by kaylee pickens
photo courtesy of khatumu
Looking for new music to fall in love with? Well, look no further. Khatumu (cuh-to-moo) is reimagining music one track at a time. After graduating from Yale in 2024, the rising artist made her transition to LA with several releases in tow. With tracks like, “fire drill,” Khatumu is proof that incredible lyricism is more prevalent than ever — and that it’s okay to be in your feels. The New Jersey-native gets candid about her relationship with social media and preparation for tour. In an interview with Unclear, we sat down with the singer-songwriter to talk about the birth of her artistry, new EP, and much more.
What did the birth of Khatumu look like for you as an artist?
Khatumu: “When I first started my artist project, it was, like, it was birthed, if you will, in my bedroom, and me and four walls and a guitar. I had produced all the stuff myself and, like, my logic project and all that, and now it really has become more about the community of people around me. Which also has myself sort of at the center of that, but, I think that my artist project now is something that feels although there are more people included in it, it feels like more like home and that I have that, like, my friends playing on my songs now, my friends helping me edit my songs. Like, I've created a world for myself, you know, photos and sort of like this also visual imagery alongside the audio art.”
What does this current era of artistry look like to you?
Khatumu: “I’ve been loving the banjo. I call my music electrified folk music. I think that's a really fun way to describe it.
I was in a folk band in college, and I think a lot of my music draws inspiration from that, especially since that was one of my first introductions to music collaboration. And so a lot of the stuff, a lot of the lyrics, also deal with me sort of trying to figure out young adult life as we all do, especially post grad. I'm just having fun.”
What was the creative process like for “fire drill?”
Khatumu: “It was very fun. That was one of the first songs that I wrote after coming to LA. I remember ‘fire drill’ was one of the first ones I wrote on the EP. Walking into the room and it was: the producer, his manager, manager had his dog, and you can hear the dog running around in the back of the song. It's funny. It was one of my first times doing a proper session in LA.”
You’re opening for Mae Martin in June, how are you preparing for it?
Khatumu: “You know what's funny is I don't really have any formal training on singing. My preparation is, like, I just sort of pull up. I’m just gonna live my life as vocal training. And try not to be egregious and scream.”
How would you describe yourself to someone who’s never met you?
Khatumu: “I would say I love telling stories. Even as a kid, I would always be the person at the sleepover, workshopping some sh***y ghost story that people either hated or they loved... I would say I'm a storyteller.
I would also say, I don't take myself too seriously. I wish that I had heard someone else say what I'm saying when I was younger. Just because it probably would have helped me not feel crazy.
I'm a friend. And also from New Jersey. I can't escape that.”
How do you navigate the pressures of social media and prioritize your mental health?
Khatumu: “The way that I approach social media — I make this analogy to one of my friends. I have a lot of friends in grad school right now. I approach social media almost like homework for grad school. Like, I feel like I'm doing a grad program right now, and the grad program is me making the music, and I'm working my side job to support my rent. And the TikToks are just sort of the daily reading that I have to do, you know? I post my thing and I leave, and I don't linger, and I go outside, you know? A lot of the momentum I've had is from people showing up for me via social media. And that ebbs and flows, I think in really, really drastic ways, which I think can be another impetus for mental health.”
What are your thoughts towards collaborating with fans on merch designs through Softside?
Khatumu: “Oh, what are my thoughts on that? My thoughts are I think it's the coolest thing literally ever. I think that's such an awesome way to collaborate with an artist. I remember, I posted about this on Instagram once, and there was a girl there who was underage [and couldn’t attend the show]. I met a few of my fans in a park that were all under 21 and I received this orange sweater. It had stitched cowboy boots on it, and my name, and it was literally the coolest thing ever.”
Anything else you’d like to share?
Khatumu: “I personally think that the EP is really worthwhile, especially for people who feel like they're going through transition periods of their life. The title of the EP is Free Therapy. I think it would have really helped me a few years ago. And so, maybe there's someone that would help. Maybe more than someone.”
