Words by Ed King and Jasmine Khan / Profile pic by Connor Pope, promotional pic and artwork supplied by SANITY
On Friday 29 September, MC and musical artist SANITY released her new album, Bruises to Blossoms – available now to download or steam on all major music platforms.
But SANITY’s new album will be further celebrated at a special launch event at Café Artum on Saturday, 30 September – promoted in association with 93:00.
Doors open at the Bruises to Blossoms launch event from 7pm, with tickets priced at £5. The evening will feature a live performance from the Birmingham MC and musician, alongside an insight from the artist into her ‘creative process, inspirations, and stories behind the music’.
For more information or online ticket sales, click here.
Bruises to Blossoms follows the release of SANITY’s recent singles ‘Grass is Greener’ and ‘Blossoms are Forever’ – the latter inspired by the artist’s mother, who is called Blossom, and featuring vocals from London singer Jasmine Oakley.
Both singles are featured on the nine track LP, which also includes the local MC’s specially written track for the Commonwealth Games 2022, ‘Midlands Child’ – featuring Birmingham’s all female a cappella quintet, Black Voices.
SANITY was born and raised in Erdington, Birmingham, learning to rhyme and perform lyrics in the playground of Stockland Green Secondary School, and “started taking music more seriously” when she was 16.
“When I was doing music at Stockland Green, I was learning how to play the guitar, and my teacher, Mr. Scott, would spring it on me that I was doing lunchtime performances,” told SANITY.
“I remember I used to do little rap ciphers and battles on the playground. As soon as kids see a few people gathered, they all come over. It didn’t develop my stage presence because, obviously, it was on a gravel floor. But it’s the performance-esc-type-vibe.”
Building a solid reputation as an artist and performer across Birmingham and London, SANITY would also take her music around the world with a special performance at the Commonwealth Games 2018 closing ceremony on Australia’s Gold Coast – four years before she would be back on the major sporting event’s bill in her home city.
Ahead of her upcoming new album, SANITY added: “The whole project is centred around growth as a person, and of course, you can’t have growth without knowing where you’ve been. So, I pay homage to certain elements and vibes like faster flows that I’ve done before.
“It’s centred around the theme of nature and making something beautiful out of the most natural thing. It has this really earthy feel to it. It’s polished, but we also (in the mixing and mastering process) wanted it to have a bit of grit.”
‘Blossoms are Forever’ – SANITY (featuring Jasmine Oakley)
Bruises to Blossoms was released on 29 September and can be found on all major music platforms. For more on SANITY visit www.sanitythemc.com
The Bruises to Blossoms launch party will be held at Cafe Artum on Saturday 30 September, for direct information or links to online tickets visit www.fatsoma.com/e/aezjwuhx/93-00-presents-sanity-bruises-to-blossoms-launch-party
For more on Café Artum visit www.linktr.ee/cafeartumhsc
To read Jasmine Khan’s original interview with SANITY, first published in Erdington Local, visit www.erdingtonlocal.com/local-profile-sanity