We caught up with the rising R&B/soul artist to hear about a brand-new live album recorded at Band on the Wall in Manchester.
Hi Rumbi, great to catch up! How are things with you?
It’s always a pleasure, thank you for having time to chat with me! I’m doing well, really enjoying the days where there’s rest involved.
Let’s talk about ‘Live in Manchester.’ Was a live EP something you’d always wanted to create?
Absolutely. I just didn’t anticipate I’d be ticking this off so soon! I had a headline sold-out show at Band on the Wall on 19th January this year, and we decided the day before to record the show. Now, we’re releasing half of that live show on the 5-track EP and it still feels like such a dream. I put so much love and thought into my live shows and I’m excited for people to have my R&B/soul experience wherever they are in the world.
What were your biggest sources of inspiration for these tracks? What stories did you want to tell?
The 5-track EP includes 4 previously released tracks: ‘Take Care’, ‘Lost’, ‘Refocused’, and ‘Storm’ alongside one new track ‘Pressure.’ I wanted to take time to honour the journey so far by releasing these reimagined live versions of my songs. Moving away from that polished soulful sound into a raw soulful feel during the live show. The EP narrative covers themes of self-discovery, faith, love, and hurt.
In 2020, you released your first EP ‘The Process.’ How do you feel your music has evolved since your debut?
I feel that my music feels a lot more free; maybe that’s subjective because they’re my own creations. However, I feel so connected to the words I’ve been writing lately. I really appreciate the feedback I receive when people hear my music and say that it connects to a situation they’re going through right now.
With a packed schedule of live shows coming up, what do you most look forward to when performing for an audience?
I’m currently working on my November tour dates [Manchester, Sheffield and Leeds]. For those shows, I look forward to taking my audiences on a journey, exploring different emotions together.
What do you hope listeners will take away from the EP?
From the EP, I hope people feel connected to the themes being explored. Also, I hope by the end song ‘Storm,’ everyone feels the joy we felt on the stage as we were closing the show. Finally, I hope listeners feel inspired to go ahead and create anything they feel has been on their mind for a long time.
The ‘Live in Manchester EP’ is out now. Follow @rumbitauro on Instagram for more.
