Sit down with Karima.
Arlo: You’re an artist. Tell us a little bit about yourself
K: I’m a painter and poet.My background is in architecture. My family are mixed race.
I paint a lot about themes of consciousness, faith, identity and style and for me colour and words they kind of go hand in hand with each other. I am really interested in how we can use spoken words to heal and access great empowerment.
Arlo: What is your favourite pastime?
K: To just people watch and drink a coffee, journal, write and channel.Thats my favourite thing to do in the world or to go swim and just be in nature and to feel free.
Favourite travel destination?
K: Either New York where I get to soak up all the people, culture and spoken words.Thats where I feel like I come to life. Also Bali of course, that’s where I heal and come into my feminine . I am surrounded by nature and kind people and I get to tap into spirituality. So both New York and Bali, they represent the sides to both of my personalities.
Arlo: What do you miss most about home when you’re away?
K: The people. I take a Polaroid camera with me, I have always got 10-20 polaroids in my purse or wallet, wherever I go. Whenever I miss home or miss my people, because I have travel so much. I have family all across the world.Even when I’m in one place there is always going to be best friends that aren’t there. I miss people and thats the main thing.
The other thing I miss when I’m not in London is walking. London is such a walking city and you can walk everywhere and I find thats not the case in a lot of cities. I miss that spontaneous walking and just finding things.
Arlo: What are you looking forward to next year?
K: I can’t even plan one month in advance right now, I am only planning one week in advance and even that’s changing. Next year I’m looking forward to releasing music and spoken word albums and realising my book. I am looking forward to travelling even more and just seeing what opportunities through sharing my music and poetry will open doors to. Those are sides to me that are so intrinsic in me but maybe aren’t known yet. So I am excited to see who that's going to open me up to work with what opportunities that are going to bring and what versions of me I have to have the confidence to bring out and shed old misaligned versions. I look back to who I was 1 year ago and I was a completely different Karima.
