Kima Otung is a Nigeria-born, Wales-raised, London-based R&B and Neo Soul artist, signed to Warner Music publishing. At 14 years old she became the youngest member of the Welsh National Youth Opera. In her work as a lawyer she deals with intellectual property issues. Soon she will be releasing her debut EP, Note to Self, which addresses the experience of being a strong black woman in post-colonial UK society and the dangerous expectations put upon her thereto.
Otung’s new song, “I’m Cute” is a self-love summer anthem infused with witty yet uplifting lyrics. Her lyrics reaffirm women’s beauty and greatness, and she makes clever cultural references to her Nigerian heritage throughout the song, singing “I was born with all this spice, I’ve got flavour; jollof rice.”
Describing the story and motivation behind the song, Otung says “I want every woman and girl to sing “I’m Cute” about themselves to remind them that they are cute as hell, they shouldn’t let anyone make them doubt it.”
Otung tells the story of being in school and feeling insecure about her facial features, specifically her full lips which were not yet ‘in fashion’ like they are now. She recalls going to lengths to hide her lips in order to look like the other girls around her and the women she saw in the media. This was until Otung realised that she didn’t need the media to validate her beauty before she owned it. She says “don’t wait until the way you look is “trendy” before you realise you’re beautiful”.
Otung’s music has been featured on BBC Radio 1, ITV’s Love Island a few times, including this summer, and her last single charted at no.6 on Shazam’s Official Charts. This year she was awarded the PRS Women Make Music award and hailed as part of the “Welsh A List” by The BBC.
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