Born and raised in West London by Kosovar parents, singer and self-taught producer Qendresa is about to drop off her new EP Midnight Request Line. The last time we heard from her was back in 2017 with her debut opus Shades On, Pt. 1, a team-up with DJ and producer Hugo Mari (fka Books), so this new collection’s been a long time coming. Where its predecessor combined jazzy electronics and abstract textures with her R&B sound, Midnight Request Line takes a detour into more of an ‘80s new wave-influenced realm. As you can hear on lead single “Real Luv”, it’s lithe and sensual, but with an understated cool, a change born from her decision to handle production entirely herself.

The visuals double down on that vibe, starting out with greyscale shots of Qendresa relieving someone of their car before she heads out on a glorious, hedonistic joyride through the leafy suburbs, leaving her problems in the rear-view mirror. “This project was inspired by my experiences with relationships and friendships, says Qendresa. “Being let down by people I trusted became the norm and it drove me crazy. I didn’t want to see anyone and sat in my room, prior to lockdown, and just created; I taught myself production, too, and expressed everything I was going through in the music. I honestly thank the universe for giving me this ability to express my emotions via art. I dread to think of the other ways I would have gotten over my heartaches.”

The Midnight Request Line EP drops November 20. Pre-order it here.