“The undercurrent beneath all of the tracks was this feeling of acceptance of the unknown”
Eora-based trailblazer, Maina Doe has dropped her debut EP ‘ODIWAMS‘ this month, and it’s even better than we ever could have imagined.
An acronym for ‘One Day It Will All Make Sense’, the EP is a heartfelt exploration of independence and individuality. Seductive in its melancholy, Maina Doe has a unique ability to capture the sound of serenity.
A blend of dreamy instrumentation, addictive melodies, and angelic harmonies, ‘ODIWAMS’ is a sonic landscape unlike anything else.
The third track on the EP, “Don’t Worry Bout Me”, features vocals reminiscent of Sabrina Claudio, Solange and Doja Cat. It is this unique blend of alt R&B, neo-soul and multi-cultural jazz that makes her a force to be reckoned with.
Having already received global recognition, the Somali-Indonesian artist was spotlighted as a triple j Unearthed Feature Artist last month. She’s also starred in campaigns with Vogue, Chanel, Nike and Calvin Klein.
You’ll also be able to catch her at SXSW Sydney this October, following her debut London headline show in September.
Read the full interview with Maina Doe below, and scroll down to listen to her debut EP ‘ODIWAMS’.
HAPPY: What’s a day in the life of Maina Doe like right now?
MAINA: Right now, I’m hustling a lot and already trying to get my mind into creation mode for the next project.
It’s been a bit crazy so right now everyday it’s work, planning my UK moves and doing things that feed into my writing because I really want to get back in the studio.
HAPPY: Where do you call home, and how does your environment shape your music?
MAINA: I would call Sydney my home and right now it shapes a lot of what I do musically because there’s no place like it, no people like the people here, so the music comes out mad different.
I’d say my collaborations are pretty unexpected and that in itself makes the music come out in unexpected ways. Other than that, Sydney is a rich man’s playground and a normal man’s hamster wheel.
I’m starting to realise there is a sort of tension that appears in my music from that also haha.
HAPPY: What’s the story behind the title of your EP, ODIWAMS?
MAINA: I didn’t have a title and when I listened back to my songs, I realised that the undercurrent beneath all of the tracks was this feeling of acceptance of the unknown or something. And I often just trust that everything will make sense one day. And I ran with ODIWAMS which is an acronym for One Day It Will All Make Sense.
HAPPY: What are some of the key influences and inspirations behind your latest EP, ODIWAMS?
MAINA: I was honestly listening to a lot of different things during the making of this ep – but I pulled textures and sounds from a Deftones song ‘sextape’, I listened to random Kali Uchis tunes for flighty BV inspo, I watched low dialogue shows like Neon Genesis which put me in a really present state, I rinsed Dijon’s ‘Absolutely’ album, I revisited a lot of Mariah Carey cause she’ll always be my main girl…I was pulling textures and feelings more than anything I think.
I just consumed things that would make me feel totally in my body.
HAPPY: Can you share some of your favorite experiences or moments while creating ODIWAMS?
MAINA: I wrote witness in the Blue Mountains with Finbar Stuart which is always just so gorgeous. Those mountains really do something for me. I also really trip out that I wrote the verse for Lucid in 20 minutes and it just worked so great (it usually takes me way longer to do that).
HAPPY: Any plans to tour?
MAINA: Yes!! I will be touring here in Australia in October.
HAPPY: What’s your favourite spot to chill or brainstorm new ideas?
MAINA: In my room! No place like my room.
HAPPY: Tell us something people might not know about you but would find interesting?
MAINA: I was a creative writer before I was a musician. Not professionally, it’s just how I first started expressing myself.
HAPPY: What are some of your personal highlights or proudest moments in your career so far?
MAINA: Honestly this EP release is my proudest moment so far.
HAPPY: Lastly, what makes you happy?
MAINA: People I love around me and really well made, good balanced ceviche
Listen to ‘ODIWAMS’ here.
