About
Aruba Red is a London-based alt-soul artist. Borrowing her moniker from the legendary female pirate, Aruba Red is said to have been a fiery, strong, rebellious and independent female seafarer navigating a male dominated world, Aruba Red the artist strives to evoke her spirit and embody her strength and resilience.
Although she toured with her musical family, grew up in studios and wrote poetry from a young age, having her first poem published aged nine years old, Aruba Red initially shied away from performing, her lyrics - a glimpse into her soul, felt a little too personal to share. However, in her early 20s she became a regular on the London open mic circuit, her rich tone, signature vibrato and fusion of influences led her to be scouted for Aftershock London, a project at the Royal Festival Hall curated by award-winning composer Nitin Sawhney, kickstarting her career. To date, she has worked and toured with the likes of Maverick Sabre, Jah Cure, Natty, Xavier Rudd, Roxy Music’s Phil Manzanera, Ms Dynamite, Plan B and Riz Ahmed to name a few. Aruba Red has performed and held residencies at London's Roundhouse and Southbank Centre as well as hitting the stage at festivals and venues nationwide and overseas.
Just as her career was gaining exciting traction, Aruba Red was forced to stop making music due to a very challenging period in her life. During this hiatus, she lost her father, became a mother and escaped a decade-long abusive relationship - experiences she has since poured into her new music. Re-emerged with her EP ‘Holy Waters’, released Autumn 2018, the independent offering climbed the charts and reached an impressive #7 on the iTunes Top RnB/Soul Albums Chart. Holy Waters is a musically rich, lyrically impressive celebration of feminine strength and resurrection. Futuristic soul with an edge, fresh vibes fused with ancient wisdom, leaving you feeling inspired and uplifted. Her unique brand of spiritual pop documents the positive energy that has come to define her. The stories she weaves, deal with a plethora of subjects including birth, death, motherhood, the spiritual realm, self-love, breaking cycles of addiction, hope and invoking the power of the Goddess. Using all the powers the universe has to offer with an uplifting and ethereal vibe, Aruba Red seamlessly provides futuristic soul music revolving around the themes of healing and transformation, acting as a campfire for anyone who needs to feel the warmth.
In December 2019 Aruba Red launched Aruba Red Treasured, an innovative take on sustainable band merchandise. All items are ethically sourced, a reflection of Aruba Red’s ethos and values. 2019 also saw Aruba Red talk openly about Mental Health and Wellness within the music industry for the likes of Help Musicians UK and BBC Introducing Live, issues close to her heart.
In December 2019 Aruba Red launched Aruba Red Treasured in collaboration with Creative Director Ashlyn Gibson, an innovative take on sustainable band merchandise. All items are ethically sourced, a reflection of Aruba Red’s ethos and values. 2019 also saw Aruba Red talk openly about Mental Health and Wellness within the music industry for the likes of Help Musicians UK and BBC Introducing Live, issues close to her heart.
2020 marked the inception of 'Aruba Red's Spiritual Spa Women's Circle', a gathering celebrating sisterhood and the healing powers of the divine feminine, as well as leading live guided meditations and various other commissions. On 11th March 2020 on the brink of lockdown, Aruba Red performed her debut headline concert at the iconic St. Pancras Old Church to a sold-out audience coinciding with the release of her critically acclaimed EP ‘Shadow Work.’ This collection marks her steppingstones to freedom. During the lock-down period, Aruba produced a new 7-part mini documentary series Inspiration Behind The Tracks, supported by Help Musicians UK. This powerful collection of videos delves into the deeper meaning behind her music and led up to the release of her new album Aruba Red Live At St Pancras Old Church. As well as this Aruba Red appears on Nitin Sawhney's stunning album Immigrants on their unique collaboration Replay.
Throughout 2021 and 2022, Aruba Red has continued to delve into her wellness offerings, training as a Radical Birth Keeper and supporting women choosing to birth outside of the medical system. A huge highlight was being invited to hold space for a beautiful homebirth one night and then the next evening performing live at the Royal Albert Hall with Nitin Sawhney. This landmark performance was a commission for a spoken word piece entitled “A New Home” celebrating 150 years of the Royal Albert Hall and 150 years of immigration. Aruba Red’s single Wild Woman was selected as the theme song for the Free Birth Society podcast which as of autumn 2022 had over 3 million downloads worldwide, spreading the messages of trust, freedom and autonomy.