OURAA - Just Breathe (Official Video)
London born and raised R&B singer-songwriter OURAA makes her highly anticipated return with the release of her new single ‘Just Breathe’, out everywhere on 7 September.
OURAA also announces her first full band Sofar Session show on the 4th of October at an epic secret venue, where she will be performing her newest release as well as some unreleased music. Ticket info here.
Joined on the track by UK rapper and producer TEE, the track showcases a far more vulnerable side to the multi-faceted artist than her fans may be used to. With her powerfully soulful vocals taking centre stage, OURAA’s sound can only be described as a melting pot of music that is a soundtrack to her life. Effortlessly transcending genres across R&B, Hiphop, Afrobeats, Gospel and alternative soul, OURAA has created a sound that is distinctively her own.
Inspired by lyricists and artists such as Robert Glasper, PJ Morton and Jazmine Sullivan, OURAA thrives off being able to experiment with the emotions and feelings she’s able to convey with her songwriting. Deeply emotive and intentional, ‘Just Breathe’ came at a pivotal time in the artist's career. Having been releasing music as OURAA since 2016, she was ready to give up on music altogether. She says, “I felt like I was at a standstill for a very long time. I felt like my music wasn’t reaching who it needed to reach, and it all started to feel like a waste of time and money - being an independent artist. I realised that I just couldn’t afford to release music anymore without funding, but with dyslexia and ADHD, the application forms are nearly impossible.
I got to a point where I wanted to re-identify my purpose in life, so I started therapy for my depression and social anxiety, and started going to church a lot more. Things just started falling back into place. I realised that my time with music wasn’t over, and that my purpose in life is to help people - someone out there needs to hear it for their own healing too.”
Produced and co-written by her long-time collaborator Tee, the track explores mental health and the importance of knowing you’re not alone in the way you’re feeling. “Tee is such an uplifting person, and that’s what I’m about too, so I really love working with him. The whole process was very vulnerable and cathartic for both of us. Often we are perceived as the ‘happy, creative friend’, and no one really gets to see my vulnerable side because I don’t like to express it out of fear of bringing someone else down. But it’s a new era for OURAA and I want to express that side of myself to help other people.”
To accompany the track, OURAA also releases a DIY music video featuring other creatives lip syncing to the song. “I reached out to other creatives that I knew personally or on social media and asked them to be involved. I think the video speaks volumes because it shows that you’re not alone, there are other people going through the same thing and that sense of community can be very healing. I hope that people who watch the music video will feel that sense of community too.”