2020 was a tuff year for everyone but it had a massive silver lining for me personally. I finally had time for myself again to follow my calling as an artist.
Getting back to regular reading was one of my main self care rituals. I missed reading in years where I was touring relentlessly. I never stood still and somehow my attention span is not the same when I am on an airport waiting for a flight. Reading in the park instead was delightful and satisfying.
Internationally renowned sword-swallower MisSa will be with us this month for her debut solo show Rising of the Black Sheep. Scroll down to see her picks ↓
Girl, Woman, Other
Bernadine Evaristo
A good friend from New York send me the book beginning of lockdown saying it’s a must read! It was listed on Barack Obama’s best book list 2019. So I naturally believed her! Indeed the story was touching, enlightening and took me in deeply. The book inspired me to take a DNA test and I found out that I have Nigerian heritage.This totally changed the idea of identity. I found a far away cousin through the test as well. That was very exciting!
Rise Up
Stormzy
Stormzy’s book was probably the most inspirational book I’ve read in the past decade. Hearing the story of his success coming from a poor background and making it in the music industry out of his own powers and without ever signing to a big label was just empowering. When I put the book down I was ready to work. This book helped me to create my sold out online show during lock down. I just believed into myself and made it happen!
Don't Touch My Hair
Emma Dabiri
The book by the mixed race Irish-Nigerian writer fell into my hands just after I found out that I was Nigerian too. So naturally her story about growing up in a very white area resonated with me and felt a lot of similarities between her life and mine. Something I seldom come across. Apart from that it was so great to learn so many new details about Afro hair. I got inspired to wear Bantu knots. A style I really love now.
Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race
Reni Eddo-Lodge
I feel like I am a little bit “late to the party” with only reading this in 2020. However the book really delivers a true insight about institutional racism in the UK and is packed with black history that everyone living in the UK should know about.
Born A Crime
Trevor Noah
Trevor Noah’s story just blew me away. I could literally not believe what I was reading. I laughed and cried and once I finished the book had to talk to my friends in depth about it. His resilience and ability to turn every tragic event that happened into his fortune is absolutely mind blowing. I can’t wait for the film to come out!
MisSa will be here with her debut solo show Rising of the Black Sheep 17-18 Dec – get your tickets HERE→
