“Sharifa is pushing punk boundaries” – Paper Magazine
“A softly alluring song, ‘BEDROOM LIGHT’ seeks out connection, wherever it can be found” – CLASH
Hailing from the East Midlands is burgeoning artist, Sharifa. Following on from the February release of “SOMEONE”, the genre-bending storyteller is back with his brand new pop-punk inspired release for the misfits of the world named, “YOU & I”. Already gaining appraisal online for his fearless, unapologetic, and non-conventional sound, Sharifa has built a cult-like following connecting closely with the people who get it.
Woven with Sharifa’s distinct tone and charisma, “YOU & I” is a preppy-esc single that boasts crunching electric guitars and a nostalgic essence throughout. Navigating self discovery following the loss of a one-sided relationship, Sharifa finds himself on a journey of self-love as he picks himself back up from a turbulent period. Boasting elements of pop-rock, alternative rock, and pop-punk, Sharifa slices through the percussive production enabling his vulnerability and honesty to take centre stage in this wheel-up worthy listen. Paired alongside a one-shot visual inspired by Blur’s “Song 2 (Take 2)” music video, we follow Sharifa around a stripped back room, placing a closer lens on his lyrical dexterity before meeting his love interest to talk things over.
Speaking on the meaning behind the single, Sharifa explained, “You and I is about moving on from someone and the journey of finding myself after that. I wrote it because I didn’t know who I was. It took me two years of self-discovery to realise I was showing this girl someone I wasn’t.”
Born and raised in Derby, Sharifa moved his life to the UK’s central hub, London, at just 16 with the aim to pursue his long-life dream of becoming an artist. Studying at BRIT School, the 19-year-old has built a strong reputation within the creative industries. Currently taking place in the BBC Open Music Scheme, Sharifa is putting on a BBC Open Music x Glasshouse Proms in July. Commissioned to create a soundscape piece that’ll be played in one of the rooms throughout the weekend, further emphasising Sharifa’s adaptability and attention to detail. Participating in The Ivors Academy ‘In the Room’ initiative, doing a research project on black artists in the alternative space who are trying to break out of the urban genres. Sharifa is looking into the struggles attached to that and why Black artists are excluded into a space that they created. Navigating a new era musically, he houses a catalogue that primarily showcases pop-rock, alternative rock and pop-punk elements, Sharifa is a big advocate for the misfits and outcasts of the world.
Gaining previous accolades from CLASH, Paper Magazine, EQUATE, Oculate, BBC Radio London, BBC Radio Derby, and more, Sharifa is on a mission to solidify his status as a forthcoming trailblazer. Securing a spot at the 2023 Great Escape Festival alongside a sold-out KOKO Camden showcase for Ostereo, Sharifa has also DJ’ed for the Nike Store in Kingston, and the McDonalds Chicken Shop takeover in Leicester Square. Forming a lane of his own and moving away from the accustomed sounds we are used to hearing in Black British music, the East Midlands-based musician is pushing the boundaries even further with his genre-bending wave.
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