Amara-Fe – Venom Kiss (2025)
Coming from a musical background – on her paternal side, musicians Charlie Wilson and his brother, and on her maternal side, a relative who wrote music for Minnie Riperton – Amara-Fe holds a natural, generational talent to create music. Inspired by music and life in its entirety, she is, in her own words, “…someone who loves sounds, challenges and attempting new ideas…” This is our introduction to the US-based singer-songwriter, so I’m unsure what to expect from Amara-Fe. Join me as we delve into her track, ‘Venom Kiss’.
Taken off Amara-Fe’s latest album, SHIFT, ‘Venom Kiss’ is part of a 24-track release brimming with “…full pure energy, fun, life, excitement and catchy lyrics that all can enjoy or relate to.” As with tracks like ‘Have Not’ and ‘Soul Snatcher’, ‘Venom Kiss’ captures the enthusiasm of pop music; however, a heavier rush of alternative rock slices through the melody with a hard-hitting punch of sound. As compared to the other songs on SHIFT, I have to admit ‘Venom Kiss’ is one of the more intriguing, standing out with its blurring of rock, indie, and electronic pop elements.
A concoction of bold beats and shimmering synths, ‘Venom Kiss’ twinkles with the glittering nature of pop, but simultaneously, a darkness exudes from the instrumentation and arrangement. Sliding from enthusiastic bubble-gum pinks to a darker, grungier whirl of vivid kaleidoscopic sonic colours, this track oscillates from catchy upbeat danceable tones to heavier, grittier, weightier, almost slapping your cheek and hitting you between the eyes vibes. One element that remains regardless of where you are in the rollercoaster melody is Amara-Fe’s confidence, power, and forcefulness as a singer.
Amara-Fe might have her own innovative nature, but ‘Venom Kiss’ leans strongly to the sound of Rihanna – sassy and brimming with attitude, while retaining a hidden gentleness within the rich vocals. For me, it is these vocals that up the ante in ‘Venom Kiss’, and the other tracks on SHIFT. Amara-Fe mentioned that SHIFT is an album of pure energy, fun, life and excitement, and ‘Venom Kiss’ is the “don’t mess with me” brush of empowerment, resilience, and no-nonsense attitude.
As I mentioned, this is my introduction to Amara-Fe, and with ‘Venom Kiss’ ringing in my ears – a most welcome lingering of a kick-ass song – I eagerly make my way through SHIFT.
Find out more about Amara-Fe on her YouTube and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
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