R&B singer Cosha’s music is a harmonic reminder to slow down. The Irish singer-songwriter has been a rising voice in London’s music following the release of her 2021 debut album Mt. Pleasant, curating a calming escapism that was made for slow walks by the sea and basking under the tropical sun. Cosha’s music is the perfect vehicle for the ever-evolving sound of R&B, introducing her soft and transportive vocals to the genre. Having written for the likes of Charli XCX and Shygirl, and having toured with Mura Masa, Flume and Nile Rodgers .Cosha’s talent has already made her one to watch within in the industry. Cosha’s latest track MurMurs Interlude is just a taste of what’s to come on her upcoming EP MurMurs. Schon! Gets to know the promising artist and the inspiration behind her new project.
Where are you happiest?
Brazil, but also, and more accurately, I can be happy wherever I am when I have my people around me. I’ve got great people in my life who make me happy every day. Where there is sun, large bodies of not too wavy water and caipirinhas, I will be unshakable in my bliss.
Describe your personal style in three words.
Prada. Issey Miyake. Margiela.
How would you describe your sound to someone who is yet to discover you?
I think these days things are too fast: fast fashion, fast music, fast food. I like giving things time [and] working for it. I like a song I don’t understand straight away that has layers that show themselves to you the more time you spend with it. I like to think I make music like that, It’s nourishing and long lasting and will feed you if you care for it.
What food reminds you the most of home?
The first day I moved to London at 17, I met a girl called Cedellah who ended up being one of my closest friends. During a period where we lived together, she would make a dish from her home country Zimbabwe. It’s a dish made up of sadza, peanut butter spinach, tomato relish & lamb. When I used to tour with Mura Masa, I’d come back after long stints excited and exhausted, and she would make me this meal. It became a signature comfort in the new life I was building away from my home in Ireland. If you’re reading this Dell, thank you, girl. You made me feel so loved!
What was your source of inspiration when putting together MurMurs?
Just listening to how I was feeling [and] trying to work it out. There was a lot going on and plenty to draw from. I listened to a lot of music that resonated with me at that time with a focus on voices that had mastered expressing extreme emotion like Silvia Perez Cruz and Gloria Ann Taylor. I also read a lot of autobiographies: Gil Scott Heron, Nina Simone, Billie Holiday [and] Patti Smith, maybe hoping I could learn from someone else’s life experiences or at least gain some perspective on my own.
If you could play any venue, which one would it be?
There was a venue built by this London events group called Bold Tendencies. It was a circular auditorium made of straw lit beautifully. It’s been taken apart now but I wish I could have done a gig there. I love playing in the round. Playing the Hollywood Bowl would be pretty fab too. I love an open-air situation.
What do you hope to tick off your bucket list in 2024?
Release my new project MurMurs, play some shows and meet some of the people who have been listening to the music. Maybe live abroad in the sunshine for a while and practice a new language. (I can’t take the London cost of living chokehold much longer). Spend more time being in nature and enjoying my life.
Cosha’s upcoming EP ‘MurMurs’ is set to release on May 9.
words. Shama Nasinde
talent. Cosha
