How we stan a diverse queen, and Tanzanian-American artist kezia is proving herself a whole mélange of influences. Citing artists as varied as My Chemical Romance and Fela Kuti, the Bay Area native changes tack with new single “south!”, switching the hazy guitar and infatuation of previous outing “megan fox” for chunky beats and unbridled lust.
Teaming up with rising British-Indian rapper NAYANA IZ, “south!”, too, conjures a lucid atmosphere with its densely doused production, clear keys cutting through reverberating bass like a blade through dough. Between the two, both kezia and NAYANA IZ celebrate self-empowerment - whether that be in one’s own liberated sexuality or the confidence in which they live their life.
“‘south!’ That’s my dicksucking anthem! In a world where black women are uninvitedly sexualised, we need to take ownership of feeling strong and cemented in our sexuality,” explains kezia of the message behind the track. “‘south!’ is about liberty. It’s also about consent! ‘will you walk into the fire, or will you walk out of my life, yuh’ meaning u can choose the purifying flame of my love or you can continue to live in darkness without me.
“NAYANA’s verse adds another layer of storytelling to the overall plot,” she continues. “Effortless and blasé, her message conveys the strength of being in one’s personal power, an opulence radiating from within. She’s also dope and her delivery is sexy. I wanted a strong woman to emphasize the sexual energy of this track. She did just that.”
