In the current musical climate, it’s extremely rare to stumble upon eclectically soulful and experimental artists. Mostly because they are afraid of the inevitable – lack of exposure. The other reason is quite less obvious- maybe it lies somewhere between freedom and restriction, a trait that the beautifully vibrant duendita does not posses. Hailing from Queens, New York, duendita is an emerging, independent artist who has her fingers on the pulse of artistic integrity and creativity. At just 15, duendita would score the award-winning independent film ‘Swim Little Fish Swim’, which premiered at SXSW in 2013. It was an early look into her intensely talented world.
A year later, aged 16, she released her debut body of work This is Not an Album; a 10-song project that paired original music to pieces in MoMA’s Magritte exhibition. duendita’s song “one of one” was released the same year and promptly went viral, garnering attention from producers internationally. It was only this year however that a new release ‘yikes’ was released, premiering on THE FADER. A suave and earthy track that lends comparisons to the natural artistic vibrancy of Ibeyi or Empress Of, duendita now shares a new slice of her vibrant, sophisticated style with new release ‘pray’.
Speaking on the track, she states
“’pray’ celebrates the experience of growing up in a diverse environment.”
Mixing a rich, baritone with future R&B whilst referencing her loyalty to karma and faith, this is a stark and infectious call to arms to do something before it’s over. Gorgeous, floral and layered with lilting guitar flecks as well as snappy percussion, this is a timely and necessary injection of a very special artist. Already garnering attention across influencers including THE NEW YORK TIMES, THE FADER and VARIETY, this is a taste of what to expect on duendita’s forthcoming EP, “direct line to My Creator”. We can’t wait for the complete project from this invigorating, artful R&B talent entirely in her own lane.
Experience the incendiary sounds above and be on the look out for more from duendita in 2018!
