The artist mallewi is an autodidact, multidisciplinary artist from Baltimore, now based in Los Angeles. From a young age, mallewi used creativity to transform limited resources into boundless expression. At just 12 years old, the City of Baltimore commissioned mallewi and a few local artists to create a ceramic mural of Billie Holiday for the grand opening of the Eubie Blake Cultural Center. This early achievement was a precursor to a lifelong journey of artistic exploration. In high school, mallewi earned an International Baccalaureate Diploma with a concentration in visual arts. Ever resourceful, teenage mallewi sold handmade art pieces in their neighborhood to purchase a tape recorder, which became a pivotal tool for self-taught musical training. This diligence laid the foundation for mallewi's music career, where art became both a form of personal healing and a medium to connect with others. Poetry was mallewi’s initial outlet during challenging times, which evolved into songwriting, singing, and eventually music production. In 2019, mallewi released their first EP, THE GARDEN, a folk-soul exploration of personal growth. The following year, mallewi released RETINA, an alternative project that peaked at #21 on iTunes’ Top 25 alternative album summer releases. Their upcoming project, APOLLO, set to debut in 2025, will blend neo-soul, pop, and R&B, diving into themes of love, loss, sexuality, existentialism, and renewal. Through their work, mallewi fosters connection and reassurance, crafting songs that offer solace and remind listeners that they are understood, safe, and resilient—even during life’s toughest moments.

In this episode, recorded in June 2020, mallewi reads ‘For My People’ by Margaret Walker, as part of a special Black Lives Matter lineup curated by Meredith Lancaster.