Demae picks eight empowering soul music tracks

Demae has crafted one of the nest neo soul records of 2020 in 'Life Works Out... Usually'.

It's out via the ever excellent label-party-radio show and burgeoning South London institution Touching Bass. If the low-slung grooves and sheer warmth of the EP didn't have your interest peaked, then surely the Touching Bass seal of approval will.

An uncanny mantra for the past 12 months, 'Life Works Out... Usually' features a bevvy of London musicians such as Fatima, Joe Armon-Jones, Ego Ella May and Nala Sinephro, with the sleeve art featuring the photography of Nwaka Okparaeke.

The whole package is beautiful and uplifting and sees Demae joining the great canon of soul music.

To celebrate, she's picked eight of her favourite empowering soul tunes. Check them below and get stoked for her forthcoming live stream on Bandcamp.

"I don't ever wanna feel that again" — the power of repetition and affirming what you want. Sometimes that's all that needs to be said and this song does just that. Love it!

This is a badman beat. No lyrics, but the production speaks for itself. There's something about the rhythm and that distinctive cowbell. I like to throw air punches to that cowbell. It makes me feel like I'm knocking down all the bad stuff with every hit. Ha!

KeyiaA's album Forever, Ya Girl is one that I have played almost every day since the day it dropped. Self-produced, I love how unapologetic the lyrics are. Keiyaa definitely tells it like it is.

"To love the sun we must know rain" is one of those quotes I've held on to ever since I first heard this song. I love Georgia. She's definitely one of my favourite songwriters. This song reminds me to remain grateful for life.

Whoop! Every time I hear this song I just wanna get out of my seat and scream all of the lyrics out. I adore the production too. The track teleports me to the middle of the canyon driving with nowhere to go, wind blowing through my 'fro.

This is one of those songs I wish I wrote. I can put this song on at any time and it always gives me the same uplifting feeling. It's quite humbling to know that even though we may walk different paths, we all make the world go round.

I absolutely love this track. I'm transported to somewhere tropical as soon as that bassline comes in during the first few seconds. Even though the song is about cats meowing, it has never felt so powerful haha.

This track is one of my favourites off the EP 'Life Works out... usually'. It’s all about self-empowerment and remembering how powerful we are as a people. Writing this song brought me out the negative and really uplifted my spirits.

Demae performs songs from her debut EP 'Life Works Out...Usually' via Bandcamp Live Stream on December 17 — tickets can be found here