Welcome to the launch of Music Box season 5, where we'll be sharing intimate performances by some of the best new artists around – plus one or two others you'll likely be more familiar with.
Opening the fifth series of these stripped-down sessions – filmed on-site at The Independent's tiny studio – is Nigerian-Canadian singer and multi-instrumentalist Falana. She caught my attention with her unique, sprawling song structures and melding of soul, jazz, pop and afrobeats.
Early influences included vintage and contemporary soul singers like Etta James, Lauryn Hill, Amy Winehouse and Erykah Badu. A stint in Cuba where Falana studied music led to her first experiences of recording her own music and further explore her artistic voice.
