Bel Review

The documentary posthumously records Beldina Odenyo’s debut album, exploring the mental illness that led to her suicide and its roots in exile, loss, and racism. Odenyo, performing as Heir of the Cursed, struggled with the pressures of lockdowns and commercializing her inner pain, with her music both a compulsion and a potential cure. The film weighs the compulsive and healing aspects of art, serving as an attentive tribute to her life and work.

• The documentary explores the life of singer-songwriter Beldina Odenyo, known as Heir of the Cursed.
• Odenyo’s struggles with mental illness were linked to her experiences of exile, loss, and racism.
• She was on the verge of greater recognition before her death in November 2021.
• The film highlights her experiences of being removed from Kenya, the loss of her mother, and abuse encountered in Scotland.
• Odenyo’s music is compared to PJ Harvey and Nina Simone for its emotional depth.
• She wrestled with the idea of commercializing her personal struggles, especially during the pandemic.
• The documentary examines the dual nature of art as both compulsive and healing.
  https://uk.layer3.press/articles/d7e017a9-df5f-43b2-aa92-5bcb621bda19