Hemai

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Dotun Bolaji

Hotly tipped 23-year-old producer and multi-instrumentalist Hemai sonically melds soul and jazz with an electronic tinge. Born and bred in the UK’s second capital Birmingham, Hemai grew up around jazz culture, music and live musicians, taking influence from the likes of Herbie Hancock, The Gilberto’s and D’Angelo to modern day acts like Zero7 and Corinne Bailey Rae. Receiving upfront support from Gilles Peterson on his debut 2019 EP “Eyes Closed”, it was closely followed by Hemai’s official remix of Oscar Jerome’s “Gravitate” and being titled one to watch by BBC Introducing’s Jaguar on her Hot List 2020.

Dropping his debut album ‘Strange Beauty’ on Tru Thoughts in 2021, Hemai entered Jazz Electronic Scene in the UK and far beyond. With a collection of stories of the love, spirit and balance of the universe, Hemai experiments with the idea of movement and the present, bringing together some of his favourite sounds from around the world and melding them with his UK roots on his debut album. Strange Beauty got support from the likes of Lauren Laverne (BBC 6Music), Jack Saunders (BBC Radio 1), Jamz Supernova (BBC 1Xtra), Tony Minvielle and China Moses (Jazz FM), Papaoul (Worldwide FM), EARMILK, Stereofox and Clash Magazine as the producer and instrumentalist Hemai cements his place in the thriving UK jazz and electronic scene.

In 2021, he played at the BCC Introducing Latitude Festival and in 2022 at Mostly Jazz, where he showcased his musical prowess to a wider audience. Hemai also has a monthly residency at Hootanannay Brixton, where he hosts the High Times Jam, a must-see event for music lovers. He co-headlined The Lower Third in Soho with Pretend Live, wowing the crowd with his captivating performance. Hemai's EP, Leisure Trip, was released on December 14th, featuring the standout track Love Theme for Leisure Trip, which was released via Collage Music/Well Overdue. With his unique style and impressive musical talent, Hemai is sure to continue making an impact in the music world.

“Fretless bass and splashy synths... Don’t mind if I do!” – Lauren Laverne (BBC 6Music) “This is something special. It’s like Jazz from Mars” – Jack Saunders (BBC Radio 1) “Amazing stuff.” – Tony Minvielle (Jazz FM) “The Birmingham maestro has lit a fire in the UK jazz underground” – Clash Magazine “Nice soul” – Toshio Matsuura “Watch out for Hemai... Mesmerizing” – EARMILK

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