Tanzanian-American singer, songwriter Kezia released their debut EP claire on June 11. claire touches on themes such as navigating life as a biracial woman, living with mental instability and depression, exploring spirituality, and learning to love through giving love. The EP is an incredibly exciting first look into the world of Kezia, a Bay Area native with a sound all their own. claire is colored by 90s R&B, shaded with American pop, filtered through their Gen Z sensibilities, and inspired by a wide array of influences from My Chemical Romance to Fela Kuti to Papa Wemba to Paramore.
Photo Curtesy of Sanny Bisquerra
To celebrate the release of claire, kezia shared a short and sweet video for “PORTLAND.” The song follows the previously released tracks “megan fox”, “SUNSHINE” and “south!” featuring up-and-coming British-Indian rapper NAYANA IZ.
On the track, Kezia sings, ‘’Lovely, lovely / Say you Love me / Wrap me up, and / Say you Love me.’” They explain, “it’s about a first love, the ache to crave acceptance unconditionally.”