love' a lot of this record will no doubt draw from raw personal experience to then be translated into Wafia's own brand of heartstring tugging RnB, that's bound to be featured in many a Spotify playlist.

'Only Love' is now available across all good streaming services here and Wafia's new EP VIII is available for preorder for release on January 19th through Future Classic. She'll be starting off 2018 with a bang playing Sydney's Field Day, before launching into her American tour.

Photo by Yaseea Moosa

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