“I’m a black woman and I’m a proud one,” expresses self-described introvert Little Simz. Her latest single ‘Introvert‘ serves as a reclamation of her introversion, an honouring of her introspection and a call to arms to social justice.
Opening with a Beyonce-worthy fanfare of ceremonious horns and a marching drum beat, ‘Introvert’ is the gateway to the new era of Little Simz. With the help of her close friend and long-time producer pal Inflo, Simz is once again returning to the use of live instrumentation, elevating and transforming her music. There are hints of early 2000s R&B with Cleo Sol’s catchy bridge, but with its Fugees-esque beats, the track is still rooted in hip hop. ‘Introvert’ feels majestic and striking, yet dignified and poignant.
The beat breaks as she gets into the flow of the second verse, attempting to distinguish the difference between “Simz the artist” and “Simbi the person”. She does this by questioning if putting her all into everything “Is even worth it“. Being able to see the value in your vulnerability is challenging enough without being at the scrutinous hands of your audience.
“One day I’m wordless / Next day I’m a wordsmith / Close to success but to happiness / I’m the furthest”
Speaking of Frank, it wouldn’t be a Simz track without a reference to her heroine, Amy Winehouse. “At night I wonder if my tears will dry on their own / Hoping I will fulfil Amy’s purpose” she raps over a rolling guitar. Having previously made references to The 27 Club and its members, Simz consistently goes out of her way to pay respect to those who inspire her the most.
For far too long, Little Simz has been carrying the weight of being people’s ‘favourite female rapper’. The defining characteristic of her work should not be the fact that she is female, as it feels cringey and outdated. To pigeonhole the 27-year-old to one genre would be completely dismissive of her expansive genre-bending catalogue, especially with ‘Introvert’. It is about time that we blurred the lines, and acknowledged Little Simz for what she really is: a multi-talented artiste.
