Aisha Badru is our latest ‘Off the Shelf’ guest, in which we ask artists to present objects from a shelf or shelves from their home and talk about them. She reveals her love for interior design and homeware craftsmanship, shares objects that have enduring beautiful memories, and reveals books that have been influential not only in her life but in her songwriting as well.
Aisha is set to release her new EP Learning to Love Again on June 2nd via Nettwerk – Pre-Save it here.
This here is my little weaving loom, where I create woven fabric for different projects. One passion that I have always had that I’ve put on the back burner is interior design and homeware craftsmanship. Whenever I walk past something that was handmade, like a table runner or curtain, I think: “how was that made?”… “I can do that”. When I turned 30, I said that I would give myself the time and freedom to explore other dreams of mine, so I bought a loom to begin my journey of learning how to make woven items that I would normally just buy at a store. There is something so gratifying about making something beautiful from nothing and having it be a functional piece of art that you can use in your home. This leads me to my next item…
I received this sewing machine as a gift last Christmas. This sewing machine represents something that I have zero skill and knowledge about. To start from the beginning of something is intimidating. For many months this sat on my shelf collecting dust. These are the same feelings I had about the guitar at the start of my music journey. It felt like this unknown object withheld all of its secrets from me and that I would somehow have to figure it out. Although daunting, I keep reminding myself that it’s never too late to learn something new. I have been practicing a lot lately and I get better every time. I made a pillow the other day that I’m really proud of. I first created the textile on the loom and then sewed it together on this machine.
These books sit on a shelf in my bedroom. This collection is a glimpse into what’s important to me and how I view the world at this time. All of these books range between three topics: Nature, health, and spirituality. These three pillars have been extremely influential not only in my life but in my songwriting as well. My goal for my music is to help people feel more connected, to feel loved, and to feel valuable. I hope that the healing I found on my personal journey will seep through to whoever hears my songs.
This is a photo of my twins Sage and Eden when they were just a few months old. Shortly after they were born, the pandemic began and everything shut down. We became such a close family unit, and for the first couple of years of their lives, they only had each other, myself, and their dad to play with. They are best friends, and I hope their bond continues to grow even though they are now making friends of their own. They are almost four years old now, and time is passing by so fast. I keep this photo on the shelf in our entryway because it is a reminder of the time when life slowed down for a while.
This butterfly was drawn and given to me by a longtime listener of my music. She sent it to me in the mail, and ever since, I’ve had it on the shelf that sits above my desk. This butterfly reminds me of the inevitability of change and the beauty of the journey. I’m really grateful for everyone who has supported me throughout the years. It means a lot to know that there are people out there who resonate with my story, and it feels great to know that so many people are on a healing path. I am hopeful for the future.
…much of Badru’s magic lies in alchemy — distilling an often-tangled human experience into simple truths, quieting the cacophony to pave a path towards introspection. On her EP single, ‘Path of Least Resistance’, those smoky vocals are enhanced by a soulful bluesy swaying melody as she shares those tangled thoughts of embrace and distance.
Aisha’s new EP – Learning to Love Again, is out June 2nd Pre-Save it here.
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