SIPHO by Ajani Pile-Gray
The Guardian – “an earthy amalgamation of R&B, gospel and metallic electronic pop”
DIY – “SIPHO. is rising high.”
Complex – “SIPHO. is here to challenge perceptions around Black male identity, artistry and creativity”
NME – “SIPHO. steps into the spotlight”
Following on from recent collaboration ‘Crawl’ with Douvelle19, singer, producer and multi-instrumentalist SIPHO. closes out the year with emotive new single ‘STAIN. (Golden Tears)’.
‘STAIN. (Golden Tears)’ begins with dreamy Rhodes keys and tripped-out backing vocals that quickly yield to SIPHO.’s powerful vocals. What follows is a hallucinatory journey into the psyche of a young man taking stock of his past victories and defeats. The track is overflowing with the drama and spectacle that have marked the Birmingham native as a talent to watch in recent years, whilst taking a slightly more stripped back approach, as SIPHO. explains, “Sound wise it really represents how it’s time to make space and simplify. Something soulful and sweet to celebrate my mistakes, triumphs and my friends.”
SIPHO. first gained recognition in 2021 when the world was introduced to his unique merging of soul, r&b and electronic sounds via a string of single releases including ‘MOONLIGHT PT. 1 + 2’, ‘BODIES’ and ‘BEADY EYES’. It was this same year that SIPHO. unveiled his debut EP AND GOD SAID… which found him pondering his own mortality and place in the world amidst a motif of thunderous, cinematic and experimental beats. An astonishing accomplishment for an artist so early into his career SIPHO. was invited onto the Later… with Jools Holland show to perform EP closer ‘ALMOST LOST’. Continuing to attract the attention of industry tastemakers, in 2022 he delivered a moving A COLORS SHOW performance of his track ‘OCCASION’, a song that appeared on follow up EP SHE MIGHT BLEED, a project examining the relationship between hyper masculinity and its effect on the women in men’s lives. In 2023, debut album PRAYERS & PARANOIA was released; a sprawling exploration of identity, faith and the chaos of modern life which SIPHO. portrayed in broad brush strokes of distorted guitars, rapturous drums and his simultaneously expansive yet intimate voice. The album saw SIPHO. tie together the many threads of his influence into one cohesive tapestry of sound, spanning hip-hop, jungle, alt r&b, funk and more.
Throughout his short but already celebrated career, SIPHO. has been championed by the likes of The Guardian, The New York Times, COLORS, NME, Complex, Jools Holland, BBC Radio 1, i-D, NPR and many more. Fans have bore witness to SIPHO.’s incredible live performance during his own headline tour that saw him play a string of dates across the UK, including at iconic venues such as London’s Jazz Cafe and Mama Roux’s in Birmingham. Additionally, he has brought his truly arresting voice and sound to festival stages including Mostly Jazz Festival, Cross The Tracks, SXSW Austin and The Great Escape.
As an artist who continually pushes the boundaries of genre, ‘STAIN. (Golden Tears)’ is the latest instalment in the catalogue of a truly singular artist. As the year winds down, SIPHO.’s new release signals to an exciting 2025 for the dynamic musician.
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