As the first insight into Manasseh’s sophomore album LOVE / HATE Pt. 2, “Phases” poetically highlights the push-pull of understanding and being understood.
Across mellow R&B production, Manasseh’s mellifluous vocals tell a deeply intimate story about the fear of loss and the hope for reconciliation: “Do you really stick around just ‘cause of pride? Or do you really think you couldn’t love me right?” Manasseh delicately asks in the song.
Accompanying “Phases” is a slickly produced visualizer, which further enhances the intricacies of the track and features the in-demand editing work of TSE (Burna Boy, Ayra Starr, taves).
Speaking about “Phases,” Xenia Manasseh said the following: “This song speaks to my current understanding of unconditional love and compassion. It revolves around the hope for a requited love with a purity I hadn’t discovered before. My hope for love used to be rooted in not being able to see myself but here, I have all the cards laid out on the table and can finally see things for what they are. The willingness to truly be patient rests on the sole condition that I’m met with unfiltered honesty and the realization that unconditional love can only function where truth is the anchor.”
Since releasing her debut EP Fallin’ Apart in 2019, Xenia Manasseh has slowly but surely been winning over listeners around the world, from Nairobi to London and LA to Lagos. Initially honing her skills at the prestigious Berklee College of Music, Manasseh’s carefully curated soundscape of neo-soul and jazz is rooted in core R&B influences. This sets the scene for her vulnerable confessions, reflecting the complex interplay of emotions that define human connections.
The COLORS-approved artist has continued to make waves through her relatable and honest takes on love and life, delivered in musical moments like the recent LOVE / HATE Pt. 1 – Manasseh’s highly anticipated debut album, which hears her infuse her Swahili culture with R&B motifs for a unique artistic experience.
Alongside collaborations with stars like Mr. Eazi, Tay Iwar and Sauti Sol, Manasseh’s industry acclaim for her catalogue spans far and wide, picking up co-signs from Evening Standard, Notion Magazine, The Floor Magazine and New Wave Magazine in the UK,to US tastemakers like Hypebeast, VIBE, BET Soul, Ones to Watch, ThisIsRNB and Raydar Magazine as well as OkayAfrica and The Native in Africa.
Now backed by a wealth of new life experience, the Spotify RADAR Africa artist’s sensational new music is sure to satisfy her growing legion of supporters around the world, while also demonstrating her artistic growth and impeccable pen game – a skill Manasseh has further refined by cutting tracks with Brandy, Teyana Taylor and Big Sean. With “Phases” signalling a thrilling new era for the star on the rise, keep your eyes on Xenia as she continues to carve out her own lane in the runup to LOVE / HATE Pt. 2
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