Urth Nose is meticulous about when she releases her music. When she dropped her first projects, 1. BE and 2. BREAK DOWN — a double album packaged as two separate releases — she had intended to release a third, tentatively titled PURPOSE. Once she realized it wasn’t ready, she soon changed her mind.
“I just wanted to get my space right,” she says. “It’s here, but it’s not here yet.”
Unlike her release schedule, she approaches making her music with a more spontaneous approach. She produces her own records, illustrating the DIY craftsmanship of rappers like Duwap Kaine, while emulating the spiritual query of acts like Erykah Badu and Smino, two artists who have heavily influenced her sound.
Much of Urth’s music are offshoots of soul and R&B music. She lays damp piano chords that flirt between melancholic and elation, grounded by rigid drums. She sings tenderly while panning and doubling her vocals to bring out their richness. Her lyrics are freestyled, never written.
“When the words came to me, they weren’t from me,” she says. “It was from whatever source is out there guiding my language.”
That’s where the charm shines through. When she mumbles repetitive mantras about a lover or a family member, it’s a call to be seen. Whether that call is answered is a different story, but she’s less concerned about acceptance and more concerned on being present, and getting things off her chest. Urth treats her music like a spiritual diary; whether she’s writing, freestyling, or vocalizing, she’s nurturing the psyche.
Urth wants her music to be a vessel for others. Because her lyrics come from personal experiences, she believes they can help listeners resonate with her and connect within.
“Be yourself. I know for me, it’s something I have to consciously do. I want to encourage people to relax in their bodies and be themselves. Be you.”
Between the release of her two projects, working on PURPOSE and a few live appearances, Urth is looking toward making ambitious steps to elevate her career. She plans on shooting and releasing music videos, as well as building a campaign around her music. She hopes it would be enough to sustain a full career as a musician.
“I would love to live off this and take it far,” she says.
In support of her new albums, Urth will be performing at The Friday Night Cipher at the Buffalo Art House Project on Dec. 12 for their Season 3 finale. Tickets can be purchased here, and her music is available on the following streaming services: Apple Music, Spotify and SoundCloud.
The arts desk can be reached at arts@ubspectrum.com
