Monifé on Being Busy and a Worldwide Artist (Interview)

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East London’s Monifé is a name in R’n’B you need to be aware of. Someone who is truly a vocalist and continues to raise their game as a songwriter, this has been a big year. ‘Nothing Is The Same‘ kicked things off in late August, and now, ‘Concrete‘ is already picking up those streams. In between that was a performance on the famous On The Radar platform, which has over 13,000 views on YouTube.

This is an artist who has been putting in the work and focusing on the craft since their last EP in 2021. Not only that, they are grafting at their job, showing an artist who is dedicated to whatever she is doing.

Back in September, we spoke about who inspired her to be an artist, juggling two professions, and whether practice or talent makes the best vocalist.

What was the artist, song, or record that made you want to sing?

Beyoncé was definitely a firm starter. Any little girl would say Beyoncé, especially as a Black girl seeing this Black woman doing amazing things. (This was) from the beginning, even Destiny’s Child (era). One key memory I have is Destiny’s Child – ‘Cater 2 U‘, when they had a prom dress. I was obsessed with those dresses, and (I would) be doing the routine and everything. Alicia Keys, also. She made me want to learn to play the piano. At that age, there were loads of people I was looking up to.

I think sometimes if I had a drinking game with interviews and Beyoncé being mentioned, I would’ve had a few shots. (laughs)

I wouldn’t even say that Beyoncé is one of my main influences, but this initial, starstruck superstar vibe came from her. She is amazing from her singing (and) songwriting, all the way to performing. She is a good person to aspire to be.

When I was growing up outside of Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Alicia Keys, there weren’t that many Black women in the spotlight. There is a lot more now, but until 10 years ago, there were only a few here and there.

When I was growing up, it was Beyoncé. I love Beyoncé so much. (laughs)

Having made your debut single in 2019, what has been the biggest change in you as an artist?

My first ever single, ‘Unreachable‘, I was forced to put that out. At that point, I had just finished uni, and for me I need stability. In my head, I was like, ‘Let me finish uni. Once I have got that degree, I can get a job and focus on my dream, which is music, singing, writing, performing.’. ‘Unreachable‘ was the first track I ever wrote. At the time of writing, I wasn’t thinking, ‘I’m gonna release this.’, I was thinking, ‘How can I be better?’. (laughs) I really didn’t want to share it, but people around me encouraged me and pushed me a lot to release it.

Now, I’m a lot more willing to share and a lot more confident in my artistry. Over the years, I have done a lot of writing for the sake of writing, singing on different types of genres (and) beats, to try and have fun with writing. But also to figure out where I want my sound to be. I’m now honing in on a lot more. For example, my single, ‘Nothing Is The Same‘, is the sound I want to move forward with.

The main difference is confidence. (laughs) At that point, I could barely perform. I would go to open mics, and I could not open my eyes; I was just shaking there. (laughs) Now, I love being on stage, and I knew I would; it was just the initial fear of getting over all eyes (being) on you. I think, what can I do, how can I keep your interest, how can I make you enjoy this performance?

From listening to that track and then your other material and the new single; confidence, you can definitely hear that. I’d say also something I noticed is on that first track, it sounded like you were looking for someone to tell you if you were doing it right. Whereas, on the new track, you’re like, ‘This is me, I am who I am. If you don’t like it, see ya later.’.

See ya later, alligator. A lot of artists go through a reckoning where we realise our music is not going to be liked by everyone, and that is ok. (laughs) When I first started out, it was very much, ‘What would other people want to hear? What would be popular?’. Now, I’m like, ‘What do I want to say? What melodies do I like?’, and just run with that.

‘Nothing Is The Same‘ was your first release of 2025, and it feels like a fresh start for you. What new things have come into your life or artistry that have allowed for this?

Around the time I was writing ‘Nothing Is The Same‘, I started working with a new team. Yard Twenty Five is an up-and-coming label; I was working a lot with them. One of my goals this year was to participate in a lot more writing camps. Prior to this year, everything I did was independent. I would write by myself, go to sessions with producers, but they would produce, and I would write. I really wanted to challenge myself a bit.

Before this year, I was a little bit nervous to step into a room with other songwriters (and) singers, thinking, ‘Will I not be good enough?’. The opposite happened, I realised that you can draw on other people’s experiences (and) ideas, to collaboratively make something amazing. In ‘Nothing Was The Same‘, that session was me, an amazing producer called Likkle Jay, who is also a big part of the label, and another incredibly talented producer, Marceli, who is also a singer/songwriter. That session was so much fun, and ‘Nothing Was The Same‘ was the second idea we came up with. I realised, ‘Why was I so scared to do that?’

Working a lot more collaboratively has also helped improve that confidence in myself, in terms of writing and creating.

That is good to hear. Collaboration, whatever sort of sphere you’re in, allows you to try new things and get a different perspective.

Collaboration, I love it! (laughs) Definitely working with a lot more producers (and) writers. Just collaborating to make something special.

Who is an artist that has had an impact on your live performance?

Generally, the songs I create, up until now, have been quite chill. I tended to be more of an artist who stands on stage, almost like Cleo Sol, Summer Walker, and I love that. But, I have also been enjoying making music with a bit more energy that I can play with a bit more, in terms of performing.

There was one artist I went to see, Bellah, and I loved her performance. It was because she had choreography, the vocals, the story in the performance (it was her headline show). I really appreciated that, and I would love to curate something like that, just thinking of all the senses you can use, like a journey for your audience to go on with you. That is a goal of mine when I do a headline show.

What can we expect from your ‘On The Radar‘ performance?

It is a huge platform, and it was an exciting opportunity. Everyone knows On The Radar, or if they don’t know it by name, they see the green backdrop. So many artists have been there, ones we love and up-and-coming ones, as well. It is such an amazing platform, and I was so excited to go on it. Obviously, I gotta give them a little freestyle. I did a B-side to ‘Nothing Is The Same‘, and I am excited for everyone to hear it.

I had so much fun with it, to be honest. When I found out we were doing it, I got in the studio almost that day. It was last-minute, but I am excited to show you what we came up with.

You are outside of music, a bio-medical scientist. What is it like fitting in what is a demanding job with being an artist, and what are the skills that weave into each job?

I do most days feel like Hannah Montana. (laughs) I’m quite lucky; it isn’t an office job, but it is the standard 9-5, and so I can make a lot of things work. A lot of the tasks I do, I can be in my own world. There are times where I have been singing a verse, over and over again, trying to figure out what comes after; finishing songs, rehearsing, while I finish the task.

At the end of the day, I run home, get changed, and then there is a performance or I’m going studio. It is tiring; I wouldn’t lie. (laughs) But it is worth it; I enjoy making music, I enjoy performing. I also enjoy my job; I am a bit of a geek. Obviously, I work in the hospital, so the day-to-day of my job does have an impact on patients, so I enjoy being able to help and play a part.

My specific job (is) I work in histology. There is a lot of specific skills that you wouldn’t find in other departments or sections of the hospital. But, I will say, time management is one thing that is transferable. Also, being able to prioritise things. Day-to-day at work, in a fast-paced environment, you have to prioritise, ‘What can we get done right now? What is urgent?’. That comes into play once I have left the lab and I have a song to finish; I’ve got a performance that night, but I also have emails to send, admin. Trying to prioritise both sides is definitely a skill I have honed more in my day job that I can make use of after work.

It sounds like it all fits in together. It’s good that you enjoy your job outside of music. It means while you’re physically tired, you may be not mentally tired. Doing something you don’t like is exhausting and draining. Whereas, you may be physically tired, but your like, ‘I’ve got my time management skills; I have done some good deeds for the day, time to go sing for a bunch of people.’.

That is a very good way to put it because a lot of people ask me, ‘How do you do so much in one day?’. I’m just like, ‘This is music, this is my job.’.

How has having a worldwide audience affected your artistry, and what has it allowed you to learn about how music is consumed in other countries?

I do have a lot of listeners, in a lot of places outside the U.K., which I find really interesting. That has also brought me some amazing collaborations. For example, I get a lot of love from South Africa (and) countries like Kenya. With my first project, a couple of the tracks were produced by an amazing South African producer (M. Rumbi). He produced ‘Grow‘, ‘Come From /‘, he done about three tracks on that project.

Following on from that, (I was) a featured artist on South African artists’ tracks. The biggest collaboration to come out of it was I created a song called ‘Warmth‘. It is one of my most popular songs, its a really ‘lovey-dovey’ song, I love it. That was with a Kenyan producer, who is based in South Africa (M. Rumbi). When it gets to tour time, just know I’m there; where there is support, I am definitely there. I can feel the support, they really do tune in. Even getting radio play in other countries is crazy. (laughs)

It is so crazy to think songs you have written in your bedroom or on the bus, on the way home, are being listened to all over the world. That is insane.

I get that because to compare with my world, when I check the stats for the website, I think, ‘Lots of people in Germany and Turkey are reading us today.’. It does make you think about how I’m just writing my article in Birmingham, and someone in Ghana is reading it, someone in the U.S., someone in Hong Kong.

That is my favourite stat to look at, where people are tuned into. You’ve just written that at home and someone has taken the time out of their day in countries miles and miles away, to have a read.

You’ve mentioned South Africa there, and that is something I have been interested in over the last year. South Africa has quite a rich R’n’B scene, which I didn’t realise until the last year or so. There is an artist we cover called Nanette, who is doing well and released a new album recently that is very good.

When it comes to R’n’B, people tend to focus on the U.S. and the U.K., but there are so many scenes across the world.

A place that I wouldn’t say shocked me, but France has an amazing R’n’B scene. It is insane. R’n’B is everywhere, and we do tend to look more towards the U.S. for that, but even on the U.K. ground, there is so much great R’n’B. Sometimes, let us look closer to home, but also admire all of it.

Your last EP, ‘Love Language‘, came out in 2021. Can we expect a new project?

Definitely, I’m not going to tell you when. (laughs)

‘Love Language‘ was more (of) a collection of work. For my next EP, I want it to be really intentional and go into it knowing this is the project we’re making. I look forward to that; I just need to lock in. I need to live in the studio for about a month. (laughs) There is a few songs in the archive that could make it on there.

People can always tell when a project is put together and a project is thrown together. With it being four years since your last EP, there will be a bit more expectation on it, as well.

Rightly so. The expectation I will have for it is up there.

I took from your Intimacy Sessions version of ‘Unreachable‘ that you have a vocal range, whether hitting the higher notes or projecting more. Is the way you deliver and the changes you make to your vocals instinctive or come with practice?

It is a mixture of both. Live performances, we obviously rehearse and rehearse, but there are times on stage and I get the feeling to do something different. Because of the rehearsals I’ve had and technical practice, I can map it out in my head before I do it. Having that skill gives you a bit more free range (so) that you can blend in what you typically do with a challenge that comes to you in the moment, which is the fun part.

Who are some up-and-coming R’n’B artists you want to give some shine on?

There is loads, how long do we have? The rising stars of the U.K. right now are Sasha Keable, kwn, Bellah, (and) Mnelia; they are all amazing. Shaé Universe, her voice is stunning; her writing is stunning.

In terms of more alternative/indie twists on R’n’B, one of my good friends, nikhil, he is an artist/producer. One of our friends, Ayeisha Raquel, incredible vocalist/songwriter, give her a shoutout. There is so many, I could go on and on.

There is a very rich R’n’B scene on a lot of levels. I have more recently discovered Natanya, and she is amazing. She is giving superstar energy, performing, writing, the sound she is coming out with.

Monifé is on Instagram, X, and TikTok. Stream her music below and read more interviews here.

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