Nairobi-born, Adelaide based, Elsy Wameyo uses her distinctive cultural background to carve a musical sound that is unique and spirited, without generic construction and sweeping in its emotionality. The singer, rapper and producer will be making her biggest artistic statement to date late this month, when she will drop her long-awaited debut album, Saint Sinner.
Whilst we wait in anticipation for the studio record, Wameyo has blessed us with a new single “Conquer”. Enlisting the indelible quality of Ywaya Tajiri for a brilliant feature turn, Wameyo shows a lavish and profound depth to her music. From her charismatic verses and dominate delivery to the groove-laden atmosphere of the instrumental, it’s a highly captivating effort that is focused and fun in equal measure.
The track comes accompanied by stunning visuals, co-directed by Omoke Ogao & Wameyo herself. Below, we take an exclusive behind the scenes look at the video, and hear firsthand from the artist about its creation.
Watch the visuals for “Conquer”…
Read Elsy’s thoughts…
“When producing “Conquer”, I wanted to showcase visuals that people were not used to seeing, from Moments like the beautiful black ballerina dancing in Kibera to wearing a dress made of hair. Every scene is divinely curated to break boundaries and inspire new ways of thinking. Personally, this song is my spiritual awakening. It constantly reminds me that I can and will always Conquer.
We filmed “Conquer” in Nairobi, Kenya. The beauty is in its variety of environments. “Conquer” does a great job of showcasing this through scenes like the tennis match at the evergreen Karura Forest, the urban styles of Westlands on its rooftops and its vibrant and warm people like the kids of Kibera.
I worked alongside Omoke Ogao to bring this vision to life. We met three months ago to shoot Umva. Naturally, it was easier to continue telling my story with him through “Conquer”. I am very particular with my work. From the moment the words are written to the moment the cameras are recording. Everything is intricate and precisely thought out. Working alongside other highly passionate artists will always bring beautiful chaos, though we executed the vision elegantly. We put art on screen in a way that is new to Kenyan viewers. I trust it will inspire many and continue to showcase our diverse sound, visuals and art.”
Check out some Wonderland exclusive imagery…
