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Definitively rooted in R&B and Neo-soul, HANISA has cultivated her sound and writing style based on soul-to-soul connection — in turn, enabling her to exchange energies through lyrics and textures. She unapologetically conveys nostalgia in its most honest and raw form, allowing her audience to resonate and create a personal connection to breathe and let go.
Evoking her stylistic influences from the likes of Kehlani, Erykah Badu, Yasiin Bey, Jasmine Sullivan, Ashanti, J Dilla and Nujabes. HANISA portrays a complexity of layers left for her audience to receive and uncover.
HANISA’s debut EP ‘Receipt 01’ is an ode to growth and her experience — exploring love, giving love and pouring into love.
Photographer: Lin Manik (@fakt_ta)
Ethnicity: Malaysian
Location: London, UK / Bali, Indonesia / Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Instagram: @020hanisa
Website:
GET TO KNOW - completed January 2025
3 words to describe you:
A Big Sister (I chose these three words because I felt that it best reflected my personality and my music).
Describe your sound:
Despite my sound being rooted in RnB I wouldn't count it a solely RnB since my music influences comes from a lot of different places. It's like an blend of everything I like and what experiences I have gone through, so a hint of neo-soul, a pinch of hip-hop, a slight touch of afro.... to be honest it's pretty hard to place.
But I have been told by fellow musicians and friends that my sound is a blend of the Island girl (Southeast Asian heritage I have) and London girl all in one, which is reflective of my identity as TCK (third culture kid).
Describe the moment you knew that you wanted to pursue music:
To pin point an exact time... is quite hard, I've always loved music. Especially growing up with MTV and show's like The Proud Family on Disney, Taina on Nickelodeon, Lil Romeo and all the 90's early 2000's shows all of that pretty much contributed to me having that dream of pursuing singing.
But ultimately the moment I got super serious about music was in year 9 when I started to learn more about music production, I even had rock band at one point and started performing on stage in musicals and taking part in events. Through all that I started to meet and connect with people from all walks of life who felt impacted by my music, however big or small, every impact made me feel more inclined to pursue music and eventually it opened up a new world full of dreams and possibilities that I wanted to be a part of.
How does your heritage impact your art?
It's going to be a long answer but literally everything. Not in the sense that I use musical elements and motifs from my culture and intertwine that within my music (though one day I would love to figure this out and make it happen). Everything in the sense that like my ancestry consist of Bugis (Sea pirates/ Warriors of the sea), in short they are people who are always traveling, finding homes in places where you wouldn't think of, everything, life is fluid to them and is influenced by location.
Probably would have heard of similar stories of identity struggles as Asians growing up in the UK, my experience isn't much different. I've always wanted to connect with my Malaysia side and understand my roots, so ever since I graduated back in 2019 I technically moved to Southeast Asia, with hopes to connect with artist within Southeast Asia and in turn figure out myself and my music. Since 2019, my base (home) was dependent on where music took me. It wasn't glamorous and it was hard but it led me to make beautiful pieces of art and form life long friendships in music and life.
What moment are you most proud of in your music journey so far?
Releasing my recent EP 'Receipts 01' the journey up til the release was a lot and I'm just thankful for the people behind the music, the artists that are featured on my EP are people that I have either cultivated a relationship for a while and they're like family to me and the others are new life long friends who I've admired prior to the EP, crazy talented musicians who I feel the world needs to hear.
Your next music goal:
Make the next EP and start doing live shows
If you could collaborate with anyone, who and why?
Currently I don't have anyone in mind... it always changes depending on where I'm at with my music.
Lyrics you live by:
'I can still breathe but the air is different' - HANISA
3 songs you're listening to right now:
NO PAIN - Silicia GEl
W1LL U L13 - SAILORR
If The Loves Goes - Jamilah Barry
Your community shout out:
Lunadira (@lunadira): Her music is everything and she's been a great inspiration as not only and artist and friend, she is such an amazing story teller, you get that sense through her music, her ability to create these lyrics is just something I can't wrap my head around sometimes.
Monica Karina (@_monicakariana): She has been an integral person in my life, especially in the recent EP I dropped. Her ability to form melodies and her attention to detail is something that I strive to develop as an artist. I can't wait to see all the gems that she's about to drop this year.
Anything else you'd like to share:
Recently released my debut EP 'Receipts 01' <3
