Sound of the City: Vancouver-based singer-songwriter Turunesh takes a free-form approach to neo soul
With roots in Tanzania and Ethiopia, the artist is feeling excited by pandemic-induced uncertainty
SOUND OF THE CITY is a series created in partnership by the City of Vancouver and Stir that showcases Vancouver’s diverse music scene, highlighting BIPOC and underrepresented artists and acts. Each edition features a Q&A and a Sound of the City playlist curated by the artist that features some of their favourite local musicians.
Turunesh
VANCOUVER-BASED TURUNESH was just 14 years old when she combined her love for singing and writing poetry. With roots in Tanzania and Ethiopia, she would release original songs on Soundcloud and selectively share links with a small circle of friends, going on to become a pioneer of Tanzania’s alternative-arts scene. A feminist, the Pan-African emerging artist is known for her fluid and free-form approach to neo soul and R&B.
Her latest release, Satin Cassette, is full of songs that she says are like “letters that my spirit and mind wrote to one another to bring painful and beautiful things to light...a multitude of worlds, a galaxy...stitched together in the form of a cassette...my cosmos.”
Read what’s on Turunesh’s mind these days and listen to her Sound of the City playlist. below.
Devours’ Playlist
1. Down to Mars, “The Loneliest Number”
2. Free Nationals, “Eternal Light (feat. Chronixx)”
3. Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, Kamasi Washington, “Freeze Tag”
4. Khruangbin, “Summer Madness”
5. Terrace Martin, “Beige”
6. Tay Iwar, “Peaking”
7. Jozzy, “Pleasantville”
8. Baby Bash, Frankie J, “Suga Suga”
9. Yinka Bernie, “Oomph”
10. Makadi, Jonny Tobin, “TNGRNE”
11. TRS, Mr. Stee, “vertigo”
12. Teon Gibbs, “Off My Mind”
13. Mauvey, “9”
14. Prado, “Likeline”
15. Teon Gibbs, IAMTHELIVING, “Between the Groove”
16. Turunesh, “Rum & Butter”
How are you feeling about life right now?
I feel great, a lot is uncertain which typically would make me anxious, however I now find myself being thrilled by the unknown, I see a world of positive possibilities. I'm at a point in my life where I am obsessed with my work and the labour is rewarding.
How has the pandemic affected your work?
I love performing live, and the pandemic took that away from me, but the time away from the stage allowed me to have more time behind the record and conceptualize my album, Satin Cassette.
What are you working on right now? Do you have any plans or projects lined up for the rest of 2021?
I’m not at liberty to speak on this at the moment, but something amazing is indeed on the way.
Where are you finding solace and comfort?
I'm finding peace through my relationships, I have such incredible friends. They've held me through a very difficult time I had to endure, I'm still enduring it, and they continue to hold me.
What are you most looking forward to once the pandemic passes?
I'm looking forward to performing live again—and I'm looking forward to going to a big concert/festival. What I'm really looking forward to is smaller & intimate indoor shows. Those are my favourite to perform at, and I can't wait to do that again.
What song or album has been in your heavy rotation recently and why?
I’ve been listening to Erykah Badu's song “Hello” off her mixtape But You Caint Use My Phone. The lyrics that keep bringing me back to the track are: "It's important to me that you know you are free, don't change". I think that's such a beautiful thing to hear from someone you love, it's almost more powerful than ‘I love you.’
Can you give a shoutout to one of your favourite Vancouver musicians or artists? What about them inspires you?
I'd like to shout out Prado Monroe. I'm inspired by her talent, fearlessness, and her ambition. She's remarkable.
What would you like to see change in Vancouver?
I'd love to see the music infrastructure develop. We need more live music lounges and speakeasies, we need more soul and vibrancy, most importantly we need more colour and representation.
Who is your dream collaborator?
My dream collaborator is Erykah Badu. I learn so much about music from her everyday. It would mean the world to me and more if we sat down in the studio and made a song together.
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