Uma's track titled Golden was created for a Sunday afternoon, as she combines elements of hip-hop, r&b, soul, and jazz. Her music is simple, capturing a melancholy tone with underlying musical complexities. Hailing from Los Angeles, Uma was raised by a Colombian mother who ran an Ayurvedic clinic. Using the space and creative freedom that was given to her by her family, Uma crafts music that is truly original and truly Uma. Read on to learn more about her inspirations, creative process, heritage, and new music.
Are you from Los Angeles originally? How did growing up in LA affect your songwriting and style?
Yep, I was born and raised in LA, under the palm trees, next to the ocean. I think growing up in LA affected my songwriting in the sense that it gave me space. It’s not the kind of ‘in-your-face’ city that NYC or London is, both of which I have also lived in, so I had the chance to create my own little bubble of a world filled with all the things that inspired me. I could just live in it, uninterrupted, with my guitar and my keyboard.
Your name is so cool and beautiful! What is its origin?
Oooo! Thank you! So Uma is actually my middle name, although it's not officially on any birth certificate. My parents didn’t want my initials to be PUS, thank god! It means a few things in a few different cultures, but the meaning I identify with the most is the Hindu translation. It’s the name of the goddess Parvati, and translates to “tranquility,” “splendor,” “fame” and “night” in Hindu culture. I didn’t really look into the meaning that deeply until after I started releasing music under that name, but I feel like I’ve been growing into it. My mom runs an Ayurvedic clinic which is an ancient Indian system of healing that uses massage, herbs, oil, and diet to heal and balance the body. Indian culture has always been a part of my life and I’m excited to be able to bring a little bit of that into my music.
When did your parents emigrate to the U.S.?
My dad a second generation immigrant so his family has been in US for a while, but my mom is Colombian. She was born and raised in Bogota, Colombia and moved to the U.S. for grad school in her late 20s and has been here ever since! So I grew up speaking Spanish and visiting family in Colombia, which has definitely influenced who I am as an artist and person. Having access to another language, culture, world, style of music and history is pretty transformative, and I am so grateful I get to bring some of those elements into my music and my life!
Tell me about writing "Golden." Is there a story behind it?
“Golden" is really special to me. I first wrote it on a dare. My producer and friend Virtue, sent me the track and told me that if I wrote something better than what he had written, it was mine. I remember staying up all night sinking into it and just letting the words come to me. It started out simply. I was in a half relationship, feeling like I’d given it all that I could give on my own, just waiting for that other person to show up and, well, let it be gold.
I released ”Golden” on a New Moon, a small moment when the side of the moon that is invisible to us is lit up by the sun, illuminating our own invisible sides including our feelings, thoughts, desires. This is a moment where we can start fresh, let go, and set our desires into motion. For me, "Golden” had come to represent just that: a call for desire to turn into conscious action and to settle into gold. I’ll also add that Golden is essentially layers and layers of waiting for more, waiting to open yourself up, waiting to taste something wonderful, waiting for something to shift, waiting for when you’ve done all you can do except wait.
Who are some of your influences?
My influences are all over the map, but I grew up listening to Joni Mitchell (the ultimate songstress), Ella Fitzgerald, Chet Baker, Diana Krall, Fiona Apple, and Patty Griffin, all of whom I feel like are reflected in the music I make. I actually made this playlist recently and filled it up with other amazing artists I am listening to and inspired by:
Your Facebook page says you are currently based in New York? Was moving there everything you expected and has it brought you new inspiration?
So I was living in New York for a couple years post school and it was incredible! I saw so much live music, met so many incredibly talented musicians and had arguably too much fun. It was definitely an exciting time for me musically, I was playing a few shows a month, and really just sank into how I saw myself as a musician. I live in LA now though, and am loving it because I have way more time and space to be alone and write, which I kind of missed while living in New York.
Can we look forward to any upcoming projects from you?
Yes! I have so much music backlogged right now and can’t wait to finish it up and get it out into the world. I’ve been struggling with the idea of just letting go of the music I make, and not needing to make it perfect.
Have you faced any obstacles navigating the music industry because you are a woman?
Wow definitely. Unfortunately, the industry still feels like a bit of a man’s world. Most musicians and industry people I work with are men and while most of them are awesome and supportive, there are definitely moments where I’ve come up against a serious divide. I think it's slowly changing though. With amazing women like you bringing light to the cool things other women are doing, and women in the industry supporting each other and standing up for themselves.
What is some advice you would give to other girls who want to be musicians?
Be nice, but be fierce. You have to be the kind of artist that comes from the heart but believes fiercely in her own art and her own ability to succeed. At every point, you have to be your biggest fan and your biggest critic. Sometimes that's terrifying and feels weird, but if you believe in the power of y
our art, so will someone else.
