Una Rams / 24 / Pop Star
When did Una’s music career begin?
When I was born! I used to call myself Prince and I used to dance with a group of friends back home, it was a cool way to express myself. I made music from about grade 4/5, then in grade 9 I started releasing solo music. Every moment in my life has led up to who I am now.
Your recent drop, ‘Shy’, what’s the song all about?
Shy is a declaration of love, of feelings. It’s the perfect song to play for your crush, a song to tell someone you have feelings for them.
What can fans expect from your EP ‘Crush’?
So Shy was the lead single of off Crush. You can hear a beautiful blend of different genres under the umbrella of Afro Pop, a whole lot of that is going to be delivered on Crush. Crush is going to tell the tale of love, from meeting a person and wanting them to be in your life. There are beautiful bars on there, I’m throwing a lot of TshiVenda in there too and sampling a Venda legend, some collaborations as well. These are songs to add onto the soundtrack of your life, it’s a Sci-Fi rom com.
What does music mean to you?
Music is life, it’s a healing force. It’s therapeutic when I make it, and a bonding experience between friends. Music is a way to address many things and express who I am, it’s a global language. Music is just so much, it’s a force. It is also a platform to explore my dreams, it strengthens the idea that I can make something from nothing.
The most valuable thing you’ve learnt from being a South African artist?
Having patience. We’re still in an emerging market, we have to be aware of the inequalities we face. Kids in the rural places and townships access music differently in comparison to us in the cities. You want to reach out to the widest audience as much as possible, you have to know who is for you. When you’re doing something that is not a traditional genre, I’ve had to teach people about what I’m doing. As South Africans we stick to what we know but we also have a willingness to discover what we love. My brand is growing and it’s a blessing.
Does your upcoming album ‘Boyfriend Material’ have a release date yet?
Unfortunately not yet, I want to be in a different place in my life when I do release it. Still focusing on the single Crush, then I’ll focus on Boyfriend Material. It’s all about how after the honeymoon phase you learn about each other and put in the work. It’s going to explore the good and the bad of love and what relationships can do to people.
What has this year taught you as an artist?
Being able to wear different thinking hats. I’ll have a season of just creating carelessly then there comes a season where one should have a business element to their craft and their art. Seeing where you went wrong and trying to outdo yourself. I like to be still, look at myself and reassess who I am doing this for…me. I use my imagination and play around with cool ideas and collaboration. Music is also a platform for me to explore other avenues such as business prospects and investments I seek to grow. I am a multi-dimensional person who can express themselves in more than one way.
Your ultimate dream is?
To build a city, I feel that as Africans we haven’t built a city. We haven’t placed our identity on a platform like that. I have dreams in the tech space as well.
One artist you’d absolutely love to collaborate with?
I really want to be the guy that can do anything and to work with whoever I want to work with. I am very experimental in my approach. I actually want to be the guy that people want to collaborate with. I keep dreaming bigger and want to conquer many markets.
Follow Una Rams!
Instagram: @unarams
Twitter: @UnaRamsWeirdKid
Facebook: @unarams
-Bridgette Makhela
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