Masayah

About

" Bringing classic hip hop into the 21st century "

Masayah ’s tale is a classic hip-hop breakthrough story, one you might read at the top of a lengthy Wikipedia page detailing the successful career of a 1990s diva, except it’s set in today’s age of streaming and social clout. Coming from the streets and a difficult life, she’s channelled her experiences and emotions into slinky RnB-inflected hip hop, shot through with outspoken, explicit rap lyrics. It’s a sound that knows where it’s coming from, paying the appropriate tribute to the golden age of hip hop while updating it with the fresh directness of today’s rising urban stars.

By not pulling any punches, believing in herself and finding strength in life’s hardest lessons – scrapping her already finished debut album following the death of her father and starting anew is just one such example – Masayah has experienced a meteoric rise, to put it mildly. Her first single ever shot to hundreds of thousands of streams, her debut album ‘Zavedno’ is a bestseller, her launch concert sold out one of Slovenia’s premier concert venues, and she won a national award for Newcomer of the Year. This was all before she turned 22, mind, and in a country where rap music has generally lagged behind other genres when it comes to commercial success. Oh, and throw in a collaborative album of rebellious Slovenian poetry set to beats while you’re at it as well.

Frankly, it’s hard to imagine a lot of people had the rise of a soulful, streetwise diva from a small town on the Slovenian coast on their 2023 bingo card. But one of them was clearly the most important one, Masayah herself, and she’s showing no signs of slowing down. Time to put her on your bingo card – and your playlist.