_{Image Credits: Daniel Sannwald}

“The orchid is the national flower of Colombia, and we have more species of orchid than anywhere on earth,” Uchis says. “I always felt distinctly intrigued and magnetized by the flower. This album is inspired by the timeless, eerie, mystic, striking, graceful and sensual allure of the orchid. With this vast scope of fresh energy, I wish to re-define the way we look at Latinas in music.”

Her fans, the self-proclaimed ‘Kuchis’ ( no, the phonetic pronunciation is no accident), got a snippet of this reimagining in August with Muñekita. In the single, her signature soft vocals are braided with the fast pulsing rhythm of Dominican dembow singer El Alfa and City Girls’ JT’s sharp rap.

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Living between Virginia and Colombia, Uchis first garnered attention with her mixtape Drunken Bubble in 2012, which she wrote and recorded on her laptop the night before uploading it to DatPiff. Despite her inmigrant’s family condemning her career choice, she’s since become a Billboard Latin Music Award winner, toured all over the world, and collaborated with major artists like SZA, Gorillaz, Jorja Smith, Diplo, Major Lazer, and Snoop Dogg. Her festival sets always gather devoted throngs, everywhere from Tropicalia and Governors Ball to Austin City Limits, and Lollapalooza. Uchis’ Coachella headlining show this April was even one of the event’s top-billed performances.

Image Credits: Daniel Sannwald

Uchis loves to explore the diaspora and female archetypes she was raised with through her art. In a blend of Spanish and English, the singer constantly reconceptualising what it means to be a Latinx woman through spirituality and stereotypes. Whether it’s via deities like Isis and Aphrodite or characters like the red-lipped femme fatale and the innocent woodland fairy, her transcending sound inspires us to embrace our divine femininity. The singer’s last exploration of love and womanhood, Red Moon In Venus, became her first Top 10 charting album and was featured in Best of 2023 lists from Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, Complex, and more. This combined with her signature silky vocals and soft melodies made her 2021 single ‘Telepatía’ become Billboard Hot 100’s longest-running Spanish song by a solo act this decade with a 23-week streak.

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At 29 years old, Kali Uchis has solidified herself as the sensual Latinx mother of R&B and soul. Orquídeas promises a new side of her– a fantasy we for one can’t wait to hear.

You can pre-save the album here:

https://kaliuchis.lnk.to/OrquideasPR

_{Words By Alexia De Las Haras}

_{^{Header Image By Daniel Sannwald}}

The post Kali Uchis Announces The Release Of Her Long-Awaited Fourth Album appeared first on Voir Fashion.

Charlotte Knowles

Charlotte Knowles London graduated from CSM in 2017 and has been steadily growing her brand since. The south London based brand is designed by Charlotte and her partner, Alexandre Arsenault. She chooses to highlight the female form, in making lingerie-esque clothing wearable as everyday garments. From Emma Corrin to Nicki Minaj, Dua Lipa, and even Beyonce have all been seen sporting her signature pieces. Knowles’ garments flatter femininity whilst adding interesting details like cut-outs, contrasting textures and peek-a-boo layers. 

£ 1329

KNWLS Serpent ruched blouse

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£ 705

KNWLS Halcyon-print asymmetric midi skirt

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£ 939

KNWLS cut-out denim mini dress

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Ashley Williams

Ashley Williams entered the fashion scene in 2013, with her first collection at London Fashion Week instantly receiving critical acclaim. Her clothes are an amalgamation of bold prints, Y2K graphics, and feminine silhouettes. Olivia Rodrigo, Dua Lipa, and Anwar Hadid have been seen in the bright clothing of Ashley Williams. The combination of ultra-feminine hearts and bows with vulgarity and deconstructed garments makes each her style loud and beautiful.  

£ 330

Ashley Williams Bow and Music Notes Knit Vest

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£ 1400

Ashley Williams Lattice Dress

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£ 938

Ashley Williams Love Me cut-out heart top

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Mowalola Ogunlesi

Mowalola Ogunlesi is a Nigerian-born designer, working and living in London. Mowalola attended Central Saint Martins and created a ’70s Nigerian rock scene-inspired menswear collection entitled ‘Psychedelic’. Her provocative style and rock influences have gained the designer commercial and critical success, impressing at London Fashion Week 2019. Definitely a name to follow, Mowalola is the creative director of Kanye West’s YZY X GAP collaboration. Her vibrant graphics, psychedelic visuals and bold colour palettes are instantly recognisable – the perfect garments to add to your wardrobe to ensure a statement.

£ 50

Mowalola Puff Puff Trucker Hat

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£ 200

Mowalola The Simple Life Bag

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£ 158

Mowalola Homecoming Heat graphic-print T-shirt

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Priya Ahluwalia

Ahluwalia was launched in 2018 by Priya Ahluwalia, the brand represents the intersection between near and far, past and present. The label has a creative approach that combines Priya’s Indian-Nigerian heritage and London roots, whilst exploring the limits of vintage and surplus fabrics to create one-of-a-kind pieces. Recently collaborating with Ganni and Mulberry, Ahluwalia is making waves in the fashion industry, introducing a more sustainable approach to garment making.

£ 1095

Mulberry x Ahluwalia Portobello embroidery patchwork tote

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£ 715

Ahluwalia Joy Wavy loose-fit trousers

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£ 370

AHLUWALIA Robyn organic cotton poplin shirt

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Poster Girl

POSTER GIRL founders, Francesca Capper and Natasha Somerville met while studying womenswear design at Central Saint Martins in London. The garments are created to empower women, whilst proving ultra femininity is not something to reject. The founders’ vast background in designer houses comes across in their knowledge of fabrics, textures, and clothing construction. If you are looking for interesting silhouettes, cut-outs and unique garments, then POSTER GIRL is where you need to shop.

£ 155

Poster Girl Anita Dress

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£ 155

Poster Girl Charlotte Dress

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£ 89

Poster Girl Miranda Dress

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Words by Caitlin Sahin , Graphics by Emily Chapillon

_{Photo Credit: @mowalola @charlotteknowleslondon @ashleywilliamslondon}

The post The Women Behind London Fashion appeared first on Voir Fashion.

For the first time in 29 years of the Mercury Music Prize, there are more female nominees than males on the shortlist. Decided by a panel of independent judges including famous names like Jorja Smith, Annie Mac, and Jamie Cullum, female artists and female-led bands outnumber men 7:5 for the position of Album of The Year, the previous highest being the reverse.

In celebration of this feat, here’s what you need to know about these brilliant nominees and their albums. We are feeling some serious girl power here.

Charli XCX – How I’m Feeling Now

Charli XCX is best known for tracks such as 1999 and Boom Clap and Vroom Vroom and has a futuristic pop sound. Her fourth album how i’m feeling now was released in May and was written and produced throughout lockdown, documented here and there by Charli’s ‘workshop’ live streams. The album was described by Vinyl Me, Please as ‘a snapshot of a present moment’ and contains themes of boredom, young love and having fun.

Enemy (How I’m Feeling now) CharliXCX

Dua Lipa – Future Nostalgia

Since the singer’s debut album in 2017, Dua Lipa has produced multiple pop anthems such as ‘Hotter Than Hell’, ‘New Rules’ and ‘One Kiss’, wholly modern and wholly commercial. Dua’s March album, Future Nostalgia, takes a slight turn from her typical sound, bringing retro vibes and influences from No Doubt, Outkast and Prince. The album is a non-stop party playlist and even though it strays from the usual sounds of Mercury shortlists, it is well-deserving of the nomination.

Future Nostalgia Dua Lipa

Laura Marling – Songs For Our Daughter

Laura Marling is a British folk singer song-writer and ex-member of indie noughties band Noah And The Whale. Her delicate voice and poetic lyrics make Songs For Our Daughter just as timeless and intoxicating as the previous six studio albums. This dedication to a figurative daughter will be Marling’s fourth Mercury nomination.

Laura Marling, Song For Our Daughter

Anna Meredith – FIBS

Scottish composer Anna Meredith enters the shortlist with her second album, released back in October. The former BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra composer and MBE holder create a contemporary mix of orchestral and electronic with vocal and acoustic elements. FIBS is an album of brilliant and chaotic sound, an interesting listen and one befitting of the Mercury nominations

Anna Meredith- Inhale Exhale (FIBS)

Porridge Radio – Every Bad

This Brighton rock band, fronted by singer-songwriter Dana Margolin, perfectly adheres to the modern indie genre with almost conversational, raspy vocals and melancholy guitar parts.

The band’s nomination is for their second album Every Bad, celebrating the existential lyrics and melodic complexity of these particular tracks, and commending the almost gothic, very British sound of the band in general.

Porridge Radio, Sweet (Every Bad)

Georgia – Seeking Thrills

Singer and producer Georgia Barnes takes inspiration from the 80s and 90s techno and house, as she follows in her father’s (Neil Barnes from 90s electronic duo Leftfield) footsteps with this brilliant electropop album. Seeking Thrills really is thrill-seeking – upbeat, feel good, and well-composed tracks.

Georgia Started Out (Seeking Thrills)

Lanterns On The Lake – Spook The Herd

Indie-folk five-piece Lanterns On The Lake have returned with their fourth studio album that comments on current issues such as the environment and social media, in their typical mournful manner. The band is led by vocalist Hazel Wilde, who’s breathy voice ties the band’s orchestral rock sound together in perfect harmony.

Lanterns on the Lake, Every Atom (Spook The Herd)

The remaining nominees include Stormzy’s Heavy Is The Head, Kano’s Hoodies All Summer and Sports Team’s Deep Down Happy, making the shortlist a brilliant one.

Words by Daisy Greetham

Graphics by Georgia Walters

The post Mercury Music Prize: The Female Nominees you Need to Know About appeared first on Voir Fashion.