Baliva is a man who proves that the scripture is true: with faith the size of a mustard seed, one can move mountains. The Zimbabwe-born hip-hop artist has gained a large following in recent years in the UK for his inspirational hip-hop that blends the melodious sounds of jazz and soul in every rhyme. His 2015 album Imperfect was funded by the good faith of his fans via a wildly successful Kickstarter-style campaign, and his name has spread across the country thanks to the support of mainstream gospel radio. In short, Baliva is making a believer of hip-hop fans all over the UK.

Imperfect is an inspirational album inspired by Baliva’s own journey to Christ. As he says, “the album was inspired by a desire to share my journey of accepting that my life is not necessarily perfect but it is still great because the most important thing about life is that we are loved and accepted by God”. His faith has been a guide in his life, and it’s through his music that he inspires it in others. From performing at schools and on the streets to engaging in radio interviews at the UK’s leading gospel radio station, Premier Gospel, Baliva shares his story with passion and peace. 

It is, perhaps, this unique combination of traits – passion and peace – that has inspired so many fans. It was with their loyal support that Imperfect even came to be. The album gave Baliva the opportunity to work with Grammy award-winning producer Tony Stone, for the second time in 3 years. “I met Tony Stone through Wade-O Radio back in 2008,” he explains, after the producer announced he wanted to work with new and independent artists. The resulting single, “On a Mission”, was released in 2012, and the two joined forces once again for the release of Imperfect in 2015.

Collaboration and the support of fans and other artists has helped Baliva in more ways than one. He is a favorite of the DJ’s at Premier Gospel, and has performed with artists including Just Jon and MOBO-nominated artist Ricardo Williams. He is currently working with a German producer on a jazz-soul release, and says “I work with producers all over the world thanks to the internet which means I get to tap into various influences”. As he continues to share his story and passion with peace and a unique flavor to UK hip-hop, he is sure to continue growing his fan base and inspiring people all over the world. 

Just as Imperfect came as the results of an outpour of support from inspired fans, Baliva continues to make an impact with help from his following, many of whom have discovered his music online as well. With his Patron subscriptions, he ensures fans that he’s able to keep creating authentic music independently, without the need to turn to record labels for pay. Subscribers pay an easy £1.99 a month and in return, Baliva releases one new song or article. As he says, “It's amazing how a such a small amount of people giving as little as £1.99 a month can all add up to allow me to make a full time living making music.” With just this support, he’s better able to bring new music and blogs to the public and keep his vision alive. 

In the coming year, he seeks to continue recording new songs, connect more intimately with fans around the world, and collaborate with even more artists in the jazz and soul scenes. He continues to promote Imperfect and the message of Christ.
His latest album, Imperfect, is available on iTunes as well as at balivamusic.com/imperfect. Find more information about becoming a patron subscriber at baliva.co.uk

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