For The Deported: Songs from Elmiene, to his homeland

‘It is an artist's duty to reflect the times’, says the words of renowned singer and activist Nina Simone -  and rising British-Sudanese vocalist and songwriter Elmiene, has taken a mirror and lifted it to our world - his new body of work sees him taking up this duty to inform listeners of the reality of our world - the beautiful, the ugly, and the tangible issues that are causing so much of the unrest in our world. Choosing to reflect on the sometimes harsh realities of life in his homeland and abroad, the 23-year-old artist has done this with his new project, For The Deported. 

Elmiene channels creative power from the intersection of his Sudanese roots, British upbringing, and distinct musicality steeped in alternative R&B vibrancy, soulful vision, and international pop vitality.

In 2023, his debut EL-MEAN EP was followed by the Marking My Time EP, Marking My Time (Again) EP, Live from 525, and Anyway I Can EP, of which lead single ‘Someday’ amassed over 14 million Spotify stream. He also emerged with various collaborations with artists such as Stormzy, Leon Thomas, Sampha, Syd, and Dahi.

For The Deported, produced by Dan Wilson, Jim-E Stack, Buddy Ross, Jamie Woon and John Fellner follows recent project Anyway I Can and a sold-out show at the 3000 cap Troxy in London, and in a time where Elmiene has effortlessly established himself as an artist who has attracted a loyal fanbase. As well as collecting millions of streams across his discography, he has received widespread acclaim from BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra. His recent set at NPR Tiny Desk, a series of intimate live music performances held in NPR in Washington DC, saw a flawless set of the artist's popular tracks performed with agility and a new approach, such as ‘Someday’, ‘Crystal Tears’, and ‘Light Work’, which all featured on his EP, Anyway I can.  

The six-track project sees Elmiene embrace his Sudanese heritage both musically and lyrically, drawing from his homeland, Sudan, the well from where these beautiful poems turned to songs have sprung.  

Following a seven-year separation, he reunited with various extended family members at a wedding in Egypt earlier this year, which led to eye-opening conversations surrounding life, love, and the condition of the world we live in now. As a result, For The Deported came to life.

On the EP, Elmiene says, “Sudan is the reason I feel like I am as musical as I am and why I am so inclined to poetry. Sudan is a country with a lot of history, tragedy, emotions, and feelings. It has a really deep cultural history. Sudan is the reason I’m here right now”.

“There’s a lot of deporting going on in our world", he continues. Whether it is Palestine, Sudan, Lebanon, or any other country, it is a real thing. I haven’t made a real comment or notion on it yet, and it just felt like a duty to my blood and role as an artist to make a statement. It all just feels right. If not now, then when?”

The EP opens with the aching ballad and title track, ‘For The Deported’. Cradled around soft piano chords, Elmiene’s rich vocals describe his vision of Sudan, dreaming of a land beyond the “siren blue”. “What do I do when all that I have known is nearly lost?”

‘Open Light’ a track that the singer says was born from ‘seeing a version of home burn’ is accompanied by a visual that is now his ‘cousin's wedding video’. The visual sees scenes switch between Elmiene singing in an open field and moments of vibrant celebration, a Sudanese marriage union being shared, with close-ups of hands mid-air while rejoicing, colourful fabrics, and faces of the artist's people, filled with happiness. 

‘Grave News’ and ‘Avalon’ juxtapose each other as the reality of the world being compared to an ideal paradise that the singer dreams of, croons “Thank God I found my way to Avalon”.

Vocals are stacked against an acoustic riff that flows into “Promise Me A Rose", where Elmiene continues to soar vocally as he pleads for a vow to be kept; “I don’t ask for much … but promise me a rose, it’s enough”. 

The final track, ‘Golden’ is a story about summers in Sudan that allow the singer to reminisce on “past sunshines”, effectively tying a knot on the body of work - finishing it with the same track that somewhat started his career. The track was featured at late fashion designer Virgil Abloh’s final Louis Vuitton S/S 22 Men’s collection fashion show in Miami. 

Truly capturing the light amidst so much darkness in the world, For The Deported is a body of work that displays the arrival of a true star who is here to stay. Heartaches, lustry rich vocals, and lush instrumentals are all fused together with a longing of home and heartache, the feelings that are reminiscent throughout the tracks. With only the confidence that comes from a true gift can carry an artist across words that are too tender to be spoken. 

Listen here