For Mereba, music has always been a reflection of self, an ever-evolving expression of where she’s been, who she is, and where she’s headed. On The Breeze Grew a Fire, the Southern-born R&B singer-songwriter fully embraces the shifts in her identity, weaving together past and present with an intimate, organic touch.

Following her 2019 debut The Jungle Is the Only Way Out, Mereba stepped into motherhood, an experience that transformed not only her life but her creative process. “Even though I’m fully an adult, I had to grow up in a way overnight when he [my son] came,” she shares. “Watching him open up to the world reminded me of my own childhood, my first memories of life.” That reflection became the heart of The Breeze Grew a Fire, a record that reconnects Mereba with the many sides of herself, from her inner child to her most steadfast relationships, all of which have shaped her artistry.

The album took shape through DIY recording sessions, allowing Mereba to craft songs with a raw, unfiltered honesty. Longtime collaborator Sam Hoffman helped build its rich, textured production - warm and folk-infused, yet fluid enough to embrace the full range of her influences. The album’s spirit is nomadic, anchored by experiences and memories from Atlanta to L.A., Addis Ababa to Greensboro.

Mereba’s foundation in folk songwriting remains central to her artistry. Learning guitar as a teen in North Carolina shaped the way she tells stories, and her time in Atlanta’s underground scene expanded her musical vocabulary. “I was playing every kind of show - folk, reggae, rap, R&B,” she recalls. “That’s where I honed my skills as a performer, and also as a rapper and singer.” Those early years led her to Spillage Village, the rap collective she co-founded alongside JID, Earthgang, and 6lack, with whom she still collaborates today.