REFRESHING SOUNDS - Nova Bleq Is The Remedy You Need To Listen To

By Tawanda Chari and Takudzwa Hillary Chiwanza

2020 demanded the question of why, in a time openly dominated by hip-hop (Ti Gonzi, Asaph, Crooger, et al.), there was barely any room made for women in the genre's mainstream currents.

It is as if a negative shadow has been cast to keep rising female rappers on the sidelines. Of late, a few female emcees have emerged and Nova Bleq starts out strong.

Nova Bleq

Born in Mutare and currently based in the big capital, Nova is set out to be an indispensable household name in the near future. Her deep passion towards art is truly inimitable.  

She is armed with intricate rhyme schemes and amazingly lovely delivery. She possesses a unique art form, something that is new and refreshing in the Zimbabwean urban music circles. 

Her sound is heavily forged through Jamaican Patois infused rap on lofi instrumentals, allowing the defiant timbre of her melodious rap deliveries to exude some sort of impassioned rebellion - somewhat a self-therapy exercise that inspires many others; the true artistic yearning for altruistic love in this mess of contemporary alienation.

Influenced by a wide range of artists from the all time greats like the late Michael Jackson, Bob Marley, Lucky Dube and Brenda Fassie, Nova Bleq is here to exude her deep commitment to the game.

Her rap influences include Jay Z, Lauryn Hill, MF DOOM, to mention a few. She also draws inspiration from new wave artists such as Chronixx, Koffee, Earl Sweatshirt, Joey Badass, Domani Harris and Loyal Flames.

Nova Bleq has an EP on the way and we expect to hear a perfect blend of rap with other sounds like soft rock, vapor wave and reggae.

Besides rap, Nova Bleq started the Nova Review Zim, an indie urban culture media outlet like us, and such complementary gesturing towards giving all artists particularly those without the limelight is eternally appreciated with profound artistic - if not revolutionary - reverence. 

She has also maximized the Nova Review platform to share her journeys of personal pain and how she triumphantly overcame that; while shining keen focus on leading healthy lives, emphasis being on substance abuse, a reality that reigns supreme in Zimbabwe. 

Nova is a whole vibe.

Find Nova Bleq's music here http://linktr.ee/Nova.Bleq