Fiona Amaka – Justified (2026)
Known for her intense and powerful live shows, singer-songwriter Fiona Amaka brings moving melodies to audiences with confident authority. Now, Amaka is no newbie to our ears, having turned our heads with songs like ‘No Daylight’, ‘Cowards and Shadows’ and ‘Desert Flower’ – that’s all review-wise. Not reviewed by The Other Side Reviews, and totally still drawing our attention, are older tracks like 2024’s ‘Different’ and 2023 debut, ‘Anyway you come’. Other than her engaging appeal and distinctive mix of folk-rock, soul and blues, a constant in Amaka’s work is how she takes life experience, weaves it into a song, and expresses the honesty behind the theme with melodic clarity. The latest addition to her discography is the single ‘Justified’.
Following the acoustic version of ‘Love that fills my world’, ‘Justified’ is another track that is timeless and universal. Produced by Andy Zanini, with mixing by Stefan Antoinette and vocal recordings handled by Kate Proudlove, ‘Justified’ brings a vintage blues-driven sound to audiences; however, there is a contemporary edginess in Amaka’s inspired vocals.
Flecks of folk waver across the melody, easily heard in Amaka’s intimate voice – soft, gentle and soothing, like a friend holding your hand and walking through a field on a warm, sunny day. Yet, just as the vocals are intriguing and tender, it is the guitar that really adds the extra something-something to ‘Justified’. With classic blues-rock flair, Zanini’s guitar wraps around the underlying drums and Amaka’s dulcet tones, swerving, licking, slicing and caressing.
One element that stands out in ‘Justified’ is how the melody is sophisticated and elegant, yet holds the rawness and full-bodied nature of a live performance. You can easily imagine swaying to the song at a live music venue, but you’re actually sitting in your armchair listening on Spotify.
A song that was originally to be recorded in 2024 after the “Cosmic” version of ‘Justified’, Amaka shares that she “kept getting distracted… so it feels like I’ve been teasing this release for a long time.” With this release, she is not only entertaining many fans, but she is hugging you while singing about “love and regret”. Sweet, sincere and slightly off-kilter, I highly recommend ‘Justified’.
Find out more about Fiona Amaka on her Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
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