Kmbrly - Helta Skelta - ThatWeirdMusic

Introducing enigmatic Nigerian songstress, Kmbrly

Hailing from Jos, the capital of Plateau State in Nigeria, Kmbrly emerges as a young and gifted musician, capable of translating her imaginative thoughts and impeccable songwriting into incredible genre-fluid music. This is no mean feat, as we’ve seen that a lot of artistes struggle to write their own music. However, budding singer and songwriter, Kmbrly does this act with relative ease, showcasing her enviable ability to brilliantly piece words together.

At age 17, fueled by her ever-growing creative skills, she decided to venture into music, and after a few years, dropped her first single, “Slowly,” back in January, 2022. The track came across as a seductive Afro-Rnb sweet confection of eargasmic proportion. Within the space of three minutes and sixteen seconds, Kmbrly blessed the ears of fortunate listeners with her soft and sugary vocals, giving music lovers and brand new fans a taste of what was to come.

Sticking with her friend and collaborator, Flexbeatz, who produced “Slowly,” Kmbrly returned two months later with “Helta Skelta,” a track that could be termed as one of the best releases of the past year. She does not disappoint her expectant fanbase, serving up a record that rightly sets her up as one to watch.

The single, “Helta Skelta” begins with a solid but intermittent beat, as Kmbrly makes her entrance, backed by a quite simplistic and unfiltered vocal delivery. Steady drum kicks step into the fray, giving the track a proper rhythm and preparing listeners for the chorus. Effortlessly smooth and soothing backing vocals fill up the soundscape as the chorus ensues, providing a dreamy but eerie feeling to the song. Verse two comes around and it’s quite a brief showing, as she swiftly returns to deliver the chorus once more, before the track concludes with the pre-chorus.

Lyrically, “Helta Skelta” stems from the viewpoint of a jilted lover, ready to make her move for revenge. Lines such as “prepare for the verdict” and the chorus, “see you’re running, who’s chasing you,” are cold and calculating, painting a vivid and accurate picture of the situation at hand. After being lied to and toyed with, it’s now Kmbrly’s turn to take control and make her past lover feel all the negative emotions she went through. The best lyric comes in the second verse, as she calmly delivers the line, “you should beg for mercy, before you meet the jury,” underscoring the gravity of the actions perpetrated against her, as she searches for some sort of remorse from her past lover, before delivering her judgement.

Wonderfully crafted with a potent message behind it, “Helta Skelta” is sonically a breath of fresh air. Transcending several genres, it’s the sort of record that will leave listeners in awe, with its authenticity and relatability. Regardless of how far Kmbrly goes in her career, “Helta Skelta” will always be seen as her breakthrough hit, and rightly so. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself running helter skelter to hit the replay button, just know that you’re not alone.

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Get to know Kmbrly in our extensive interview with the rising star. Watch it all below!