Tama Gucci Shares New Single “Challenge”

Musician, vocalist, and electronic composer Tama Gucci forges his own sound that uniquely reimagines the intersection of Pop and R&B. Today, he has announced details of his third EP, Almost Blue, due November 9th. The EP will be his first music released via Sinderlyn, the sister label to Captured Tracks and part of the Omnian Music Group. Tama Gucci has also shared the lead single from the EP, “Challenge” which was produced by Nick León and is an anthem about the empowering nature of the dancefloor: “I feel so cute / Baby I’m in the mood / And I’m feeling you / Come and bust a move / And I feel so cute / Baby I’m in the mood / It’s a challenge it’s a challenge.” 

Almost Blue is a straightforward and heartfelt ode to his favorite color. “For me, blue is a color that represents total comfort and fulfillment,” he says. In titling the work Almost Blue, Tama fearlessly confronts his uneasiness about being just shy of where he wants to be in love, life, and his own artistry. Created in early 2020, Almost Blue grapples with the challenges of transitional stages while, in the same vein, insisting on remaining unfazed and optimistic about the impermanence of emotional purgatory. Much of Tama Gucci’s creative inspiration for the work is owed to his encyclopedic understanding of pop culture and playful incorporation of reality TV tropes, which meld seamlessly into a bold project that sonically characterizes the spectacle of feeling cocky and lovesick without reservations. 

A pop star of his own design, Tama Gucci gives us everything we need with innovative skill and finesse. Using his expansive vocal range and innovative spirit, Tama Gucci’s music allows us to enjoy the world through a lens that curiously explores longing and romance in the digital age. The Miami-raised, NYC-based artist’s success covering pop songs for his online cult following led him to become a staple performer in the city’s emerging underground queer scene. Simultaneously nostalgic and futurism-centered in his artistic sensibility, Tama Gucci’s music sounds like a distant memory from a rave you’ve never been to. Blending Jungle and Miami Bass, his music bridges the gap between his Jamaican identity and fascination with 90s breakbeat music. 

Photo Courtesy: Lauren Davis