Calgary alternative R&B singer Uyemi is finding her purpose and reflecting on being her best self with her new single “Mindful.”
In the accompanying video for the track, Uyemi takes a retro journey to align with her higher self through orange and yellow ’70s psychedelic sequences. The trippy imagery focuses on her transition away from toxicity and into a freeing and positive state of mind. She tells Complex Canada that it’s about healing: “’Mindful’ is a plea to protect your energy from unhealthy relationships and negative thinking,” she says. The new track appears on her upcoming EP, Butterfly Effect, due out Dec. 8.
We caught up with Uyemi to chat about the new video, her songwriting process, and Butterfly Effect.
What does being mindful mean to you?
You get to a place in your life as an adult where you realize you are in control of your life, to a certain extent. The things you can control, like the people you allow into your life, the messages you choose to consume, the words you speak to yourself—these things can help you live your life in the healthiest way possible. The older you get, the more mindful you have to be about things. And it’s in that process of self-care that you can really get your shit together.
What inspired you to write this song?
I got inspired by my own experiences. I had gained some clarity on some things in my life at the time and I started to understand the power of listening to my intuition. Doing this led me to understand that the people I surround myself with matters, and I really began to understand that we all have great wisdom to propel our lives into beautiful places.
How did you get into the headspace to shoot this video?
I was working with Alimzhan Sabir, who was a great force in guiding me through the process of relaying my emotions to really showcase my message in the song and what I was going through in my life. I loved the idea of channeling messages from my higher self to my lower frequency self in different ways.
How does this song fit into the EP?
The Butterfly Effect EP was a journey of allowing myself to say exactly what I felt about certain situations in my life. It was about letting go and being really vulnerable in sharing my emotions. Whether it was heartbreak, a breakthrough, or enjoying myself and making a great track, it became a short story of the experiences we go through in the beginning stages of really becoming an adult and learning what is for us and what is not. “Mindful” completes this book by adding the component of healing. We might lose friends along the way, but as we grow we eventually come back to a place of enjoyment and most importantly, a place where we can reflect on ourselves to become better versions.
What are some lyrics that stand out to you on the track?
“I’m thankful for everything that I’ve got/Whether it be money or a friend or insight/I hope that everything comes to me like I’ve decided.” I love this part specifically because it’s at the centre of mindfulness, which is about showing gratitude every day. I think the way we think or choose to look at things really impacts what our life will look like. When we decide our story, and begin to write it, beautiful things can be created.
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