Born in Salford, Roukaya B is a 22-year old singer, songwriter and artist and student on SAE’s Audio Production degree in Liverpool.
From 2019, Roukaya has been exploring a sound fusing soul, rap and jazz as heard on her new track, Nothin’ to Fix with its great new video.
Here, Roukaya talks about her time at SAE, her creative process and how her studies are helping enhance her musical career.
What have been your musical inspirations? Was there an artist or record that first inspired you?
My musical inspirations are derived from my multiethnic background, developing a taste for an abundance of genres.
With my parents being from different cultures, I was raised on Algerian Raï and nineties artists such as Fatman Scoop, Faith Evans, Hot Chocolate and M People. This coincided with my own personal tastes as I grew up, delving into the likes of Angie Stone, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott and Amy Winehouse.
My earliest memory of a record resonating with me would be Dionne Bromfield’s Yeah Right – sassy lyrics with a soulful delivery encapsulated in my little ears.
What led you to study at SAE? And what have been the most important things you’ve learned on the course?
Studying at SAE was a spontaneous decision for me. As I am currently working within the music industry as an artist, I felt it was necessary to gain extra knowledge about what goes into creating my music – from recording to production and engineering.
Especially as a female in this industry, I think it is so important to know how sound is produced, the industry knowledge and etiquette that comes with networking and being in a studio environment.
SAE has helped me to develop an understanding of sound as a phenomenon, psychoacoustics and how it works within different spaces – something I have taken with me to live performances. I have also begun mixing my own work which eases the demo processes of creating a new song.
How does the course support your wider ambitions?
The course has not only introduced me to new knowledge, it has also allowed for networking opportunities with other audio, film and photography personnel. The use of the studios has allowed for this whole project too – from recording the track to recording the music video.
Could you talk a little about your artist project? How has this evolved?
The track itself was written in my artist development years back in 2019. However, upon finishing the melody work and lyrics I just had an innate feeling that this track couldn’t go to just anyone and be on anything.
It needed a refined sound, someone else that can envision what I hear. Fortunately this person was found, four years later on the SAE Liverpool campus, Chris Tadd, working within KTA Productions.
Listening back to earlier demo recordings and voice notes of Nothin’ To Fix makes me realise that I made the right decision to wait as my vocal ability has also become more refined, more mature, giving me the ability to serve the soul that the track needs.
Could you talk about the latest release/music video? What is the track about? And how did the video come together?
Recorded and produced in May 2023 at the SAE Liverpool studios, the track is about a power struggle. Nothin’ To Fix follows an emotional journey of an unfulfilling relationship where the narrator feels trapped and controlled. Telling the story as it transcends by using lyrical imagery and a mix of vocal ranges. From harmonious highs to a deep sultry tone to showcase the high emotion and turmoil within the situation.
During the autumn of 2023 I recorded the music video with videographer Empra Ely. After sending off the mood-boards, shot inspirations, locations and outfit ideas – we took to the streets of Liverpool to make a movie and used locations such as Sefton Park, Lark Lane and even the SAE studios.
I’d say editing down the visuals took some time as I’m a bit of a perfectionist, so we did revisit the edit a good four or five times to make sure I was really happy with it. It was only snippets of b-roll or if something looked out of place in the shot, as I had a defined vision I wanted to succeed in creating for the project.
How have you developed your artist project? Have there been any breakthrough moments?
What started as a hook idea in 2019 was developed into a completed song. Five years later this is now a full fledged piece of music with a music video. What I had envisioned has come into fruition – that in itself is a breakthrough moment. You have this idea, just a thought, and now it is a physical piece of art.
The idea of and ability to use campus facilities for the music video was also a breakthrough moment. I knew I wanted shots of me in the studio but my budget wouldn’t stretch to cover the cost of hiring an industry standard studio.
What is next for you and your music?
My next steps involve finishing my Audio Production degree at SAE and securing a job within my field of study.
In terms of music, I will keep pushing this latest release and in the meanwhile I want to produce more of my catalogue that’s just sitting there waiting for some TLC.
I’ve many tracks completely written that just need the right producer to bring them to life.
Visit roukayab.com to find out more. Watch the video to her track, Nothin’ To Fix, below:
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