Tess Interviews Asha Imuno (Article)
“My world is the intersection of many different worlds”
-Asha Imuno
Fresh off the presses of Asha Imuno’s debut album “Pins & Needles”, our very own Tess Medeiros sat with him to pick his brain about the project, touring with Berhana, his creative processes, and all things in between. Press play on the new project then keep scrolling below to learn about the multi-talented young artist with wisdom beyond his years.
Tess Medeiros (TM): “PINS & NEEDLES” is the name of your latest release. The name alone is compelling. In doing research, I heard you explain the meaning behind the title and I really enjoyed your answer. Could you elaborate on the meaning of “PINS & NEEDLES” for the people who might be tuning in for the first time?
PINS & NEEDLES comes from the idea of embracing contrast in the experience of living and growing. We need moments to laugh, cry, celebrate, isolate, receive love, confuse ourselves and repeat the process all over again. It’s all part of the journey of finding home.
Could you also explain what the album cover means in relation to the title?
Asha Imuno (AI): The artwork is an homage to my literal home, my family. The little one you see resting under the blanket is my nephew Yasiel. My sister, his auntie, took the original photo in the middle of them playing when he took a moment to rest, still awake. It sounds crazy but something about that little moment, the purity of Yasi being the next generation, his stillness, reminds me so much of my purpose— to play, grow, nurture my family and lead by example.
TM: If you could pick one song off of “PINS & NEEDLES” that really captures the essence of the theme of the album, which song would it be?
AI: It's a tough pick, the album is meant to feel like a spectrum so I don't know that one moment has it all there at once. If I did have to pick though, I would probably say CLEMENTINE. It's the most bittersweet, butterflies meets pit in your stomach, unrequited love song I ever wrote over 808s and upright piano. It hurts but it feels like a hug.
TM: How did you land on the collaborators you used for the project? (bLAck pARTy, Tempest, WESTSIDE BOOGIE, Wakai, & Rizz Capolatti). Did you automatically know who you wanted on what record?
AI: It came together pretty organically. Wakai, Rizz, and Tempest are all artists I had genuinely been a fan of long before we got introduced through mutual friends so when it came time to lock in features it was all no brainers. Me, Zach Ezzy & my A&R Gary at Guin had been cooking for a while to find the right voice for each feature. Gary introduced me to Tempest and WESTSIDE BOOGIE, they had all been longtime friends. We were in the studio with Temp when Gary got the idea to see if BOOGIE was down to jump on the record and he hit back immediately. I was pretty lit, I had been listening to bro since I was in highschool.
Photo taken by SDE Images / Dope Concepts Media
TM: Off the strength of your music, you’ve been able to explore a lot of new places for the first time. What’s been your favorite stop(s) so far?
AI: Being on the road, we didn’t get to see all the sights but we made some wherever we could find it. Toronto was a highlight for sure, I wanna see what it's like in the summer. Me & the homies walked around downtown near the CN tower and everything. Being in the barbershop the day Drake dropped the Push-Ups shit as a Cali native was hilarious.
TM: You’re currently on tour supporting Berhana. How did it feel to get that call & what has the experience been like so far?
AI: I feel like touring has been the highlight of my life so far. Me, my DJ Noah, my stylist/creative director Mikhail, and my tour manager Gurshan have been riding around in a van, 13 hours at a time just cracking jokes and seeing things for the first time altogether. Making new fans in cities I’ve never been to, moving around with the bros, perfecting the set— it's a dream. I was walking through a bazaar looking at cowboy boots or something when my team zoom called me with “some really good news”. I never would've anticipated it was gonna be the beginning of my first tour journey or that I would be supporting Berhana, also one of my favorite artists on the rise. It's been cool taking cues and learning from watching him do his thing every night city to city. It was cool to learn we’ve been fans of each other this whole time.
TM: In school, you were in jazz, concert & marching band. As a result you can play the trombone, mellophone & the accordion Do you ever incorporate yourself playing instruments into the production? Are there any other instruments you can play? Which is your favorite?
AI: Lmao yes I came up playing in 3 different music programs at the same time. My production style and the way we arrange my songs is heavily influenced by my jazz background for sure but over the past few years, I’ve locked in with some talented musicians that play way better than I ever did. Don't get me wrong I still play, but a lot of my sauce comes in with the drums, arrangement, and sample manipulation. All of the winds you hear on PINS are played by my brother Zach Ezzy & Joshua Childres. Crazy you mention the accordion though, I played a little for the outro “yasiel”.
TM: Despite coming from a musical background, a career in music was not something you necessarily thought of as your endgame. With aspirations of being an animator, sculptor or engineer, do you think we’ll ever see you find a way to meld some of these worlds together?
AI: I’ve never stopped dreaming of working on animation projects, scoring films and building things for people to hold in their hands. I founded this company called WAITINGROOM that my partners and I have introduced with an experiential performance art-driven live event series in LA, and I see it becoming a vehicle for a lot more when the time is right. For now I’m focused on learning more about experiences though.
Photo by SDE Images / Dope Concepts Media
TM: Now that you are pursuing music full time, does it feel like the right choice for you?
AI: There's been times early on that I felt like I might say fuck it and become a mechanic or go to barber school or something but I was born into a life of loving music. I couldn't imagine doing anything else right now. I’m thankful that people in different countries can connect with my story. I feel like I owe it to them and myself to do this til I can't anymore.
TM: How important is exploration to your creative process?
AI: I’m always exploring to stay inspired. New instruments and vocal techniques, spinning old vinyls at the crib, popping into jazz bars, checking out antique stores, running my fingers through fabrics in the art district and all types of weird shit like that. I obsess over my favorite things so much that if I’m not constantly finding new favorites I live in the moment so hard that I stagnate.
TM: What is the significance of the word “intersection” to the world of Asha Imuno?
AI: My world is the intersection of many different worlds. As a shorty, I wasnt all the way a jazz kid, or a skater punk kid, or with the kids in the streets or the academics or whatever, I was all of the above. As a black man in America, I appreciate how important it is to publicly reject the monolithic identity that culture creates for us, especially as entertainers. To answer the question, it's everything. My sound, style, fanbase— all growing intersections.
TM: You started working on “PINS & NEEDLES” before your first project, “Good News” (2020) was even finished. That’s years in the making. How does it feel to finally have it out in the world to be received?
AI: It's a lot to feel, even as I start work on what's coming next, I’m still processing it to be honest. It's a beautiful feeling, I’m proud as hell. When I started work on PINS I was bald, unsure of myself and unpolished but insatiably hungry to be heard. I got a full head of dreadlocks now lmao. And a lot more people behind me. Looking back on the photos and videos of the process it's like me and all the homies, my whole village, grew up amidst the 4 year journey. I just hope people get to live with this album and look back 4 years from now, transformed in their own way.
Photo by SDE Images / Dope Concepts Media
Stream “Pins & Needles” on all streaming platforms!