Aisha Badru - The Way Back Home (2021) Hi-Res

While Aisha Badru may not exactly be a household name yet, that will change, and her new EP, The Way Back Home, will go a long way towards achieving that end. An earthy folk singer with a unique perspective, she has created six tracks that sound fairly simplistic until you really dig in and listen. What comes through is the voice of an unbelievably mature artist, one whose experiences have led her to a place where sharing what she has learned on her own journey offers hope for those finding their own path.

She followed her own muse on a road from Yonkers, New York, to Orlando, Florida. Since elementary school, writing lyrics has been a part of her process, but the real story begins later. “I dropped out of college, bought a guitar and watched loads of YouTube tutorials. After a few weeks, I wrote my first song on my guitar, which eventually was used in a Volkswagen advertisement.”

One of the things Badru discovered was that she needed to be appreciative of her experiences, “Home” deals with that directly, understanding that the song is about “… wanting to return to a place that you left. It is about developing a deeper appreciation for the people, places and things we often take for granted.” Building from a piano and light synth backing, strings provide a more hopeful note before drums begin pushing the song forward.

A relatively spritely guitar works with the bass drum providing a hopeful edge to “The Way Back Home.” Written from the heart, Badru understands that sometimes the only way to get what is most important is to let go of people so they can explore the world for themselves, “… in order for one to be whole, they have to go on a self-exploration journey alone.” The lyrics make this clear, “You’ve got untied ends you need to complete/ It’s got nothing to do with me/ They will call your name and you will go running/ And baby that’s alright with me.”

Writing directly, Badru has created a work that speaks to the things that make life special. To be truly successful, you need to find your own pathway, regardless of where it leads. It doesn’t matter how long the journey takes; you simply need to find your own truth. Aisha Badru doesn’t teach and doesn’t preach; she simply sings her truths. That we can learn from the lessons of “The Way Back Home” only serves to make her messages that much more important.