Cape Town’s Gemma Fassie shares her journey of self-discovery and musical innovation in her new single, "What You Want." Picture: Supplied
The Cape Town music scene has unleashed yet another gem in Gemma Fassie, a talented singer-songwriter and content creator who is making waves with her latest single, "What You Want," a powerful song that perfectly captures the feeling of clarity following a breakup.
The single draws inspiration from iconic artists such as Aaliyah, and contemporary influences like Victoria Monet.
She shares that she’s glad she's released the song now, as she had been working on it for two years. At the time, she did not yet have the "feel" of the song and was not confident enough to release it then. However, seeing people’s reactions now shows her how timeless the song is.
“I was going through a breakup when we wrote this song, and I needed to find myself and my sound. But I’m happy that the breakup led me to create this song because it made me realise that I was actually staying in something that didn’t deserve my time,” she says.
She describes herself as a "breath of fresh air" in the industry, incorporating elements of Afro into her R&B sound which is something not often seen.
“My music is a great representation of my personality. It’s all over the place: some songs are very sad, some are upbeat, and some have Afro influences. My music is whatever I want it to be or whatever you want it to be in your world where you exist,” she says.
As an emerging artist, she feels that the industry is changing. Social media has made it easier for creatives to reach out to one another, and younger artists are able to receive guidance regarding record labels and the overall "music industry rulebook" from more experienced artists. For her, that mentor is musician Msaki.
Fassie’s love for music led her to write songs at the early age of 13, and after picking music as her subject in high school and performing at open mics all over Cape Town, she also learned how to become an independent engineer.
In 2020 she released her debut single titled "Best Life” which was followed by her 3 track EP “After Hours.” She was also nominated for a Basadi In Music Award in 2023.
Her musical influence comes from her notable last name, "Fassie." The late iconic Brenda Fassie, her grandfather’s sister, was her great-aunt.
She shares that her last name does not make her feel pressured to live up to any standard, but rather reminds her that she can achieve anything.
“For me, that’s a blueprint and a reminder that as a little Black, mixed-race girl, I can achieve anything,” she says.
She adds that when Bongani Fassie - the late iconic singer’s son - posted about her on social media, it was a little overwhelming, but it reminded her that singing is in her blood and is her God-given talent.
Fassie shares that both old-school and new-age R&B influence her sound today. She adds that growing up, her mother listening to the likes of Janet Jackson and Whitney Houston shaped her vocals and range. Singing along to their songs broadened her tone and ear for music.
Her modern-day influences include US R&B artists like H.E.R., Jhené Aiko, Kehlani, and Victoria Monét, to name a few.
Shekhinah, Lordkez, and Skye Wanda are some of the local singers she would love to collaborate with, and in production, she hopes to work with Black Coffee or Zakes Bantwini, especially as she wants to explore the Afro-tech world.
IOL