Room Service, we need more Haviah Mighty
Haviah Mighty hits 2023 running with a new, sultry single, "Room Service." The JUNO, Prism, Polaris Prize-winning, and BET Hip Hop Award-nominated artist today shares a double-feature video directed by previous collaborators Kit Weyman and Chris Lowe (Fela production company [work with DJ Khaled, SONY, Nike, & so many more]). Listen to "Room Service" HERE and watch "Honey Bun / Room Service" HERE.
The vibey lead melodies pull you in as Haviah pleads for her lover to wait for her, and the bouncy synths playfully suck you into a vortex of heavy-hitting 808s and afro-style grooves that remind you that Haviah isn't just a rapper; she's a singer, Jamaican, a queer woman, and Toronto-born. She highlights her roots and multifaceted nature as an artist with this song and video, digging into the bashment energy we rarely see.
Of the track, Haviah says, "This song reflects on the many phases of denial that I experienced going through a recent breakup. My self-worth was shattered, I convinced myself that things weren’t as bad as they seemed, and that it wasn’t my fault. ‘Room Service’ was written from a place of bargaining. I was fully aware that this person had already let me go... but it wasn't official. Because of that, I had this glimmer of hope. My love and attachment to this person was bigger than the realities of what was happening to us."
Of the video, she says, "In ‘Honey Bun,' we see me disassociating with a past love, let down, and looking for distractions as a form of medicine. I began to rely heavily on having multiple beautiful partners, money, designer clothes, drugs, and any other way to escape the hurt. We see reflections of the past love spliced with moments of us together, Mighty Gang in the cut, representing... We see a love triangle that manifested between an old and new love – and while it was a good time, it ultimately wasn’t real and didn’t last. Together, these two videos/songs depict the difficult stages in a breakup that we all inevitably go through-and, the reality that, if it’s not to be, no matter what occurs – it will not be."
All eyes are on Haviah after becoming the first woman to win the JUNO (Grammy equivalent) in the Best Rap Album/EP of the Year category for her 2021 Stock Exchange mixtape – from her fans who eagerly await each release to the critics who sing her praise at NPR, COLORSxSTUDIOS, Sway In The Morning, BBC Radio 1, HipHopDX, HotNewHipHop, FADER, Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, KEXP, & more.
Throughout her career, Haviah has tackled a range of deeply felt ideas and topics: the roots of capitalism, systemic racism, self-awareness, independence, strength in the community, and beyond. On Stock Exchange, we saw Haviah's growth as a producer and her expansion as a collaborator (she's worked with TOBi, Jalen Santoy, Mala Rodríguez, and more), while visual artist blackpowerbarbie is at the helm for the incredible artwork and animated excerpts. Haviah also won the Prism Prize for her powerful video for 13th Floor's "Thirteen" from the album, making her the first Hip Hop artist and Black woman to win the Polaris Prize. Last but not least, she was the only Canadian to be nominated for Best International Flow for this year's BET Hip Hop awards.
