Every few years an artist comes along that makes you question if you even knew music to begin with and Saint Bodhi is that artist. Growing up in South Central L.A., Bodhi turned her harsh reality into this edgy, eclectic sound that outlined her life growing up in a gang related environment. Born as the daughter of a notorious gang member, Saint Bodhi has seen her share of violence on the street, including being stabbed with an envelope opener by a rival gang member. She knew all along she wanted out of that life, so she created her own escape through music. In 2020 she told Flaunt magazine’s Shirley Ju “Growing up, you have a whole bunch of anxiety from being in certain areas. I wrote poems as escapisms from the hood.”
Using her poetry to speak life into the world, she eventually broke into the industry as a songwriter, helping pen bold lyrics for some of the leading artist we know today like Beyonce, Jaden Smith, and Erykah Badu. In the late 2010’s Bodhi decided to commit herself as a solo artist eventually signing with Def jam after a bidding war. In 2019, she dropped her debut single “Flower Child” which was a raw look at her childhood. The song was reminiscent of a smooth vibe with an old school beat. In 2020 she dropped her highly anticipated album “Mad world” which was a timeline of events of the past but also a celebration of the successes in the present.
Saint followed up with her 2021 album “Antisocial” which carries a tone of the peace she longed for and took years to obtain. Saint Bodhi, who named herself after the Bodhi tree in which Buddha said he found enlightenment under, is redefining music but giving the world a sound meant to set your soul on fire and we can’t wait for what is next.