You may have heard Qendresa before you knew her name. The Northwest London singer, songwriter, producer and DJ has been making waves with her unique blend of R&B, soul and electronic sounds, building a devoted — scratch that, ravenous — *following in the process*. Just look at her YouTube comment of her new video for gave myself 2 u, and you’ll find the title of this article. If there’s one thing that defines Qendresa, it’s honesty – the honesty of her music, her spirituality and the way she moves through the world. Here, she talks dreams, ancestry, vinyl, 70s sofas, the internet, and finding comfort in the life she’s built for herself.
can you describe the last dream you remember
I had a dream I was on Brighton beach and a pod of dolphins started jumping in the near distance. Straight to google and it said; Leaping dolphins signify breaking free from limitations and celebrating recent achievements or progress.
what's the last tarot card you pulled
I haven’t pulled a card in a minute, to be honest. I do remember how good the last reading was that I gave to myself though. It was nourishing and felt like a warm hug after a series of readings where I kept receiving and living the effects of The Tower card. I was displaced, dishevelled, lost… but I’m finally settled now. I’ve got my dream flat, and I finally live alone.
where do you seek comfort
I seek comfort in my home, I'm at home a lot. This is where I write and record too. I grew up going to flea markets and boot sales, I find a lot of comfort in old relics. Whether that be records, ornaments, clothes. I get a real life dopamine hit when I'm browsing antiques. Visiting my family After periods of travel or work is very comforting too.
what are you hyper-fixated on at the moment
Fancy velvet modular sofas from the 70’s
what is the last piece of music you want to hear before its lights out
432 Hz or a gong bath before bed, if I listen to anything... most likely my brain has taken in way too much music by then. I’m listening to so many genres at once some days…
what makes you rage
Let’s start with the blatant evil that’s running the show. Racism, fascism, homophobia and transphobia. I have to actively work every day on transmuting my rage into productivity. I hope to be able to change the world in some way.
I used to feel ashamed of my anger and now I really honour it. I am outspoken, stand my ground, and I’ve always been this way. Many times I’ve looked around me to see the majority of folks with their tails between their legs when it’s crunch time. That’s not me. I’m proud of who I am and what I stand for.
what’s your most tightly held belief
No one is free until we are all free.
what is your most prized possession
My vinyl records.
what book(s) and / or album(s) are required reading for a good life
The Women Who Run With the Wolves - Clarissa Pinkola Estés
In Praise of Disobedience - Oscar Wilde
Women, Race and Class - Angela Y. Davis
Becoming Supernatural - Dr Joe Dispenza
Wild Power - Sjanie Hugo Wurlitzer
Required listening for a good life -
Cumbia will make you dance.
describe the most spiritual experience you’ve ever had
That question just made me think of how my whole life has been a spiritual experience. Each chapter, each milestone, everything has felt like a true blessing. I feel like there’s always been a conversation between me and the spiritual world. As I got older and tried to make sense of it, I reflected on my ancestry and felt even more of an understanding as to what’s been going on. I don’t know, I just feel protected and as though there are some people in my lineage calling out to me and I sometimes even feel that they are really enjoying the show.
what is the last thing you googled
Leslie Uggams - I’ve Got a Jones on You
what do you miss the most about being a teenager
I miss the energy and sometimes the curiosity I had as a teenager. I just wanted to be OUTSIDE. Very different to how I am now. I still feel very much connected to my teenage self, having done two years of IFS therapy- my teenage self went through everything to get me here today.
what’s the most woo woo thing you’ve ever done
Cinnamon sticks in my pocket, orange blossom water in my bath. The need to tap in comes in waves, mainly around autumn. I have a very deep and personal connection to myself and my lineage. I also work hard in life to be able to serve my descendants. Working with plants, herbs, nature and honouring the dead is something I’ve become committed to.
what did your childhood bedroom look like
My childhood bedroom wall was completely covered with posters. Those days it was Britney, B2k, backstreet boys, eminem, bow wow, mariah carey… pink oval cd and tape player…. Groovy chick curtains. I was really that girl tbf.
what piece of art has made the biggest impact on you
I might have to say hearing Anita Baker - Whatever It Takes changed something in my brain chemistry forever. I love songs that encourage love, that honour the human experience.
what was your sliding doors moment and what do you think that life would look like
Could have stayed friends with a bunch of leeches but I did my own thing. I do look back at what they’re up to sometimes - looks dead. I have great people around me.
who is your biggest inspiration
My biggest inspiration is my parents. Both as individuals but also as a couple. I genuinely don’t know anyone I look up to more than them. I do everything for them, and I have very big shoes to fill.
have you ever had a supernatural experience
I have had many supernatural experiences. Some of the situations I have been in in this life have been dangerous. Some of the blessings have been hard to put in to words.
what is your relationship to the internet
I came up on dial-up connection, I came up with the internet. MSN, LimeWire, having to disconnect when the phone rings etc etc. I think we definitely passed the peak of the internet and now we’re just hooked on our phones waiting for it to happen again.
I also think it’s gotten a bit out of hand with bots and malicious people. I worry about the division it can cause and the bullying online. I wish we all spent more time offline. It’s a gift and a curse, isn’t it.
leave us with one piece of advice, babe
Some advice, you’ve heard it before - be kind. You never know what someone is going through.
Someone is waiting on that diagnosis, someone has just lost a loved one…. We need to come together in these tough times.
(bonus question: dream blunt rotation ?)
I don’t have a dream blunt rotation, but after reading Gather Together in My Name—when I was already hugely inspired by her work—I would have loved to sip fresh mint tea and smoke a fatty while just chopping it up with Maya Angelou.
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