Gabriella Bongo - Unsettled Rhythms (EP)
South London’s prodigious talent, Gabriella Bongo, releases her latest EP, Unsettled Rhythms. At just 20 years old, Gabriella has already made significant waves in the music industry, including a memorable performance at the Royal Albert Hall with a 96-piece orchestra and collaborations with renowned artists like Nile Rodgers, Skrillex, and FredAgain.
Unsettled Rhythms showcases Gabriella Bongo’s mastery of liquid drum and bass, blending intricate beats with soulful melodies to create an immersive auditory experience. The EP’s innovative soundscapes reflect her mix of influences from house, 90s R&B, and cinematic music, offering listeners a rich, emotional journey. Each track is creatively crafted, with Gabriella overseeing every aspect, from writing and recording to engineering and marketing.
Reflecting on her new EP, Gabriella shares, “Liam Bailey actually suggested I make a drum and bass EP, and later on, my manager suggested the same thing. I also thought it would be a good idea to have a solid body of work showcasing my current sound. A body of work that I executed properly, from the writing to recording and engineering to the photography and marketing. It’s been a great learning experience.
Particularly, spending just under a year with the mix engineer Rob Smith, 'Dogger', was probably where I learned the most. It was a really intimate experience where I learned about drum and bass, mixing, sound selection, and more about my sound. I felt that the one thing that all the songs had in common was that they were all about emotions I had deeply felt but had never really talked about. The emotions are the ‘rhythms’ and the fact that I don’t really talk about them is what makes them ‘unsettled’. That’s how the name for the project came about.”
Gabriella Bongo aims to tell compelling stories through her music. Her journey began at a young age, influenced by MTV, Channel AKA, and artists like Plan B, Tinie Tempah, Rihanna, and Labrinth. By nine, she was experimenting with production on GarageBand, and by 15, she had committed to pursuing music professionally. In 2021, Gabriella joined Apple’s Creative Studio London programme, where she honed her collaborative skills and connected with industry leaders. Her work has appeared on BBC News and Reprezent Radio, and she has worked on projects for Universal Production Music and an International Women's Day event hosted by Mahalia. Currently, Gabriella is studying music production at the Institute of Contemporary Music Performance in Kilburn and continues to be supported by organisations like Spotlight, YUAF, Small Green Shoots, and Music for Youth.