We are honoured to end our Flow Features 2022 series with the formidable Fisky. If there is one spoken word artist that has shown consistency across multiple art forms over the years that has inspired so many new and established poets, it’s this artist right here. We had to round off with this powerhouse who has elevated the spoken word community and cemented his name in modern spoken word history. Who is the man behind the words? Fisky has been writing from a young age like many poets, but school was a memorable turning point when his first poem was published at the age of 12. He continued writing on and off until the age of 16 when his mother passed away from cancer and his struggles with mental health began. I continued to lose people throughout my life and I couldn’t turn to anyone about it so I turned to writing. I found my love for hip-hop around the same time. Fisky Although Fisky didn’t think his initial writings were the standard that he wanted them to be, after university he and a friend started to experiment with music which inspired him to take the craft further. He released his album ’10 Years’ in 2014 which was filled with themes based around certain experiences that he felt like he couldn’t talk about between the ages of 16-26. The album did well among his audience, but creating music wasn’t enough to fill the internal void that he was feeling. He needed more. How did Mind Over Matter become a reality? There came a time in Fisky’s life where he could barely recognise himself. Seeking help through therapy proved to be disappointing and the creative found himself tired of the way he was living. At the age of 36 he launched Mind Over Matter; a poetry and multi-genre event that has encouraged many poets to do amazing things with spoken word or their chosen art form. Fisky launched the event to help himself during what he considers one of the lowest points of his life. Little did he know that after launching his first event in collaboration with the Mind Charity, Mind Over Matter would become a crucial stem of the arts and culture community that promotes mental health through expression. I’ve never really wanted to write but I always felt like I needed to. Fisky Mind Over Matter have since hosted events across London including Balham, Camden, Brixton, Hackney and Shoreditch which have inspired hundreds of poets to perform their work and develop their skills. He has had the opportunity to work in Melbourne, collaborate with Ted X, and expand his platform by hosting events in Manchester, Birmingham, and Northampton. The expansion has bridged a gap between the blossoming London poetry community and brilliant poets based outside of the capital. What inspired your latest project ‘Cheaper Than Therapy’? Fisky released his most recent project ‘Cheaper Than Therapy’ earlier this year whilst running his series of poetry events. The project took longer to produce due to mental health struggles he was experiencing along the way, but once released it was received with the utmost praise from his creative audience. Feeling as if many people have minimised his feelings about his grief and depression, Fisky has relied heavily on expressing himself through words to provide him with a form of therapy that works for him. I write because therapy let me down. I’m not saying that writing fixes everything, but when it comes to grief and addiction, it works. Regardless of the ‘is poetry therapy?’ non-debate. I’m living proof that it is. Fisky It is not uncommon for creatives to use their personal experiences as a basis for their work. The way Fisky is able to share some of his darkest moments in a beautiful way is only one of the reasons that makes him exceptional at what he does. When asked if he would change anything about what he’s been through he responded: Nothing. Without all the depression and challenging experiences, MoM wouldn’t exist and I’d probably be dead. Out of all that sadness, misery, and chaos, the purpose I was always missing was born. Fisky Cheaper Than Therapy (2022) What can we expect to see in 2023? Mind Over Matter events will return to its usual spaces based in Brixton, Shoreditch, and Manchester starting from February 2023. The platforms creative and psychotherapeautic workshop ‘Connect’ will continue every 1st, 3rd, and last Monday of the month online facilitated by their Resident Psychotherapist, Anna Sinski. With hopes to start delivering workshops live in the near future, we know there is a lot more to look forward to from this staple of the arts community and the great mind behind it. Creative Director & Writer: Tannika Taylor @tannikataylor Photographer: Matty @mattys.gallery Cover Design: Simplexcity Creative Council @simpelexcitycc
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The Power of Healing Through Words with Kali Gld
Our 2021 Flow Feature series continues with the one and only Kali Gld. The musician, producer, and poet gave a magnificent performance at ATL’s Word On The Street’s debut open mic event earlier this year, and has so much more to come as the New Year approaches. The Jamaican-born creative is determined to make her mark whilst sharing her raw truths with the world. What encouraged you to start writing? Kali started writing at the age of 12 after her mother passed away. The loss of a parent isn’t easy at a young age, but the bereavement was a significant trigger for her creative process, and over time her process of expressing through a pen evolved into a passion that has brought her to many stages across London. Although she had love for her craft, life took Kali in a different direction where she became a chef for eight years. Whilst in this line of work she still had a great passion for music and poetry which led her to study music production at London Metropolitan University. This was the first step towards her pursuing what she believed was the path that was truly meant for her. My Dad was also a musician who used to sing. I performed with him once and loved the feeling that I felt. I knew that this was what I wanted to do. Kali Gld – Musician, Producer, and Poet Tell us about one piece that explains the inspirations behind your writings? My piece called Anxiety was written when I was in a delicate place in my life. Kali Gld Kali eventually came to a crossroad when it came to what she wanted to pursue in life. After being a chef for so long, it seemed like the most secure option, however her love of music and poetry wasn’t going anywhere. The more she was inspired by the life around her, the people she met along the way, and the world in general, she realised that these art forms need to be a part of her life, and took a leap of faith. Kali works from a place of healing. When people listen to her music, she wants them to feel a sense of progress; a sense of power. She is an advocate for overcoming hardship by doing the things you love the most where possible, and we couldn’t agree more. What are you currently working on? Music has been Kali’s main focus recently. She hasn’t been working on poetry as much, but alongside studying music production, she is now working on her debut EP. The project titled ICU (Intensive Care Unit) draws upon her experiences this year between April and July. All the lyrics for this project were written during that period of time, and now I’m working on the music side of things. Kali Gld – Musician, Producer, and Poet Tapping into our life experiences is something that many creatives do and use to produce some of their best work. The same goes for Kali Gld. Despite her personal experiences, music and poetry has been arts that have allowed her to discover her own way to deal with those experiences. It’s safe to say that Kali Gld’s new project is going to be one of a kind just like her, and we can’t wait to hear what this great talent has coming in 2022. Keep up with her journey on socials via: @kaligld_ Photographer: @souldiaries Creative director: @tannikataylor Writer: @tannikataylor
The Creative Evolution Of Leyenda Speaks
As Black History Month draws to a close, we introduce the brilliant Leyenda Speaks to end it with the bang it needs. The 25-year-old spoken word poet and creative from South London launched his latest EP, Metamorphosis this year, and already has his eyes set on new heights. Since accepting that art and creative expression was going to be a major part of his life, Ley has become “obsessed” with documenting the journey along the way and we’ve had the pleasure of being along for the ride. Metamorphosis – ‘A change of the form or nature of a thing or person into a completely different one’. Where did it all start for you? Ley Speaks’ area of South London had a big influence on his work as he used his personal experiences and how they have shaped his mentality as a foundation for the work that he creates. Like most writers, he found his love for his craft studying English in school, but wanted to explore how he could combine words with other forms of creative arts. Music has always been a passion of his, and when asked about how he felt about fusing spoken word with music he said: I’ve always loved music, combining my poetry with music felt like a natural process to me. Ley Speaks How did your first EP ‘Spring Baby’ come to life? Released in 2020, the themes of Spring Baby are centred around new beginnings and nature. The EP encapsulates his journey up until a certain point whilst highlighting the rebirth he was experiencing in both his personal and creative life. Spring Baby descended when mother nature gave birth. Metamorphosis – Lion Cub He doesn’t hold back on confronting his emotions head on as he shares his truth on the world around him with effortless flows that you can’t help but relate to. The entire body of work is its own little world that anyone would want to take a mini escape to. Ley has mastered how to weave his interests and intellect together with ease, whilst drawing upon his ups and downs to bring you spoken word poetry in his own unique form. Working on Spring Baby allowed me to express different aspects of what I’m about. My lyricism, quirkiness, and creativity. Ley Speaks Stream Spring Baby here Tell us more about your latest project ‘Metamorphosis’? Ley openly expressed that he followed his intuition when creating this project, and once it was finished, he instantly started to think what was next. He likes to think that Metamorphosis takes you through an experience of accepting ones self and acknowledging the process of growth as an individual. Each track features raw and honest wordplay, and storytelling, yet doesn’t compromise on the beautiful sounds that come together to create something truly exceptional. Being ahead of what the body understands is one of the reasons I launched Metamorphosis when the pandemic had settled. Ley Speaks He named one of his tracks on the EP Lion Cub because there is a line from his track Equinox that features on his Spring Baby EP – ‘Birth of a dandy lion, raw determination’, which highlights how Ley meticulously ensures that his work is a true representation of his evolution over time. What would you say your favourite tracks are from your projects? Asking any artist what their favourite tracks are from their projects is always a difficult one for them to answer, and it’s no different for Ley Speaks. Having produced two brilliant projects in less than two years in addition to singles that are just as great as the collections, we got him to break them down for us: If I HAD to choose I would say that March 20th, Vincent Van Gogh, and Why Does Bad Come Fast But Leaves Slow are probably my favourites from Spring Baby. They each tell their own individual stories. It’s really hard to choose a favourite from Metamorphosis. I love Lion Cub for so many reasons. One being the Lion King references but also the references linked to my Spring Baby Ep. My second single Hearticulate is definitely one of my favourites, not only because of its lyrics, but it allowed me to explore my creativity when releasing its official video. Ley Speaks What is next for the great Ley Speaks? It shouldn’t come as a surprise that there is more on the way from our poetic genius Ley Speaks. He is currently working on another detailed project which has more soul undertones in terms of genre. I love musical poetry so I’m really excited to work with soulful-ish instrumentals, guitarists, and pianists etc. Before that I’d like to try a few other things including facilitating workshops and releasing more visuals. Ley Speaks We know first hand that Leyenda has so much more to come regarding musical spoken word, but until then you can stream both Spring Baby and Metamorphosis on Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, and various other streaming platforms.