Supermodel and musician Eunice Olumide on nighttime rituals, Scottish hip-hop and lighting up Times Square

Lead image credit: Olumide Gallery/Kelvin Bulluck

If I’m at home in Edinburgh, I get up at around 6am to get some work done, then get everything ready for my tiny human. I like to get all my emails and admin sorted first thing in the morning before everyone wakes up – that’s my little cheat code. Then it’s time to have breakfast. I Iike to keep it healthy, so I’ll take all my vitamins, and I’m very into herbal teas. Around 9am, we’ll head out – if it’s good weather, we usually go to the park. If it’s bad weather, we’ll go swimming. If it’s a busy day, my husband or my mum will help with childcare – tomorrow, for example, I have an interview with the BBC at 11am, then I’m styling and directing a photo shoot in the afternoon. At 4pm I have three back-to-back Zooms – one with a streaming platform, then a glossy magazine, then another interview.  

If I have some free time later in the day, I’ll either go to the gym or head to the cinema. Watching films is an addiction of mine – it’s a really good way for me to decompress from my day. Then I’ll work on any new projects (I’m in the middle of applying for a PhD in music), cook dinner for the troops, then spend some time with the family. 

Olumide’s debut album, Love Tree, with artwork created by Derrick Ofosu Boateng

I’m a water baby, so later in the evening I’ll relax by having a bubble bath. I use a lot of fair trade products, and soaps and candles from independent creators in Scotland. I’m really into sustainability, so that’s important to me. I also use a lot of essential oils around the house, and put a few drops on my pillow in preparation for going to sleep. I love to read – next on the list is The Immortal Sisterhood: 12 Guiding Stars to Grow, Heal and Navigate Life by my friend, Gemma Cairney.

I’ve just released my debut album, Love Tree. The first single is called ‘If You Believe.’ I’m a totally independent artist, and I recorded predominantly in Scotland, but also in New York. The artwork was shot in Ghana and created by artist Derrick Ofosu Boateng. It’s quite special – I believe it will be a seminal album in the history of Scottish hip-hop. It’s very much hip-hop with new soul vibrations, a lot of power ballads, and some super-fun elements too. I have gigs coming up and launches for the album globally – including events in Scotland, London, New York and Paris. The album cover was up in Times Square on a billboard for a week.

Love Tree up on a billboard in Times Square. Credit: Olumide Gallery/Kelvin Bulluck

People don’t know I make music, so it’s kind of mind-blowing to them, although I’ve been part of the underground hip-hop scene and worked as a ghostwriter for more than a decade. I want to make sure that when people think of hip-hop and Scotland, they think quality, and understand that there’s huge talent here. 

Love Tree is out now and available via Amazon or Apple