It’s quite hard not to be impressed by this one
Meet Tendai Sitima. He’s a Zimbabwe-born, London-based singer, songwriter, arranger, and classically trained jazz vocalist who has a mean sideline in writing musicals you’ve probably heard of (like the Immersive Great Gatsby on New York’s Broadway and London’s West End) and songs for adverts you’ve probably seen (like that Very commercial with Nicole Scherzinger).
Oh, and did we mention that he also has a knack for penning impossibly beautiful alternative soul ballads?
Like this one, ‘Chapped Lip (Kinda Beauty)’. Not only is it the first-ever solo release from the multi-talented Sitima, but it’s also one of the most impressive debut offerings we’ve heard for a long time. D’Angelo-esque production is merged with vocals that are reminiscent of Jeff Buckley at his most longingly vulnerable, with the result being an instantly captivating three-and-a-half-minute bundle of soulful, balladeering pop perfection. There’s even a guitar solo at the end that Prince himself would probably have been proud of.
