Uma

Having relocated to York from her Spanish village to study contemporary classical music, Uma – who is of Thai/British descent - parted ways with the genre in the pursuit of more “free” avenues through which to exercise her creativity. “If you’re gonna do something that’s creative and unpredictable and has no financial security, then you might as well enjoy it,” she reasoned. Eschewing traditional genre boundaries in favour of freedom has remained something of a theme throughout Uma’s output, with stripped-back Spanish folk, electronic beats and sweet, earworm melodies all leaving fingerprints upon the artist’s treasure chest of tracks. Also central to her ethos is collaboration. Uma’s Can Obert home studio (or ‘open house’, in English) has grown into a hub of creative activity since her mother purchased the then-dilapidated building decades ago. Artists including Puma Blue, Nilüfer Yanya and Rosie Lowe have spent time at Can Obert, with Uma contributing writing credits to the latter’s new album during her stay. Today, Can Obert is a haven where artists from all backgrounds can sleep, eat and, crucially, make music in the sleepy Catalan countryside.