In times of turmoil, it’s natural to turn to healing words and sounds to ground us. And much like her album The Jungle Is The Only Way Out and EP AZEB, Mereba’s latest project, The Breeze Grew a Fire, out today, feels like a warm hug in the current climate. This is, in large part, thanks to soulful songs like “Heart of a Child,” which is an ode to Mereba’s inner child and a track she’s been working on for the last decade.
In addition to the album being an homage to her younger self, “my inspirations included friendships, family, and spirituality,” Mereba tells ESSENCE, in the midst of moving, just days after the Los Angeles wildfires took place. She mentioned she’s learned to find peace amidst chaos—the cathartic release of the new album itself has helped, too. “The project is all about the process of surrendering to things that were of out of my control,” she says. For example, “2020 led me to focus more on the relationships and what feels most consistent,” she shares.
And not only has much changed in the world since her last EP, Mereba’s personal orbit has undergone a great shift as well. This includes becoming a mother. “Having a child has taught me to loosen up a bit. It’s helped me to not take things so seriously, both in my artwork, and in life,” she says. “If you take things too seriously as a mom, you’ll just go crazy. I feel like the same thing happened with Covid times. In the chaos, it forced a freer version of myself out of me.”
To help with loosening up amidst her busy schedule, Mereba ensures to prioritize her self-care routines. “I don’t feel like I’ve fully found that balance yet,” she shares honestly. “But I do try to make sure that, at the end of the day, I feel good before going to bed. That I’m clean, I’ve said a few affirmations, I’ve put on my 432 hertz frequencies to help me go to sleep and reset my nervous system,” she says.
Similarly, she leans into her beauty rituals, too. “My bestie put me onto some Korean skincare products,” she says. “I used to pride myself on not caring about those things that much. But, now I’m like, okay, I enjoy it. Especially my Gua Sha tool.” Additionally, she loves using her facial steamer for both the skincare and vocal chord benefits. Aside from her Moroccan body scrub, “I think that’s been one of the more primary things that I do also for relaxation and self-care.”
The singer has found learning to do her own makeup calming as well. “I enjoy learning more about the artistic side of doing your own makeup. Leading up to this album, I’ve been doing my own makeup. And that’s a huge step for me,” she says. “Being able to do my own eyeliner… my friends would say this is a night and day transformation,” Mereba adds with a laugh.
These rituals will, of course, serve her well with the upcoming tour and music video drops, too. Beyond this, Mereba is excited for what’s in store for 2025. For her, that means, “more love, more community, more connection,” she says. “I’ve spent the last few years pretty quiet. So, this year, my intention is to actually enjoy stepping back into the world… to enjoy sharing my gifts more tangibly again.”