Tommy WÁ is in recovery mode. After a weekend of playing festival sets at Latitude and Deer Shed with his band, he’s taking the day to reset. His new era kicks off with ‘Somewhere Only We Go’: a five-track EP that’s as intimate as it is open-armed. It’s the sound of a new voice finding its footing and inviting others to do the same. A collection, he says, for “folks from all walks of life to gather, reflect, be present, be vulnerable and encourage a collective sense of responsibility.”
The Ghana-based, Nigerian-born artist first caught ears with 2022’s ‘Roadman and Folk’, a record that mixed acoustic texture with street-level storytelling and helped set the stage for everything that’s followed. “I am forever grateful to that project for all it's done for me and my community,” he reflects. “It sparked the start of the story about the journey of where I was coming from and going with my folks.” That journey hasn’t stopped; it’s just entered a new phase. “The next chapter feels like a pause in a place where we can gather ‘Somewhere Only We Go’.”
If the debut was a statement of intent, this EP is the sound of stepping into something richer. “I believe I have evolved in humility,” he says. “I’ve regained a clearer vision for my sonic direction and the steps to attain a sustainable career. Even if I’ve been doing this for quite some time, I’m more confident having to repeat everything all over again and build with structure.”
That quiet confidence runs through the EP: a release grounded in warmth and clarity, even when it stares straight into complexity. These songs don’t shout; they sit you down gently and tell you something true. “In essence, this is a body of work about leaving behind your inhibitions and touching grass,” he says.
The making of it wasn’t always gentle. The entire EP was recorded in the dead of winter, and Tommy, unused to the cold, had to learn how to navigate freezing mornings. “I would wear about four layers of clothes plus a winter jacket just to get to the studio,” he laughs. “And don’t get me started on the amount of hot tea I had to drink daily or the number of times I had to steam up to knock out a fever.”
Still, the result is his clearest, most realised work to date. “This is the first project where most of my ideas have been actualised and ready to go before announcing anything,” he says. “From the visuals, which play a huge part in the stories being told, to the overall quality of the songs, especially from a production standpoint.”
"This is a body of work about leaving behind your inhibitions"
One of those songs is ‘Keep On Keeping On’, a track that glows with patience and reassurance. “This song explores what it means to be confident in patience,” Tommy explains. “It offers a graceful reflective template for the nuances that may surround a person’s life.” There’s a soft strength to it: a lesson in learning to wait without losing faith.
Another standout is ‘God Loves You When You’re Dancing’. It began years ago, but only found its real soul after a close friend, a dancer, survived a near-fatal motorbike accident. “This song became a form of encouragement as she began rehabilitation to get back on her feet to dance again,” Tommy says. It now closes the EP with pure release: West African percussion, choral vocals, arms in the air, freedom in the beat. “The claps, the shameless dancing - it all makes the song meet its purpose.”
There’s a lyric on the record that means more now than it did when he first wrote it: “We’ve got nothing to lose / We’ve got nothing to prove.” Tommy doesn’t explain it in full. He just lets it hang there - stripped of ego, unguarded. “It strips me of…” he starts, then stops. Sometimes the point is to feel it, not explain it.
"I hope this EP leads to newer adventures"
After spending years living with these songs, seeing them land with crowds has brought new meaning to. “I don’t think I realised fully the contagious power of the song until I saw people losing themselves to it,” he says. “Especially ‘God Loves You When You’re Dancing’. That’s when it meets its purpose.”
This release also marks Tommy’s debut on Dirty Hit, a new home that seems to make sense. “They were one of the very few to show interest before my performance at The Great Escape generated much noise,” he says. “Without any commitment, I could see them unpretentiously trying to make my time in the UK worthwhile. I could tell they genuinely care.”
He’s keeping momentum up with more shows and a full UK tour, as well as festival dates across the summer. “I hope this EP leads to newer adventures, takes me on a journey of discovery to different places around the world.”
Right now, he’s drawing inspiration from a wave of alternative artists across Africa and the diaspora - names like Obongjayar, Rachel Chinouriri, Mudi Sama, Superjazz Club, Annahstasia and Porcelain ID. “It motivates me to tell my story more boldly, knowing I am not alone,” he says. “Collectively, we can shift culture.”
“Collectively, we can shift culture”
As for what’s next? “More shooooooooooooooooowwws, and then more music,” he grins. “I am also interested in forming a genuine relationship with some UK-based artists of the people mentioned above - and then hopefully we can be talking about sneaky collabs with Fred again…”
When he’s not writing, Tommy’s out cycling, hiking, getting lost in the world. “If you listen deeply,” he says, “I’m basically singing about my hobbies.”
And just before signing off, he leaves a reminder of the world he came from, and the one he wants to help create. “Beyond the saturation of music, you’d find that there are more kids just like me in Africa with an instrument in hand and a dream in mind who are creating something unique that could change the world.”
With ‘Somewhere Only We Go’, Tommy WÁ hasn’t just found a voice: he’s built a home for others to walk into too.
Tommy WÁ's EP 'Somewhere Only We Go' is out now.
