Renee Stormz inspired by the early messages in Hip-Hop

Discover Manchester-based Hip-Hop writer, singer and producer  Renee Stormz. She was born in London and moved to Nigeria when she was 12 years old, later returning to the UK in her teens. Always surrounded by music, she grew up listening to classical soul and funk music as well as traditional Nigerian music in family settings. 

At high school, writing was a way for Renee to escape –

“I never truly fit the mould, I always walked my own way. Poetry is at my roots, and this expanded into my music. I learned to play guitar when I was 16 and moved to the North in my early twenties, beginning my journey as a lyrical bard. I knew from a very young age I had a big mouth and I needed to channel this gift in a way that was honouring my spirit and those who came before me and didn’t have the opportunity or privilege to express themselves the way I do now.”

This is Renee’s first new release since her album ‘Ore Mi’. Created and released during the lockdown of 2020, the album is a collaborative piece created between Renee Stormz and Altosounds. Meaning ‘My Friend’ in Yoruba, ‘Ore Mi’ is an amalgamation of contrasting cultures and sounds meeting in a place to create something unique. Renee takes the space and explores stories of love, heartbreak, death, grief and self discovery, creating an interactive listening experience whereby the listener can take whatever they need from the sounds and lyrics on the album.

With a new musical direction and new lease on life, ‘All The Smoke’ is the first of a string of releases for Renee Stormz this year. Passionate and ready to share her message, 2023 shows no signs of slowing down for the multi-faceted artist – watch this space. 

Naming artists like Lauryn Hill, Miss Dynamite and Missy Elliot as her main inspirations, Renee draws from the ingenuity and creativity of her combined influences, effortlessly fusing elements of neo-soul, R&B and Hiphop to create her distinctive sound. With bouncy flows articulating poignant truths that explore the experiences of a black woman growing up in the West, Renee thrives off the ability to experiment with the emotions and feelings she’s able to convey through her songwriting. 

“I’m really inspired by the early messages in the music of Lauryn Hill, so I wanted to honour that message and add to it. I want the listeners to understand that you can take the heat, whatever people throw at you, remember the journey, embrace your pride and walk through the smoke realising it can’t ever really touch you. I want my listeners to take away that living in their truth and authenticity is the best and only way.”