Some may say that love is a losing game but for spoken word artist Tifany Marsah, it was the door that opened her up to her love of poetry. Ending her first relationship aged 18 inspired her to write a four page letter as a release for her feelings. Inspired by genuine life experiences, culture, and self-love, Tifany has used words to express who she is and her interpretations of the world around her.
Believing that she was never that good at English, Tifany is surprised that she has become the wordsmith that she is today. When she fell in love for real at the age of 19 she began to write poetry in the form of affirmations before moving on to take her art form to a new level.
I used poetry as a love language for everything I couldn’t say out loud. The moment I realised poetry was God given to me is after my first break up.
Tifany successfully applied for BBC’s Words First in 2021 and became a published poet when her work featured in We Are Soul’s, ILE WA, meaning home in Yoruba. Tifany was published for a second time as a part of the collective JAPA FIRE anthology: Forced Migration and The Arts. Last year she scooped the Best Spoken Word Performance award at the Wordplay Awards for her mesmerising piece, Malcoloniafised, and has been gracing new stages ever since.
Besides being booked and busy, Tifany has partnered with fellow poet, Solomon Prempeh to host a one-off event dedicated to the theme of love called The Language of Roses. Her passion for poetry is evident every time she performs and it has been incredible to witness her provide a platform for others to do the same.
I would love to collaborate more with other creatives. I’m really inspired by Solomon the Wizard. I think he is an amazing artist.
Tifany recently headlined a new event called Double or Nothing and is focused on elevating her creative practice whilst enjoying what she loves. To keep up with her latest work and future events you can find all things poetic here.
Creative Direction: Tannika Taylor
Photographer: Tannika Taylor
Editor: Shariar
Graphic Design: Torrin Westerman
It was an honour to have won this award and a pleasure to be apart of this experience !!