The last few years have seen Kali Uchis setting the stage nicely for incipient stardom, but with Grammy nominations, slots at Coachella and a support tour with Lana Del Rey – not to mention a much-anticipated debut album – it is becoming abundantly clear that 2018 is hers for the taking.
Taken from that forthcoming LP, “After the Storm” is a slinky, twinkling diamond of a song, urging the listener to stay strong and hold fast even as things start to crumble and fade. “We can find solace in the fact that we have to go through the bad stuff to truly get to the good,” says Uchis of the track. “Just because you’re losing at the moment doesn’t mean you’ve lost yet. The storm may be scary now but it’s how your flowers bloom later, and paradise is just beyond the rainbow.”
“After the Storm” also features guest vocals from funk legend Bootsy Collins and longtime collaborator Tyler The Creator. Uchis and Collins originally connected on Twitter after Uchis mentioned him as a dream collaborator in an interview and Collins got in touch to return the admiration. Soon after, she travelled to his Ohio studio where they spent several days recording. Tyler became a firm supporter off the back of her very first mixtape, “Drunken Babble”, which Uchis pulled together by herself in under 48 hours back in 2012. There is also additional production from BADBADNOTGOOD.
“After The Storm” is just the latest missive from Kali Uchis, who had a massive year in 2017 – she had her first sold out headline US tour, collaborated and shared stages with the likes of Gorillaz, Diplo, Jorja Smith, Miguel and more, and even garnered her two Grammy nominations – for “Get You”, her track with Daniel Caesar, and “El Ratico”, her track with Juanes. This is only the beginning.
Catch Kali Uchis in action when she headlines Brixton Electric in March.
Photo credit: Felipe Q Nogueira