REHMA

you & me

Rehma is a Los Angeles-based R&B and alternative pop artist who has been captivating listeners with her dreamy and reflective music for over eight years. However, Rehma has been passionate about music since she was a child, “I gravitated towards singing and music from a young age, and my mother said I started singing when I was 2 years old. As I got older, I enrolled myself in choir and continued that mostly through college. I started writing my own songs when I was 10 and started releasing music on Soundcloud a few years later. My first project was ‘Mercy’, which came out in 2020,” shares Rehma. Her soulfully smooth vocals are woven in with jazzy and alt R&B beats, creating a dreamy experience that is transcendent and powerful. With major releases predominantly in English or a mix of Urdu and English, Rehma has garnered a dedicated following, with 66 per cent of her listeners being female. “A lot of my music stems from very serious emotions, but maintains an upbeat energy. I like to call it ‘moody booty music’,” expresses Rehma who is currently working on her next project– ‘Anomaly’. Let’s see what are the likes and dislikes of this talented artist who is also Spotify’s singer of the month. Read on…

What is your specialised field of singing?

Choirs in the US mostly train classically, so that’s where I really got my start. My vocal style is a mix of opera, jazz, and blues.

What is your most memorable concert to date?

I performed at Brandeis University a few years ago. Their South Asian Student Association put together all this funding to get me out there. That performance came at a time when I really needed it, so that support meant the world to me.

How does it feel to be the Ambassador of the Month for EQUAL Pakistan?

It is an honour, and I don’t take it lightly at all. All my work as an artist in the diaspora is to put my community on wherever I am. This feels like a reinforcement of everything and reminds me why I make music in the first place. I am so proud of Pakistan and the infrastructure it is building and growing to support its creatives, especially a canvas like EQUAL Pakistan on a platform like Spotify. It’s time we show the world what Pakistan and South Asia in general are capable of.

How important do you think such initiatives are for women artists of our country?

It’s a chance to defy everything they’ve been told they can’t do – a testament to their resilience. Pakistani women have immense value to add to conversations about empowerment, and their music helps fuel a better understanding of women worldwide.

Tell us about your song that is being featured on the EQUAL Pakistan playlist…

‘Hypnotic’ was added to the playlist, and I think it’s one of the best songs for someone to start their journey into my world. ‘Hypnotic’ is the first single off of my next project. It’s an empowering song that comes from my realisation at the start of my project: that I'm allowed to take up space. The more we take up space, the more we make room for other women to do so as well.

Have you released any music albums so far?

I have not released an album, but I released an EP titled ‘Mercy’ in 2020. ‘Anomaly’ is the next chapter.

Top 3 songs in your playlist?

‘Sad in Pali’ by Elyanna, ‘Chix’ by Jai Paul, and ‘Bansa 7aly’ by Bayou.

Your favourite international music celebrity?

Rosalia.

Who is your icon in the music industry?

Rihanna.

What was the role of music in your early years of life?

It was my peace. It was one thing that felt certain and like mine. My fondest memories of my family are of us sharing music with each other.

Who was your favourite jazz/pop star when you were growing up or in your teens?

Rihanna was my favourite pop star. Amy Winehouse was my favourite jazz star. Ariana Grande in my late teens was my favourite.

What was the first instrument that you learned to play?

I never learned how to play any instruments but I loved playing piano which was self-taught.

Your most irritating habit…

The desire to eat insane amounts of salt and spice in my food.

You don’t like people who are…

Close-minded.

Your most valuable possession?

My laptop.

You are afraid of…

Jadedness.

Your all-time favourite movie?

Right now it’s ‘Gangubai’.

Are you a shopaholic?

No.

What bores you the most?

Western-oriented education.

You are crazy about…

Hot Cheetos.

How do you like to spend your Sundays?

Cleaning and staying at home.

What is your favourite tune nowadays?

‘Numb’ by Clams Casino.

If you could have a musician tag along with you on tour, whom would you choose?

Amira Jazeera.

Your favourite pastime?

Watching movies.

If you had access to a time machine, which era would you revisit?

The utopian era.

Who do you see as your main competitor?

Myself.

Do you agree that it is important to learn and understand old music and its history?

Yes, I think it’s vital to one’s approach to modern music. To be in the future, one must remember one's past.

Song that always gets you on the dance floor?

‘Chances’ by Kaytranada.

What’s the last thing you bought?

A neck and back massager.

What books are on your bedside table?

‘Women & Other Monsters’ by Jess Zimmerman.

First thing you do when you wake up in the morning?

Make eye contact with my meowing cat.

When I am not working, I am usually…

Hanging out with my loved ones because work takes up all my time.

The most important relationship lesson you have learnt so far…

All you can do is focus on right now.

You get super uncomfortable when…

I drink coffee on an empty stomach.

Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?

Doing shows across the world.

Something very few people know about you…

I have a cat named Shadow. Her nickname is Dodo.

What’s your ultimate desire?

To see a free world. To see humanity win.