We had the privilege of catching up with Komel as she steps straight back where she belongs into the music industry. An incredibly talented singer and songwriter based in the heart of East London, known for and catching the attention of the likes of producers such as Timbaland for her creative one minute music “mashups” on social media. With her brand new single being released on the 6thJune, we took this opportunity to catch up with Komel about her life, inspiration for her music and her plans for the future.
A bit about you:
What do you do aside from music?
“So, I am a mum first. I was in the police force for about three and a half years. I left last year because I had so many other things I wanted to do but the way shift work was, you wouldn’t even have time to come home and just sit on the toilet and “let go” because everything was really fast-paced. I wanted to do freelance makeup for a long time and get back into singing because I used to sing years and years ago. Now I’m in social services working with 18-25 year olds. In my spare time, (when I have it), I do try to go gym but then music is my main thing when I’m at home.”
When did you first discover your “voice”?
“I think I first discovered my voice when I was 9 or 10. I joined my school choir and then I went to the Royal Albert Hall. It was so cool and at that point, I just remember thinking I want to be on that stage. My mum got me a diary and I started writing down words and singing my own stuff. One day I wrote a song, probably was gibberish at the time, but it was a lovey song and here I am, 10 years old now and my mum finds the diary and she’s like who is this bloody love letter to?!So that’s when my mum realised I was writing songs but my family had no idea before. I was always flicking between Cartoon Network and MTV.”
When did you first step into the industry?
“I’d always sing and do talent shows in school. These times I was recording on my dad’s chunky computer using his little webcam and you know them little headphones with the microphone? I downloaded a software where you could record your vocals, make an mp3 out of it and distribute it on MSN. Remember the “Wifey Riddim – Tinie Tempah”, I did a “Hubby Riddim”, so cringey. So that got around and I got pulled in from there.”
Main inspiration/role model – both in life and in the industry?
“Generally, my main inspiration is my daughter. She’s probably my biggest fan, she knows all the words to my songs that I haven’t even released yet. Musically, I’d say my biggest inspirations were Spice Girls and Britney Spears growing up, Ashanti, Ja Rule but now I’ve got such a big range, I haven’t got one specific that I look to but around the 2000’s era, that was my main inspiration. Right now, I’m feeling H.E.R.”
Short term and long term goals?
“This year I’m looking to record as many songs as I can but always keeping quality over quantity, do a few music videos, get my interviews done and get more of a social media fan base, build on that and get my name out there. Also, mainly to find myself as an artist because I don’t think I’ve fully found myself in terms of my image. Long term, I want to be doing the Glastonbury, the Wireless, tours. Here’s the thing, I don’t really care about being signed or being independent at this point, as long as I’m getting my name out there. I’m open to everything right now.”
Your background:
Where are you from? Cultural background, race, religion?
“I was born into a Muslim family from Pakistani heritage. I was actually born in Pakistan, my mum brought me over here when I was a year and a half/two years old.”
How does your particular culture impact your music journey? Is it positive or negative?
“If I’m honest, I can’t say at this point because I don’t feel like my culture has had any part to play. It sounds really bad but I don’t think it’s brought anything positively. There’s not many Pakistani singers. I think there’s more negatives than positives in this one unfortunately. My lyrics are an expression of me, there’s words in “How Could You” that I’ve used in the hook that some people have described as quite vulgar but for me, it’s just an expression of exactly what it was, the rawness of the situation and being straight to the point. People outside my culture haven’t given any bad reviews but it’s people within my culture that have been a bit like, oh my God, could you not have used something else? I think you just can’t always worry about what people are going to say. I always knew I wanted to get into music but I was just scared, culturally and the religious element as well but I just had to follow my heart. There were a few battles here and there but people just came to terms with it. There are stigmas attached to it and I was worried about breaking barriers and upsetting my family but being in this country, I’m safeguarded in that sense because back home, there’s all sorts of stories about what’s happened to women coming forward, even just becoming actresses.”
How supportive are your family and friends?
“My siblings, especially my brother, are really supportive. I wouldn’t say my family have really supported it, because they haven’t come to see me perform. My mum’s mum and my daughter are my two biggest fans to be fair. My family support me but indirectly, from a distance – it’s more of a talking-about-it-over-the-dinner-table thing. My mum is proud deep down, she knows I’m putting in work and she’s very supportive when it comes to looking after my daughter if I need to do a studio session or photoshoot. But something is better than nothing and I can understand their reservations with the cultural side of it. It sounds sad but I don’t really have friends, I used to have two very good friends but we don’t speak anymore and it was because of the music thing – they kind of just got drawn out. When I was trying to get my voice out there, people that I’ve never known were asking me to send me their stuff to upload to their page but I was almost having to beg my friends to put my face on their social media. When How Could You came out, they didn’t say a thing so we just drifted apart. Bluey is my best friend really and he supports, pushes and encourages me.”
Your most memorable moment so far?
“Imagine I was in bed, locking off my phone for the night, setting my alarm because I have to drop little one to breakfast club. So my phone lit up and usually I have a habit of putting my phone face down because I don’t like the light disturbing my sleep. That night I had uploaded a video and I see Timbaland likes your post. So I went on to Instagram and I literally couldn’t believe it. When I saw Timbaland with a verified tick and his face, I literally screamed. That was mad, that was the first time he liked it. And then one night I was sitting here at 3am and me and Bluey had just finished a studio session, I’d done a live session on Instagram that evening and again, Timbaland likes my video. Two whole times. So I’ve messaged, emailed him, sent him tracks. I haven’t heard anything back yet but this is the same producer that’s produced for Aaliyah, Missy Elliot, Jay Z and he’s here, liking one Pakistani girl from East London’s videos.”
Biggest setbacks/struggles so far – both in life and the industry?
“My biggest struggle at the moment is trying to balance real life with my daily duties, 9-5 job with music alongside being a mum too. It’s a bit challenging because I’m human, and I get tired and sometimes I just want to sleep and eat a bucket of fried chicken and watch Netflix but I can’t. With music, it’s hard financially because I’m a homeowner and I had to keep my job stable as well as keep my home stable for my daughter before I stepped back into music. My annual leave at work is spent with me working on my music rather than resting so at the moment, I’m investing a lot of time into it. I have an element of guilt with the parenting side of things with my little one when I have to work late.”
Your experience as an Asian woman in the industry?
“Positive would be that you do get the recognition for where you’re from. I have the little flag on my Instagram bio because I think you should be proud of who you are and obviously make it known. I have had aunties and relatives pull me up on it but I’ve had to say they’re not paying my bills or doing anything for me. There is still stigma attached to it but there will come a day, where people won’t be as backwards.”
What pushes you to do what you do?
“My love for music. My love for singing. My love for writing songs. It’s therapeutic, it’s a part of me and it’s embedded so deep inside me. It makes me feel emotional, like I’m going to cry. It’s been there for me when I was younger listening to Lionel Richie, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston in my dad’s car, it’s like it was innate in me but it was almost like it would pluck a string in my heart. Listening to songs at such a young age, I knew I had such a love for music. Nothing could stop me. When it comes from within, you’re more likely to get far because you have that non-stop consistency in your head. You know you have to keep pushing, but when you do it for the money, the glam, the guys or the girls, that’s distorted and it won’t last. When it’s from within, it’s from your heart – different story.”
Who are your biggest supporters?
“My daughter and Bluey. They’re always pushing me and getting onto me. I’m always getting Mummy, when are you going to write the next song? I want to come to the studio with you. I have a studio set up in the next room but she sits in there and watches me record, write, everything. She’s patient and goes through it with me. But yeah, them two are my biggest supporters.”
What inspires you when writing music?
“There’s loads of different things. There’s situations where, obviously when I was friends with certain people – situations they’ve been through, situations I’ve seen and I’ve been through. Everything around me – personal experiences, what could have happened in certain situations. It’s like a story in your head and you think and try and write from that perspective. It’s artistic. You have to think of scenarios – sometimes it comes very naturally. It’s so important to write from the heart because people relate to you because its raw.”
Have you seen changes in your circle throughout your progression? – How?
“I’ve connected with a few people recently but I’m still a bit wary obviously. But there’s genuineness behind it because they’re supportive and they’re pushing and doing all the things that people I classified as “real friends” weren’t doing. There is definitely a big change. The first thing I said to one of my friends, before I knew where any of this was going to go, was look at Stormzy.He’s done bits in the UK scene, his whole team are people he trusts and they’re friends and family. They’re not strangers that have been handpicked for a job. I said I want that for me, I want that trust and support from my friends and in return, hopefully when it pops off, they’ll have that financial security and we’re all a team and we’ve been that team from day one. But when it came to crunch time, it was me doing everything on my own and I needed someone to take the load off me and take a PA role to reach out to people, upload the videos, send out the emails. But it all changed and now my circle is just just me, Bluey and my daughter.”
How has your life changed so far?
“Shows like BoxPark in Shoreditch, making time, my weekends are much busier now than before. People are reaching out and want to do interviews, photoshoots, collabs. There’s more interaction and going to places now. It’s a complete change in routine, my weekends used to be at home to cook, clean, do my laundry and my ironing.”
Komel, thank you for such a deep insight in to your journey so far. We are really looking forward to following your journey and supporting the great things to come.
By Ravan Dhanota