Meet the women paving the way for a new music scene in Manchester.
Manchester has the best music scene in the world. From The Stone Roses to The Smiths and The Happy Mondays you’d be a fool to deny we’ve produced some of the best talent music has ever seen. Walk into any home in Britain and they’ll be someone (over the age of 50) bumbling on about the good old days at The Hacienda. But those days are over, Urban Jazz is the New Order. Pioneer IAMDDB, self-proclaimed ‘spoken soul’ artist combines elements of Trap, silky afro Jazz and spoken word to create a unique blend of sensuous harmonised heaven.
Following a musical history rich in ‘tortured souls’ (or indie white boys whose pounds are often heavier than their talent) is IAMDDB. An artist defined by her songs of fierce female empowerment, self acceptance, mental wellness and representation, is giving us something the Manchester music seen has never witnessed before. Whilst the rest of the world focused on which Gallagher brother was there favourite, Urban Jazz has been slowly growing ready to take over.
IAMDDB embodies everything it means to be a modern-day feminist. From bearing almost all at the Brits to embracing no make-up on social media, her confidence in loving and showing off her body has lead her genre of Urban Jazz to influence fashion trends as well as impacting an influx of young artists.
@layfullstop emerged onto the scene via YouTube in early 2016 with single ‘YinYang’. Her style, deeply rooted in soul encompasses rap and hip hop, lyrically she touches race, self-love, self-belief and self-acceptance, values held deep at the core of Urban Jazz. @evabee.mcr is a little more political lyrically, she encompasses satiny vocals with an electronic soul fusion of computer engineered beats. @nialashley a newcomer to the scene, shares her story by gracing our Instagram feeds with her freestyles over mainstream trap beats, spreading words of positivity, spirituality and third eye energy.
Underprivileged backgrounds is something these women all share, all council estate girls with a love for music and ambition to make it out. Urban Jazz has grown so fast because women can relate to the struggle. Such features are found in the origins of soul and hip hop from Nina Simone’s powerful tones in ‘Ain’t Got No’ to Missy Elliott with ‘Step Off’. People love music that makes them feel something, which more often than not is lyrics they can relate too.
The Hacienda is dead but where does that leave us now?
In the capable hands of a generation of women that believe in themselves and chose to inspire everybody else. With that out the way, there’s only one question left to answer. Why does Manchester produce such good music you ask? In a city of all rain and no sunshine, we have nothing better to do.
