We are proud to introduce the brilliant Blessing Adetunji to the Wordplay & Flow family after scooping our Best Spoken Word Performance award last October at the Wordplay Awards. The poetry power house graced the stage with her winning piece ‘Outstretched’. From writing songs as a teen to working with organisations such as Hackney Empire, Blessing has made her mark with so much more to come. Where did the journey start for you? Around the age of 14, Blessing began to feel disconnected whilst singing at church. She wanted to think about what worship meant to her and decided to start writing her own songs. They were so long and didn’t mirror what I saw in school to be poetry but they were poems. Not long after finding her own way of expression Blessing went down a rabbit hole of American spoken word and battle rap that led her to discover artists like Jackie Hill Perry; one of her biggest inspirations today. What are some of your memorable moments? Blessing has had the opportunity to work with both Hackney Empire and the Royal Court Theatre. Her experience working with these organisations helped shape the performer we see today and highlights how crucial initiatives like these can benefit creatives in different ways. Hackney Empire helped me grow as a performer and writer. Joining the Royal Court Young Writers group gave me the chance to write and shoot my first screenplay. Winning our Best Spoken Word Performance award was another significant milestone for Blessing. Not because she had just achieved something amazing as a spoken word artist, but because her winning poem touched upon her family dynamics; a topic she was always taught not to share publicly. Her poem showcased what breaking barriers looked like and it was wonderful for our audience to witness. I hadn’t performed from memory in a long time and was filled with fear and self-consciousness, but I did it anyway. That piece ended up resonating with so many people and it opened the door to where I am now. What can we look forward to in 2026? 2026 will see Blessing writing more across different areas. The poet and musician is working on both a poetry album and a musical EP which she is really excited about. In addition, Blessing recently launched her hosting platform called Blessing Occasions for events that need that added special touch. I’ve been rocking the mic in more ways than one. I’m getting more involved in MC’ing and hosting. It doesn’t stop there. We can expect a full length one woman show and more as she explores her love for theatre and film. If you haven’t already, you should check out her latest single ‘Wanted’ out now across all streaming platforms. It’s safe to say that Blessing is one to watch this year and we look forward to seeing what’s next on her journey to greatness. Writer: Tannika Taylor Photographer: Tannika Taylor Editor: Shariar Graphic Designer: Torrin Westerman
Tag Archives: Perfomers
Hayah Talks Finding Freedom Through Her Flows
Modern poetry and spoken word has grown to become not only an elevated art but an avenue for people to also elevate themselves through expression. Our latest Flow Feature is the wonderful Hayah. A woman that is all about living her life in her own truth which we have had the privilege of witnessing on stage and now we get a deeper insight into the inspirations behind this unforgettable artist. We’re doing what we do best and discovering more about the woman behind the words that is Hayah. Who is Hayah? An individual of freedom, Hayah describes herself as an introverted creative that slowly emerged from her shell using poetry. She started writing in 2019 and was fairly new to the poetry community before her friends introduced her to Flo Vortex, a popular poetry event founded by the Floacist. What began as writing as a way to express herself eventually turned into her exploring the world of spoken word and taking her writings to the stage. She admits that it has been a beautiful journey becoming a part of the poetry community and has seen how more self-reflective she can be in her writings. We’re all human, and I love being able to explore myself within this realm as well as others. Hayah As someone that feeds off the positive energy of others, Hayah realised that writing and poetry started to reveal a new confidence in her that she didn’t necessarily have in more casual conversations. As she became more familiar with the London poetry community she found more and more safe spaces to express herself in the ways that she wanted to. Inspired by themes such as nature, corruption, and the workings of the system, each performance is like an artistic form of education that many spoken word poets have the ability to do effortlessly. Poetry reminds me of who I am. It’s allowed me to set boundaries that protect my energy. Hayah What is the story behind Hayah Pokes? Body art has always been an important part of Hayah’s life. Once she decided that she wanted to be a tattoo artist herself she discovered that the tattooing industry can be very egotistical and competitive. She launched Hayah Pokes three years ago, but when she looked for guidance on how to develop her skills she was often met with rejection and negative comments from other tattoo artists which forced her to find her own lane. Inspired by ancient techniques, Hayah tattoos her clients by hand whilst also getting to know more about herself and those that she has the pleasure of working on. Hayah Pokes is more than a business to this creative, it has become a way for her to share her knowledge with others instead of harbouring it. People always express to me when I’m working on them, and this has taught me a lot about how to deal with the emotional and physical pain of others. Hayah Taking a step back from poetry to focus on growing Hayah Pokes, Hayah has set up a workshop to teach others the same hand poking techniques that she uses on her clients. Her tattoo workshops focus on the history of the techniques, learning about different types of skin and how to tattoo yourself before learning how to tattoo others using fake skin. She provides an intimate and unique experience for those who want to start taking tattooing to a new level. What should we be looking out for in future? With the success of Hayah Pokes, Hayah will be releasing a range of merchandise including hoodies and t-shirts with designs that are similar to her tattoos before the year ends. Influenced by new found perspectives in life and the process of exchanging old energy for new, the creative is back to writing more introspective pieces that we may be hearing sooner rather than later as she plans to release new work in different forms. I’m hoping to start recording my EP and working on a new book soon. Hayah Although nothing has been confirmed it’s safe to say that everything Hayah has coming our way will represent the incredible artist that she is. We look forward to seeing what’s next and you should look forward to her coming to a stage near you. For more information on how to book a workshop or body art with Hayah Pokes, you can reach out to Hayah via Instagram. Creative Director & Writer: Tannika Taylor @tannikataylor Photographer: Matty @mattys.gallery Cover Design: Simplexity @simplexitycc