Label: Interscope Records
Released: June 2021
Mereba’s artistry pulls from her life experience. She developed an interest in music at a young age, eventually learning to play the piano and guitar. Growing up, she moved frequently and used songwriting to express her feelings of being an outsider. She would later find a community at Spelman College, the historically Black women’s college in Atlanta which gave her the comfort and space to find herself.
After graduating, she slowly gained traction in Atlanta’s indie R&B scene with EP’s like ‘Kotton House, Vol. 1’ but she drew a national following and indeed my attention, with her 2018 single ‘Black Truck’. Within 9th Wonder’s stellar production, which merges the percussion of Hip-Hop with melodies of Electro-Funk, is Mereba’s authentic lyrical approach.
“Stay sick cause I follow my gut, they say I was pushing my luck”
Her latest EP, AZEB, strikes a balance between the soulful and the personal through a combination of R&B, Hip-Hop, and Folk. It deftly showcases Mereba’s continued growth as a songwriter. The project draws attention to the collective struggle we have faced the past year whilst ‘Another Kin’ demands answers as to why Black bodies are dying in the fight for racial justice. Mereba thrives through presenting things as they are.
“Wired, it's futile, I don’t have much to say”
Yet AZEB delights because it doesn’t dwell solely in the fight. Mereba presents the totality of the Black experience by giving equal breath to the importance of love. The lead single ‘Rider’ speaks on how love can be our best weapon against a discriminatory world. As a Black man, it is easy to understand this battle between good and evil. While we face obstacles unlike any other, we are not a people of just struggle. Despite the odds, we managed to build communities, families, and bonds that make us whole. Mereba is keenly aware of this, showcasing how we are our most empowered and beautiful when together.