Pa Salieu

Gambian via Coventry artist Pa Salieu has soared to unprecedented heights in recent years. Since he released ‘Frontline’, his debut single in 2020, followed by a critically acclaimed mixtape, Send Them To Coventry, he has accumulated plaudits of a rarified air: headlining multiple festivals, receiving co-signs from the likes of the late Virgil Abloh and Nigerian popstar Burna Boy, and going on to win BBC’s Sound Of… & BRIT’s Critics Choice nomination.

Now, with his transformative project Afrikan Alien, Pa channels years of introspection, resilience, and creative rebirth. Written during a period marked by both personal reflection and systemic barriers, the album is a powerful statement on identity, freedom, and survival. Diagnosed with ADHD and navigating the complexities of mental health, Pa’s vulnerability has become his greatest strength, infusing his music with unfiltered honesty and emotional depth. Songs like Dece and YGF reveal an artist grappling with—and ultimately embracing—his layered existence, from the cultural dissonance of straddling two worlds to the enduring spirit that refuses to be confined. “I’m following my spirit. I’m embracing freedom,” he says, standing as a beacon for those who, like him, are carving spaces where they’ve been told they don’t belong.