Brooklyn's Iniko Makes Otherworldly Music Grounded in the Human Experience

By their own admission, Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Iniko “wasn’t really social as a kid.”

“The way I made connections was very much through the lens of a camera,” says Iniko, whose pronouns are they/them.

They’d immerse themselves in books, films and television for hours on end, captivated by the worlds authors and artists created. Now, Iniko is 28 years old and creating their own worlds as they tour and perform their debut studio album, The Awakening. But connection is still top of mind.

“Exploring connections is essentially what helps you understand yourself more,” they say. And they know that’s harder than ever, because “there’s always so much going on around us.”

In other words, Iniko’s brand of cosmic soul may sound otherworldly at times, like an ethereal mix of pop, hip-hop and R&B. But it’s grounded in her Jamaican roots and the human struggles Iniko knows many people are navigating: loneliness, distraction and the yearning for something real.

On Friday, Sept. 12, Iniko’s performance at The Bomb Factory, her second stop on The Awakening Tour, will explore these themes and showcase The Awakening, perhaps best known for popular singles like “Jericho” and “Yosemite,” the latter of which was featured in the Netflix drama Untamed.

The music video for “Jericho” has racked up over 58 million views on YouTube, and it’s quintessential Iniko: The visuals call to mind a sci-fi epic, and the lyrics play with that theme while striking a vulnerable, contemplative tone.

“I don’t need gravity,” Iniko sings, “I just need growth.”
Elsewhere in the song, their tone is proud and confident: “I will never, ever fall, never stumble / And I don't need to be humble.”

“I've had so many people say that ‘that song is dark, and that song is egotistical and arrogant, and we shouldn't be listening to things like that,’” Iniko tells the Observer. “And I just think it's so interesting, because I guess when I was writing it, I wasn't really thinking of ego, really, or being arrogant. I was more so just thinking, ‘I just want to feel confident and feel like I can do whatever it is I put my mind to when I listen to this record.’”

Even if their video doesn’t carry heavy sci-fi vibes, Iniko wants the music itself to take listeners on a journey that feels similar to watching a movie.

For instance, when they first heard the beat for their song “Transcendental,” Iniko started viewing the song as a movie in which they are the main character.

The song lurches into action, immediately placing the audience inside Iniko’s mind with lyrics that speak of a clear tension: “I hide my spirit, 'cause if I didn't you'd be terrified / I'm at my limit, I can't win if I can't get inside”

Later in the song, Iniko once again evokes imagery familiar to fans of fantasy and sci-fi: “They whipped my back and through my wounds I sprouted wings / In the dark I lit my way by burning things.”

You’re never entirely clear if the singer of the song is the hero, the hunted, the villain or all three, and that’s kind of the point. Connection is the goal, not clarity.
“I'm essentially trying to overcome the perception of self, the fact that I guess the song in and of itself is the journey of me letting go of control of how people see me and perceive me,” they say. “If you see me as a sacrificial lamb, then that's what I am. If you see me as a light, then that's what I am. If you see me as darkness, then that's what I am.”

Iniko isn’t alone in packing their music with these intricate details. Their sister, who is also their manager, is just as much of a perfectionist as Iniko, if not more so.

They tell the Observer they have “albums’ worth” of songs that just simply aren't out, and they might not yet meet the standards Iniko and their sister have set.

“I always ask her, ‘Wow, can we put it out now?’ ‘Do you think it's ready?’ ‘Do you think we have enough songs?’ And she's like, ‘I don't know.’”

Iniko says their sister has taught them the importance of patience and work ethic when it comes to building their own worlds. And if a song doesn’t seem just right in the moment, there’s a good chance it’ll feel right later on.
They’ve carried that same approach into their live sets.

In some ways, performing comes naturally to Iniko, who grew up singing in church and had their first choir solo when they were five years old. But when they began touring, they realized they had to pace themselves.

“You don't want to give it all away in one song,” they say. “You want to be able to live in these different parts of your voice in these different pockets of the music. Creating those different moments is essentially what creates a story or what creates a performance.”

Songs that are about love or lust presented a unique challenge.

“I remember how hard it was for me to perform these songs without closing my eyes, because it's like, ‘Wow, there are 50 people in this room with me. It feels like there are 50 people in the bedroom with me.’”

But Iniko embraced the vulnerability, especially as the shows got bigger.

“Yes, it's 500, a thousand people in this bedroom with me who are all watching this, but also experiencing it as well. It's almost as if they are me. Sometimes it isn't always about me and what's comfortable for me.

“Being uncomfortable,” they say, “is also what leads to growth.”

Iniko will perform on Friday, Sept. 12, at 7 p.m. at The Studio at The Factory, 2727 Canton St. Tickets are available starting at $47.65 on axs.com.