Hotly tipped 22-year-old producer and multi-instrumentalist Louie Hemus AKA Hemai sonically melds soul and jazz with an electronic tinge. Born and bred in the UK’s second capital Birmingham, Hemai grew up around jazz culture, music and live musicians, taking influence from the likes of Herbie Hancock, The Gilberto’s and D’Angelo to modern day acts like Zero7 and Corinne Bailey Rae.

His upcoming debut album - Strange Beauty (May 7th, Tru Thoughts) - is collection of stories of the love, spirit and balance of the universe. On the LP, Hemai experiments with the idea of movement and the present, bringing together some of his favourite sounds from around the world and melding them with his UK roots.

The first few singles of the album have seen Hemai garner support from the likes of Lauren Laverne (BBC 6Music), Jack Saunders (BBC Radio 1), Jamz Supernova (BBC 1Xtra), Tony Minvielle and China Moses (Jazz FM), Papaoul (Worldwide FM), EARMILK, Stereofox and Clash Magazine as he cements his place in the thriving UK jazz and electronic scene.

A reflection of himself and his loved ones, ‘Strange Beauty’ is a testament to the thoughtfulness and meticulous nature of Hemai’s production and dedication to the music he makes. Receiving upfront support from Gilles Peterson on his debut 2019 EP “Eyes Closed” was closely followed by Hemai’s official remix of Oscar Jerome’s “Gravitate” and being titled one to watch by BBC Introducing’s Jaguar on her Hot List 2020.

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