Ama Lou has been writing songs for a decade, which is probably why she’s so darn good at it. The 21-year-old Londoner was 11 when her dad found her singing an original composition on guitar (he thought it was the latest Rihanna single), and in the resulting 10 years she spent her time crafting music, getting to a point where, finally, she was ready to share her talents with the world.
Writing and producing all her own music, Ama released her debut EP, DDD, in 2018, a collection of slick and soulful R&B. And it didn’t arrive alone. Ama also wrote, starred in and directed a short film to accompany the three-song collection, all shot by her sister Mahalia. The result is a stunning 13-minute short that feels more like an epic.
It’s been a year since then, however, and Ama has been busy. Along with an appearance in the latest issue of i-D, The Post Truth Truth Issue, she has also been busy grafting away writing new music.
With that comes new videos. And for Ama Lou’s latest single, the Destiny’s Child-esque “Northside”, we’re premiering the accompanying music video.
“I wrote the song after experiencing a personal homecoming last year,” Ama tells i-D. “I travel a lot and live bicoastal so spending a lot of time living in LA I felt a little out of place coming back to the UK, but that feeling was quickly overrun by the satisfying feeling of knowing that I’m from North London, this is my town and it always will be.”
Shot by Ama’s longtime collaborator and sister, Mahalia, and featuring some of Ama’s closest friends, including Odd Future’s Taco, A$AP Nast and model Fai Khadra, the video just captures a bunch of young people having fun.
It’s a simple concept, sure, but in the context of today’s complicated world, sometimes simplicity is what you need. It’s also a joy to see someone else just having the time of their lives. There’s something exuberant but real about the video, which is only grounded more when paired with the song, it’s background noise of normal chit-chat and the fire lyrics. There’s also one particular moment where Ama Lou throws her phone off screen and, honestly, it’s a mood.
“I wanted to create something with the energy of the Diddy and Mase videos from the mid 90s early 2000s,” Ama says. “Me and my sister worked on creating the right vibe, but going at it in our own way with a solid nod to the references. Also I managed to drag her from behind the camera – that’s her I’m pulling in towards the end of the video.”
Watch the video below.
“Northside” is the first taste from Ama Lou’s upcoming EP, due for release later this year. Get on board, y’all. The Post Truth Truth Issue is available now.