MM Exclusive: In Conversation with Gwamz

South West London’s Gwamz has that make-you-look-up effect. If you’ve been outside lately, you’ve probably caught ‘French Tips’ with Efosa, the one that turns heads before the hook. Radio’s been showing love too with DJ Semtex on Capital XTRA and Ellie Prohan on KISS XTRA, but the real play is the new EP Life of the Party (see trailer below).

It’s seven tracks that don’t pick a lane on purpose. ‘HOT GURLZ’ is pure bounce, ‘VIBRATE’ with BXKS hits smart and sharp, and ‘YAGI’ lets everything breathe so the words land. Fresh off a sold-out run with Skeete at The Lower Third and Islington Assembly Hall, you can hear the confidence. Ghanaian roots, South London edge, no trend chasing.

We talked presence over noise, mood over genre, and why the party means nothing if people don’t feel something:

Life of the Party isn’t just a title, it feels like a statement about presence and energy. When you walk into a room, are you that person who lights it up, or is it more about what your music gives to others?

I shift the energy when I walk in. I don’t have to be the loudest, music sets the tone. Life of the Party is about presence and about creating that feeling for other people.

There’s a mix of moods across the EP, the bounce of ‘Hot Gurlz,’ then something deeper on ‘YAGI.’ Was that contrast planned or just how things came out?

The contrast was intentional. I live in both spaces. You hear the high-energy side on “Hot Gurlz” and the reflective side on “YAGI.” That’s real life, and I wanted both sides to sit on the same project.

You’re blending afro-fusion, amapiano, hip-hop and R&B. Do you think we’ve moved past genres now, like it’s more about mood and feeling?

The future’s about energy, not boxes. People don’t ask “what genre is this?” anymore, they ask “what vibe does this give me?” My focus is mood, that’s what carries music forward.

Amapiano’s rooted in South Africa, but you’ve made it sound so London. How do you balance respect for its roots with making it your own?

Respect comes first. I study the sound and where it comes from, then filter it through my own lens, Ghanaian roots and London culture. That’s how it stays authentic.

If you stripped the beats back and just left the storytelling, what would people still hear from you?

You’d still hear richness and pride. Ghanaian culture teaches celebration, South London gives ambition, edge, and steez. That mix comes through even without the beat.

How much did growing up in South West London shape your ambition, not just your sound?

100%. Seeing people from my area make moves showed me it was possible. The sound and the drive both come from there.

“VIBRATE” with BXKS has wild chemistry. What makes someone the right collaborator for you?

Chemistry is everything. BXKS brought raw energy to “VIBRATE.” The best collaborations feel natural and push you the right way.

And “French Tips,” did you know straight away it was going to connect?

Sometimes you feel it in the studio, “French Tips” had that bounce, but the real proof is the crowd. When they move or sing it back, that’s when you know.

You’ve just finished a sold-out UK tour supporting Skeete. What did performing live teach you that the studio couldn’t?

Performing taught me about presence. The studio lets you hide, the stage doesn’t. On tour, I felt the power of connecting in real time, and that changed everything.

A lot of your tracks make people move, but there’s also emotion underneath. Do you ever feel like one side overshadows the other?

They’re inseparable. The party energy comes from emotion, the vulnerability sits inside the rhythm. They belong together.

Everyone’s chasing trends right now, but Life of the Party feels like it’s on its own path. What’s the risk in doing that, and what’s the reward?

The risk is some people won’t get it at first. The reward is lasting impact. Trends fade, building your own lane stays. I want the art to be timeless.

What does Life of the Party say about where you and UK afro-bounce are heading?

It shows fearlessness, mixing sounds, owning space. For me, it says I’m not following, I’m leading. For UK Afro-Bounce, it says the sound is strong enough to travel. The proof’s in the pudding.

When people play this EP five years from now, what do you hope they still feel?

I want them to feel free, that rush of energy, that connection. If the music still moves people, it’s done its job.