Views: 39
PRODUCED BY HIT-MAKER NAUGHTY BOY [BEYONCÉ, SAM SMITH, TINIE TEMPAH, MIRAA MAY, SHENSEEA, & MORE]
PREVIOUS SUPPORT FROM CLASH MAGAZINE, COMPLEX, GRM DAILY, KALTBLUT MAGAZINE, NEW WAVE MAGAZINE, NATIVE MAG & MANY MORE.
Tanika has always been a force. Her voice, her pen, her presence and now, after years of shaping the culture from behind the scenes, she’s stepping into the forefront of her own moment, on her own terms. Following the release of her 333 EP, the London-born singer-songwriter returns with Fast Fwd, a hypnotic, summer-drenched anthem featuring Kida Kudz and produced by household-name-hitmaker Naughty Boy.
This moment has been a long time coming. Though her name might be new to some, her influence isn’t—her songwriting and vocals have forged successful collaborations with some of the industry’s most respected names, from Wretch 32, to MNEK, Idris Elba, and Stormzy, who was a feature on Tanika’s own recording. With millions of streams accumulated alongside her name, Tanika is taking this moment to build a community of her own.
Produced by Naughty Boy—whose credits span from Beyoncé to Sam Smith—Fast Fwd is drenched in nostalgia yet pulses with the energy of what’s next. A slick guitar lick sets the tone before Tanika’s velvet vocals take control, gliding effortlessly over the beat. Kida Kudz steps in, elevating the track’s bounce, making it undeniable.
The song was born from a moment of serendipity. “Out of chaos and sadness came something beautiful,” Tanika shares. “I hadn’t seen Naughty Boy in almost a decade. We crossed paths at my friend’s son’s funeral—a day filled with tears, but also laughter. He told me to come to the studio the next week. Kida and I showed up, he played us the instrumental for Fast Fwd… and the rest was history.”
This isn’t just a new single. It’s a shift. Tanika is here, on her own time, with her own voice—unapologetic, undeniable, and finally in the driver’s seat.
Tanika was born in her bedroom on Fiveways Road, Brixton. She was first raised on the Angel Town Estate and later on Myatt’s Field, just a few minutes down the road. Brixton in the 1990s was home to some notorious neighborhoods, with estates like Angel Town and Myatt’s Field—hotbeds of violence and crime—decaying behind the town’s cultural vibrancy. Despite the challenges of her upbringing, she found solace in music. Using the art as a form of escapism during tough times, Tanika is one of five siblings who each carved her music taste from a youthful age. Listening to the likes of Aaliyah, TLC, Bob Marley, Smiley Culture, Tina Turner, Shania Twain, Mary J Blige, Faith Evans and many more, she wrote her first song “Crazy” and wandered over to Deni’s studio, a church going man, asking him to record it.
Fast forward many years later, Tanika released her first EP ‘Thoughts of Love,’ featuring Brixton local Sneakbo. Shortly after, Tanika was introduced to Naughty Boy at Ealing Studios where his acclaimed debut album ‘Hotel Cabana’, featured Tanika on both ‘Pardon Me’ and ‘Get Lucky’, a song that would go on to be the second most downloaded song from the album. Heading on a nation-wide tour the singer-songwriter made friends with Sam Smith, Ella Eyre and Emeli Sande. Since then, Tanika has become a staple name in music working with the likes of Wretch 32, MNEK, Idris Elba, Stormzy and many more. Venturing into acting, Tanika featured in Idris Elba’s first directorial movie “Yardie”, which she later recorded the soundtrack for with Kranium and Idris. Tanika then took on another role in the UK’s movie “The Intent 2” alongside Popcaan and some other incredible artists/actors.
Meeting her now fiance, Kida Kudz on a trip to LA back in 2019, the pair now have two children and a love story for us all to hear. Heading back into the studio in 2021, Tanika has pushed aiding other artists aside and placed her career centre frame. Juggling motherhood and working with musicians alike, the singer-songwriter has been in the studio fine tuning her forthcoming music. Channelling the 90’s R&B nostalgia in her recent EP ‘333’, Tanika has been gearing up for another year of incredible releases starting with “Fast Fwd” alongside Kida Kudz and Naughty Boy.
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