GET TO KNOW: Monifé - The Smooth, Sultry & Sincere Voice of East London R&B
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
There’s a certain warmth that follows Monifé - the kind that feels familiar even if you’re hearing her for the first time. Ahead of her performance at our Unsigned Showcase on 21 July 2026, we’re spotlighting an artist whose journey blends intention, vulnerability, and a deep love for the craft. Her sound is unmistakably R&B, but her story is rooted in something even richer: community, curiosity, and a lifelong relationship with music.
Raised in a home where Jill Scott, Monica and Brandy were the soundtrack, Monifé’s earliest duet partner was her mum. “I grew up surrounded by music! My mum was my first duet partner,” she shares. Despite loving to sing, she was shy - until her mum enrolled her in the Young N Gifted choir at age 10. “It was where I first learnt how to sing, harmonise and perform and I stayed with them for 7 years!” That foundation shaped the artist we see today: smooth, sultry, sincere, and intentional.
For Monifé, choosing music wasn’t a dramatic leap - it was a decision rooted in joy. “Life is too short to be miserable or constantly wondering ‘what if’. Music is simply what I love to do.” And that love has already led to defining moments, including the surprise success of her 2019 single Can’t Fall Back. “I was so shocked to wake up one morning and find it in several Spotify editorial playlists... it was my first song to reach 100,000 streams!” The experience taught her not to chase perfection at the expense of expression: “You don’t know who needs to hear that song right now!”
Her creative process is fluid and instinctive - building tracks from scratch with producers, letting melodies guide the emotion, and refining ideas in her own time. Inspiration comes from everywhere: “Creating music can really be therapy... and it can also be escapism.” Personal experiences, stories from loved ones, and even other art forms all feed into her writing.
And while her voice is her signature, her versatility sets her apart. “I love to experiment and play around with melodies and harmonies using the lowest notes in my range as well as my higher range.” It’s this duality - softness and strength, comfort and curiosity - that makes her music feel like a safe space. “I’d love for fans to perceive my music as a safe space,” she says. One listener once told her that her song warmth “felt like a hug,” and that feedback meant everything: “I was so glad because that was my intention.”
Her latest milestone is one she’s particularly proud of: her new EP Four Nights in LA, created during a whirlwind trip earlier this year. “I think it was the first time I felt truly ‘free’ when creating... In LA I was able (even if only for 4 days) to be a full-time artist, and I felt hungry!” The project also led to her first US performance - a moment that marks the beginning of a new chapter.
Her current favourite track? Pouring Down. “I think it was just so fun to make and I’m obsessed with the Bass!”
Collaboration is another space she thrives in. “While it can be a bit scary sometimes, I love collaborating with other artists.” And if she could choose anyone? “I would LOVE to collaborate with H.E.R... I think I’d learn so much from a session with her.”
Despite her growing momentum, Monifé balances artistry with a demanding full-time career. “I’m actually also a Specialist Biomedical Scientist and that is my full-time job.” The juggle is real - “I don’t LOL” - but she makes it work: “Your girl is tired, but very grateful.”
Her goals moving forward are rooted in growth: sharpening her pen, refining her voice, elevating her performance, and exploring genre-crossing features. She’s already becoming more intentional with her sound and image, and she’s excited to push those boundaries.
And if you’ve ever seen fans sing her lyrics back to her, you’ll understand why she does this. “It warms my heart so much.”
With Four Nights in LA freshly released and new music already in the works, Monifé is stepping into a season of expansion - and her performance at Soul Mama on 21 July is set to be a standout moment. As she puts it: “Thank you for having me, I can’t wait to perform on the 21st at Soul Mama!”
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