A set of futuristic R&B with sci-fi visuals from Alpha Rats.
For the latest in our series of live sessions filmed at 180 The Strand, we invited multidisciplinary artist GLOR1A to showcase her futuristic take on pop and R&B songwriting, featuring a visual environment developed with Japanese video game designer Alpha Rats and styling by Neesha Tulsi Champaneria.
GLOR1A’s set features music from all her releases to date, which have been issued via GAIKA’s label, The Spectacular Empire. GLOR1A has worked with a range of producers on her music, including FDM artist Epic B, club and R&B producers AART (GAIKA, Murkage Dave) and Hezen, an experimental female R&B producer based in London.
“This set was fun to pull together, I usually plan it how I’m feeling in that time,” GLOR1A says. “As my music is developing, so is what I want to say and how I say it.”
“I love ‘U Up?’, I wrote it two years ago and it’s funny as that song has a lot of multilayers,” she continues. “It explores f***ery at all levels, you could say it’s about a lover, or it could be applied to politics and people holding power across the world right now. I also wanted to slide my new track ‘Juice’ in there – it’s more of a sensual R&B track, exploring the sensation of touch in a time of distance. I’ve included a new song from my new EP also, ‘Cracked Out Dreams’.”
GLOR1A’s performance is augmented by SWARM, the visual environment created by Alpha Rats. GLOR1A came across her work through Zaiba Jabber, a leader in the digital art curation space who runs femme-focused digital art platform Hervisions. “Alpha is an absolute G,” GLOR1A says. They create all of the intricate parts in the world and we have been collaborating since May to build SWARM, which is the new stage show for 2021. This is its first prototype and there are lots of exciting things coming through as it continues to define itself.”
As well as creating her own art, GLOR1A is part of Nine Nights, a Black-owned music TV business that focuses on creating intricate live streams of alternative Black art that she curates with GAIKA, Shannen SP and Zara Truss-Giles. “We started it with the death of George Floyd – we knew that something physical had to be done to build an ecosystem and space for our expression,” GLOR1A says.
“I came up with the idea of live broadcasts and with GAIKA, Shannen and Zara’s help, we crafted what Nine Nights is today. I’m the business director, and I’ll be focusing on how we deliver NN in 2021. There is lots of interesting community-focused plans so watch this space.”
GLOR1A’s latest release, ‘Juice’, is available now. The single is taken from her upcoming second EP, Drone, which follows last year’s debut EP, Testify.
Watch next: Fact Live: Ash Koosha Presents HALLUCiNATO
