Have you ever heard an album that flawlessly + seamlessly becomes the soundtrack to your life? Singer + songwriter Binta effortlessly wraps a vibe of honest lyrics with an addictively chill tone around you in her debut Ep LIMBO!
Originally born in London (Newham), England, Binta Binnet Phatty recognized her love for singing at the early age of 6 years old. After living in England for 8 years her family moved to her parents’ native country, The Gambia in west Africa. By 2010 they relocated to Ohio in the U.S. where Binta currently attends Ohio State University majoring in Journalism and Communication.
The 20 year-old songstress released her first single 3rd Eye in January 2020 + shortly after released her debut Ep LIMBO on April 5th.
LIMBO is a beautifully fit musical puzzle where each song adds a soulful piece that brings her art to life! There’s confidence + vulnerability that leaves you feeling empowered into expressing who you are with no apologies. Opening her EP with the song Moment of Honesty instantly sets the tone of authentic transparency we’ve all felt before and can relate to. And ending it with her song Pretty Petalunlocks a feeling of freedom to let go of all judgment towards ourselves. The EP takes you on a much-needed journey of self-love + self-discovery that will have you yearning for more!
Let’s get to know the beauty behind the music…
Limbo is such an authentic, carefree + honest mood all rolled into one! Where did you gain inspiration to pour into your EP?
I gained a lot of my influence from personal experiences, but artists like Jhene Aiko, Erykah Badu, Summer Walker definitely influenced my style of music. I wanted to create a piece of work that everyone could relate to in some form, whether it be falling in love for the first time, getting over heartbreak, owning your authentic self, and overcoming hardships.
Each song is strung together by a thread of beautiful vulnerability, how important is it to you to use your music as a form of self-expression?
I believe music is a window to your inner self, when I write or sing I want it to be a representation of me. I find that it is easier to talk about my experiences, goals, aspirations, or my feelings better in music form. At the time of writing limbo I felt as though I myself was in a state of Limbo. I didn’t feel free to express myself but as soon as I started to sing I felt I was the most honest with myself.
One of my fave songs is ‘Wild Child’ where you unapologetically own your authentic self + your worth, how were you able to evolve into confidently embracing who you are?
Wild Child is one of my favorites also! It took a couple of years for me to really embrace myself and realize my self worth. I had struggled with self esteem/ self confidence during middle school and my early high school years. But as I grew older I realized that in order for me to truly be content and at peace with myself I had to accept who I was flaws and all. I am thankful to have supportive parents that have instilled great values in me. My mom especially has always reminded me of my talents and self worth, it’s important to have a strong and loving support system.
Lingering love was also such a relatable topic throughout your songs. So many girls have felt like they’ve been in ‘Limbo’ in a love interest’s life, how does uncovering emotional ups and downs impact your lyrics?
I wanted to create a piece of work that was authentic to my personal experiences and at the same time something that people could relate to. At the time of writing limbo I was still in the process of learning about myself, and there were a lot of emotions involved. Each song I wrote, I wrote during different phases of my journey. At times I felt anxious, sad, elated etc but it was necessary to include. We all experience things that trigger a variety of emotions and I wanted to be open and transparent, there are days that I feel like I’m on top of the world and other days where I’m a bit down. These are all normal things to experience in life and I felt I wouldn’t be true to myself if I didn’t include all parts of my experience.
Your EP gave me a feeling of someone singing straight from our personal journals! Thoughts that always swirl in our heads but we might not always say, why is self-love important in the journey of becoming and evolving?
Self love is extremely important, and that was something that took me a while to develop and am still developing. It is not an easy process but when you love yourself wholeheartedly, you begin to see things differently.
“All of my songs have a personal meaning and when I write I tell my truths and I know that there are others out there that can relate and by writing music/singing. I’m able to not only raise awareness about things we all face but relate to my audience. My culture and heritage plays a huge part in my life and also has an impact in my music influence/ taste which is why I love to tell people I’m Gambian hopefully one day I can do my country proud 🇬🇲.”
