Kemi — “It wasn’t just one route of help, it was very tailored to what I needed”
We’ve helped Kemi over recent years with funding for her studio and support for her physical and mental health.
Kemi Sulola is a soulful British singer-songwriter and music entrepreneur from East London, known for her nostalgic R&B sound and uplifting, authentic storytelling. She is also the founder of Sulola Music, a boutique recording studio and budding community platform, where she empowers artists and music lovers through accessible music programmes. Her ethos is simple but powerful: music for all.
Help Musicians have helped Kemi with funding for her studio, as well as with support for her physical and mental health as she recovered from serious health condition.
Kemi began her musical journey in local choirs, launching her professional career with a debut EP in 2015 that led to key experiences in R&B and alternative music, including a career-defining performance supporting PJ Morton of Maroon 5.
But just as things were taking off, her life took an unexpected turn. Kemi began to experience severe and debilitating health issues — chronic fatigue, headaches, and eye pain — that left her unable to continue performing. “I just couldn’t really do anything. It was later diagnosed as Neurosarcoidosis” she recalls. While homebound and supported by her parents, she continued to write, even penning an album during a hospital stay that was never released. “When you’re in the thick of things, it’s quite hard to be so open about it.”
Kemi performing at UNWomen. Photo by Ayoola Jolayemi
Unable to travel or access studios, she converted a nearby garage into her own creative space. “That space didn’t just end up being for me,” she says. It grew into something much larger – a studio, a teaching space, and a community hub.
As her health began to stabilise, Kemi found a way to continue her work by leading a 12-week community music programme for 14 local artists, hosted in her home-built studio. The project gave her a renewed sense of purpose: “It gave me the flexibility to recover but still create and earn from what I loved,” she says.
Help Musicians played a crucial role in this recovery phase, offering practical, tailored support. Funding through our Fast Track award helped Kemi purchase essential studio equipment. Via our health and welfare team, we were also able to fund osteopathy sessions and vocal rehabilitation coaching, both crucial to her physical recovery.
“It was like a puzzle… every piece added to my healing.”
From therapeutic head massages that relieved chronic pain to one-on-one guidance, the help she received was holistic. “It wasn’t just one route of help, it was very tailored to what I needed,” she says, adding that having a consistent point of contact made it feel “human, not distant.”
Kemi also received mental health support through Music Minds Matter, at two pivotal moments in her journey. “The first one was when I was still in the thick of it… It was like, how do I still do my music but deal with this?” she shares. The second round of therapy, which she’s currently undergoing, focuses more on recovery and direction: “Now, where can I go from here?”
The therapy sessions, though online, were practical, accessible, and effective. Kemi especially values the tools she could take away: “One therapist sent me a prioritising sheet… I still use it. It’s something I keep with me and refer to often.”
Inspired by her own experience, she’s begun to advocate for broader mental health and wellbeing support in the music industry. “If I have been through this, there must be other artists who have had similar journeys and who are in need of support.” She’s run surveys, hosted wellness days in her studio, and shared her findings with organisations like Help Musicians, in the hope of informing future support strategies.
Photo cred: Sam Rockman ( @rockersalmighty)
For Kemi, the need for organisations like Help Musicians and Music Minds Matter is undeniable. “The days of romanticising struggle and self-destruction for the sake of the art weren’t healthy. Yes, we may create some great songs, but how are you supposed to perform that song and maintain doing so if you still haven’t dealt with the trauma or sought help for your situation. There is help out there,” she says.
She points to Amy Winehouse as a tragic reminder of what can happen when artists don’t receive the right care: “She was such an amazing and talented artist. It’s sad to see what happened and it makes you think what could have been if she had the right support.”
“Now more than ever, we understand the importance of prioritising our mental health and wellbeing. We need spaces that provide support, and on an individual level, we must also make it a priority to create space for self-care in our own lives.”
As the conversation around mental health in the industry grows, Kemi believes support must be matched by tangible action. “If we know that’s important, we need to have places that are dedicated to providing support,” she says.
Thanks to the combined support of Help Musicians and Music Minds Matter, Kemi is now in a stronger place – mentally, physically, and creatively. “It’s been quite a journey, and for a long time, I was stuck in a huge creative block. But now, I’m finally getting back to myself, maybe an even better self, and I can get back to what I love most, making music!”
Keep up to date with her latest projects, new music, studio and community programmes on her website here.
(Lead photo cred: Evan Micky)