This is Video of the Week from Wales Arts Review. We’ll be showcasing some of the best art in Wales with a new video shared every week. From music to drama and everything in between, videos will not be limited by medium. Today’s video is ‘Exit The Dance’ by Deyah.
This week we take a look at the music video for Deyah’s ‘Exit The Dance’; a trippy, experimentally stylistic medley of songs from her EP, entitled Exit The Dance. Deyah is a Welsh rapper who released her first track at the age of 16. Her lyrics often discuss topical ethical and moral issues, and ‘Exit The Dance’ also features elements of her native roots.
Writing on the video, Naimah Archibald-Powell comments that “at nearly seven minutes long, the release is an extensive treat that varies in its pace, tone and vibe. Remaining in control throughout, Deyah seamlessly switches between rhymes and vocals – illustrating her duality.”
Deyah illustrates her duality in this track, moving from quick paced rhymes with an edge of sinister beat through to slower, melodic vocals offering a reflective feel. The music video is split into three different snippets from three different songs on her EP, ‘Wallah’, ‘Yam’, and ‘Genesis’. Deyah pays attention to each song with different visuals and vibes, allowing for a delightful seven minute taster of her EP.
In an interview with Mark Mukasa in 2019, Deyah commented on her environment growing up, and how it has shaped her music. She said:
“My environment was pretty unstable, ever changing and very mad. It was like living in a film half the time but my exposure to music from a young age helped me navigate through it to a degree. I remember very clearly my pops playing Tupac ‘I Get Around’ and A Tribe Called Quest’s ‘Busta’s Lament”, “Bonita Applebum” and “Electric Relaxation”. I was able to pick up the flows and lyrics on each track very quickly. I hadn’t at that age thought about writing music, but my flow adaptability was certainly there. That’s when I was like yeah this is kinda cool!”
You can watch ‘Exit The Dance’ from Deyah below.
Deyah’s EP, ‘Exit The Dance’, is also available to stream on Spotify here.