Meet: Elsy Wameyo - Nilotic EP

After blowing us away last month with her single River Nile, Elsy Wameyo has now made a statement with the release of her impressive & diverse, self-produced debut EP Nilotic.

Self-taught in production, while the EP can be broadly painted with the hip-hop brush, Wameyo’s compositions go far deeper, drawing on influences from jazz, EDM and r&b, while also touching on modern trap stylings with a twist, restulting in an addictive listeen from start to finish.

A truly exciting debut collection that’s as powerful as the artist behind it, we caught up with Wameyo to find out a little bit more about both her and Nilotic - get to know!

Tell us about yourself? 

I am a young Nilot G living down under with a passion for music. My day to day is usually filled with a lot of brainstorming (ideas for new music), dreaming, catching up with friends, hosting dinners and baking cakes. I also like to Dj and skate in my spare time.

When and why did you start making music?

I started writing, recording and performing music in 2018. It has always lived within my soul, I just discovered it during that time and continued falling in love with it ever since. Singing and performing makes me happy and after realising I could inspire other people through my music, I began to use it as a source of healing and joy for others.

I also feel obligated as the prophet that I am to speak on the important topics we face as a nation. There is so much that happens out there but no one ever says anything. Sometimes they’ll sugar coat it or dramatise it. So I feel as an artist, it’s my job to reflect truly what people are saying, seeing, feeling and experiencing and stand in a gap others refuse to stand in.  

Tell us about your creative process? 

I always begin by experiencing life. I visit new places, talk to different people and try to watch, listen and do new things. From here I take my experiences and write and create from the emotions it all made me feel. My music is just a byproduct of the world through my lens. 

I also have a notes page on my phone where I write down certain words, phrases or quotes that I hear people say. I usually keep these handy to help inspire me. Everything else out of this is just organic. There’s no real method nor a special day. I allow my heart, mind and soul to create what it needs and when it needs. 

Tell us about your new EP Nilotic? 

My EP is called ‘Nilotic’. I produced the tracks in my bedroom during the pandemic. Everything was super raw because I barely had anything with me. I found samples of Maasai chants online and chopped pieces to create the sounds that I liked. I used the low E string on the guitar to play the bass lines then the high E string to play my guitar lines.

I then layered other sounds from the instruments that Ableton has. Surprisingly, I produced the Nilotic EP on Ableton Live trial. The project was true to how I usually create music. Nothing was technical at all, simplicity was key and I simply enjoyed the process of creating music. 

How can fans best support your music?

By streaming my music and watching my videos on youtube. Always leave a comment and share with your mum, dad and siblings. If you’re an only child, share it with your friends! The golden ticket will be coming to see a live show.   

What's coming up for the rest of the year? 

I’m currently planning a tour for my upcoming EP Nilotic. I’m keen to bring the tracks to life and enjoy playing it live with the people. I’m also on the verge of starting to create, write and produce the next project. Because of this, I'm trying to travel, meet new people and experience new things so I can be inspired when I lock down to create. 

Who have you been listening to lately?

I haven’t been listening to anyone specifically. A little bit of everything as always. It ranges from Amapiano to Hip-Hop to Gospel. Some favourites include ‘Point and Kill’ by  Little Simz, ‘Vula Mlolo’ by Musa Keys and ‘Lindala’ by Fiston Mbuyi.

Elsy Wameyo’s new EP Nilotic is out now via Music in Exile

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