Southern-bred multidisciplinary artist Mereba releases her new album The Breeze Grew a Fire out now on Secretly Canadian. Written entirely by Mereba and produced by Mereba with the help of Sam Hoffman and Kibrom Birhane, the album draws on new lived experiences and early influences while tapping into her maternal instinct. Throughout the record Mereba rediscovers space for her truest self.
Alongside the album Mereba shares the video for her song ‘Heart of a Child.’ The music video is a collaboration with Meedo Records, a record label and creative agency located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Filmed entirely in several historical neighbourhoods in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the video cuts between images of Mereba and her inner child showcasing her fresh and curious perspective of the world.
Speaking on the early stages of The Breeze Grew A Fire, Mereba shares, “For this [album], it went back to me being on my own for the creation of a lot of the songs, and it was really important for me at this time of life because I was a little disconnected from the world, and from who I was. So I was trying to find my way back to myself first. What do I like? What do I want to hear? What do I want to say to people now?” The development of The Breeze was anchored by experiences and memories from Atlanta to L.A., Addis Ababa to Greensboro, an intention that speaks to the album’s fluid nature. To aid in this creation, Mereba tapped her longtime production collaborator Sam Hoffman to co-assemble the album’s rich production, which parallels its folklore-like warmth.
Following the release of her debut album The Jungle Is the Only Way Out, Mereba welcomed the birth of her son in 2021. Naturally, the assumption of her role as mother and nurturer shifted her self-perception and as a result, the methods and drive behind her creative output. On The Breeze Grew a Fire Mereba looks towards her own inner child to carve out space for her most honest self.
Praise for Mereba
“Whether this is a coincidence, or indicative of the almost mystical properties that true art tends to take on, what is certain is that The Breeze Grew a Fire contains the kind of virtuosity that does not come overnight.” – DAZED
“Over twinkling, barely-there synths and neo-soul percussion, Mereba’s airy tone soars.” – Billboard
“Everything that comes out of Mereba’s mouth sounds like ages-old wisdom.” – The FADER
“The Breeze Grew a Fire doesn’t beg for attention – it waits patiently for the right listeners to find it.” – The Line of Best Fit
“On a spiritual level, the project is a vessel for what she wants to say to the world in this moment.” – NME
Mereba’s previous debut album The Jungle Is the Only Way Out and follow up AZEB EP were both released to critical acclaim and sparked a global cult following with lead singles performed on Tiny Desk, COLORS and at the BET Awards. During the tail end of making her debut album Mereba was mentored by Stevie Wonder and he encouraged her to take control of her music as her own producer. Mereba was also featured on Dreamville Records Grammy-nominated album Revenge of the Dreamers III and four of Mereba’s songs have been featured on HBO’s hit series Insecure.
Mereba’s entry into songwriting began through folk music. Mereba shares, “I learned guitar from a folk guitar teacher as a young teen in North Carolina and that really shaped how I write songs to this day, focusing on simple stories of everyday life.” The diverse Atlanta music scene continued to shape Mereba’s artistry growing up. Mereba notes, “Coming up in the ripe underground music scene in Atlanta as an indie musician influenced my journey and sound so much. I was playing every kind of show, folk shows, reggae shows, rap shows, R&B shows. It was there where I honed my skills as a performer and also a rapper and R&B singer, branching out from the super folk-centric space. I formed relationships with Spillage Village, the rap collective I’m still a part of with other members JID, Earthgang, 6lack, and others. We all came up together in a really organic and beautiful way, going from playing shows for 30 people to playing shows for thousands together.”
The Breeze Grew a Fire
Mereba
The Breeze Grew a Fire
Secretly Canadian
February 14, 2025
- Counterfeit
- Ever Needed
- Phone Me
- White Doves
- breeze grew fire
- Out of the Blue
- Starlight (my baby)
- Meteorite
- Hawk
- Wild Sky
- Spirit Guiding
- Heart of a Child
- Sanctuary
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