Introducing Rachel Foxx, the singer-songwriter redefining the UK’s contemporary Neo-Soul landscape
Photography by Kim Lang
Creative Direction & Styling by Kashmir Wickham
Above: Rachel wears full tracksuit by Daily Paper, Vest by Weekday, Boxers by Supreme, Trainers by Nike
Words & Interview by Sunayah Arshad
Born and raised in eclectic East London, singer-songwriter Rachel Foxx embraces music as a channel of creativity and self-expression, inviting her audience into personal moments of her journey. We discuss her Nigerian-Lebanese roots, touching on her experience growing up as a mixed-race woman in London and how she found her feet in the male-dominated UK urban music scene.
Reminiscing on some of her earliest memories with music, Rachel tells us how she grew up listening to the likes of Usher, Joe and Donnell Jones, thanks to her mother’s love for R&B. Drawn to performing and recording music from an early age, she recalls, “I remember recording my first ever song as a kid with my music teacher in primary school. I recorded with two of my friends and we played it to the whole class - it was so embarrassing. We had no idea what we were doing!” What started out as a bit of fun later became a regular and pivotal occurrence in her career as a musician. “I used to write songs at 2am in my bedroom then record at my friend’s house. I uploaded two songs to Soundcloud and that's how I got discovered. One day I checked my stats and it had thousands of plays.” A few years down the line and her career highlights now include a standout COLORS performance, sold-out show at Camden Assembly and her first international festival. With a limited presence of womxn at the forefront of the industry, Rachel touches on the importance of representation and making her mark “There is a lack of womxn in the UK music scene, particularly from these [Nigerian / Lebanese] backgrounds. As womxn, we need to build our own spaces and embrace each other. ”
Photography by Kim Lang
Creative Direction & Styling by Kashmir Wickham
Above: Rachel wears bra by Nike, Tracksuit bottoms by Lydia Bolton
Influenced by her experience living in East London, combined with her Nigerian-Lebanese heritage, Rachel aims to celebrate her hybrid identity. “I enjoy tapping into both sides and being from two total different places. I think I have both sets of morals within me, be it that my father is from a predominantly Islamic country and my mother from West Africa...My parents are first generation, so they pretty much installed my culture inside of me.” Praising East London for being an eclectic hub of culture and creativity, Rachel recognises, “It’s a mixture of everything. It’s hipster, it’s hood, it’s artistic. I feel like this was the best place for me growing up as I could freely express myself through my art.”
With her nostalgic, Neo-Soul sound that reminds us of Lauryn Hill, Toni Braxton and Jill Scott, Rachel brings something special to the contemporary UK music scene. Her music flaunts velvet-like vocals, which, combined with her intimate lyrics and mellow beats, creates a recipe for the perfect feel-good love song. We ask how her music serves as an outlet for these more personal elements. “Everyone who knows me knows I’m not really one to talk about feelings in day to day conversation. Music allows me to exert that side of myself without having to confide in anyone or have that awkward conversation.” Though some in the public eye may prefer to conceal these moments, Rachel says, “I love sharing personal experiences with my audience because it shows we are all human and feel the same emotions. I want my music to touch people. I want people to relate to the lyrics but most of all I want my songs to make people feel happy.”
Photography by Kim Lang
Creative Direction & Styling by Kashmir Wickham
Having just released her highly anticipated EP Fluorescent, which explores a selection of vibes from funk to UKG, Rachel looks forward to embracing the performance side of her work post-COVID and hosting her annual Christmas soiree - ‘Foxxmas’.
Listen to the new eight-track EP here and discover more from Rachel at @rachelfoxxinc