Single Review: Bukola - I’m Not from California

Bokula is a (kinda) new artist on the scene. And in an age of short attention spans and everybody wanting comparisons and frames of references of new things instead of just…trying new things. I will start this singles review off with comparisons which will hopefully spark some intrigue. “I’m Not from California” is like a cross between un-toxic SZA after a day of stroking crystals and doing mushrooms, Solange sat on a crane in the sky, the pensiveness of Beyoncé during “Love Drought” and Stevie Wonder when he’s in his feelings about love slipping through his fingers. And even I will admit that this is a terrible summary of this gorgeous lil’ song from Bokula. So I will not be doing this again. And will now proceed to get into her song.

Holiday romances are not for me. Because what do you mean that I’m meeting somebody that I click and connect with, but they’re in a country I’m only visiting and won’t be returning to with any immediacy or urgency!? And for months on end or maybe THE REST OF MY LIFE I will have to remember that one time I met that one person and everything was great, all the while dating is hell in my city and I have resided with the fact that I’mma be alone forever?

Mess.

But shout-outs to Bokula for having a different take on this than me, and her song “I’m Not from California” not being the ‘Fuck this holiday romance shit, because what’s the point when you’re here and I’m 10,000 miles over there’ that my version of this song would absolutely be. Bokula’s account of a holiday romance is very saccharine, which makes her choice of California so ideal. The weather. The beauty. The carefreeness the city is known for. We won’t talk about the raggedy public transport, the overpriced smoothies at Erwheon, the unrealistic life standards, or how everybody is doing cocaine. See? This is why I am not a songwriter. Not a shred of romanticising from me.

HENNYWAY.

Bukola - I’m Not from California | Bukola Music

Bokula’s song is a really romanticised take on a holiday romance, which is less about how great the other person is and what could be and more about the way in which her encounter with them makes her feel. And there’s nothing in this song about how the other person feels or what their response to Bokula’s question of ‘Will I see you again?’. The whole song feels like Bokula sitting this person down and just laying her feelings bare, or Bokula rehearsing what she wants to say to this person. I really dig this angle, because it doesn’t put anything definitive on the story of this romance. It leaves it completely open. Maybe they didn’t respond. Maybe Bokula never plucked up the courage to tell the other person how she felt. But in the grand scheme of the song, it doesn’t matter. Because the real crux of the story isn’t if this romance worked out or not, it’s that Bokula was so present in her feelings and felt them so profoundly that she completely submitted to them and this person. The song being left open keeps the song hopeful. But it also makes it clear that the focus of the song is the feeling in that moment of connecting with somebody.

“I’m Not from California” isn’t about if it will or won’t work, or the difficulty of trying to make something work. It’s about the purity of your own feelings. The song is solely about Bokula just wanting to be around this person and expressing her willingness to wait. There’s no angst. There’s no fear. There’s no pressure. But there’s also frankness in the situation, of Bokula knowing there’s a likelihood that they won’t want to wait for her, even if she is willing to wait for them. But regardless, her feelings are her feelings and those won’t change.

Bukola - I’m Not from California | Bukola Music

The music video version of the song includes a poem which speaks on how to communicate through your touches and looks. And how you can leave an emotional imprint on somebody which is so strong that they will want and long for you. It doesn’t change the framing of the song, but it does add another layer to it. But what’s also cool about this poem, is that it doesn’t just have to be taken about longing or distance between lovers. It can be said similarly of any non-romantic relationship—friends, family, work colleagues you really get on with. And this really spoke to me, as somebody who is getting older and finding their circles getting smaller. As somebody who sometimes struggles to meet new people, overthinks everything and is frequently misunderstood. And it also speaks to mortality. So often we assume we will get another chance to be with somebody, to leave a different impression. But that one time you get with someone could be the only time. So there’s much to be said about making every moment with people you meet and feel a connection with special. So that if that time is the last time, at least you can both look back and say it was a great time—something I also think about often between getting older and the constant reminders I’m given of the fleetingness of life since 2020.

There’s me and that overthinking again. Bokula chose to write a cute lil’ song about somebody she fell for whilst on a holiday in California. And here’s me, talking about friend circles and death.

Lawd Jesus.

Bukola - I’m Not from California | Bukola Music

Back to what Bokula ACTUALLY put out as a song—“I’m Not from California” is a truly lovely song. Lyrics which read like a diary entry, sung with such honesty and warmth, supported by really beautiful production. The song manages to hit a really odd sweet spot between hope and sadness, which is the sweet spot a miserably optimistic bitch like me really likes. The same sweet spot which draws me to songs like Nao’s “Orbit”, Hikaru Utada’s “Hatsukoi”, Stevie Wonder’ “You and I (We Can Conquer the World)” and Janelle Monáe’s “57821”.

“I’m Not from California” may go against the grain of a lot of the music which has been released at present and over the past couple of months, but it stands out as a result. During a period of songs about toxic relationships, 4K titties, doing coke and drinking coffee, it’s nice to have a wholesome song about falling for somebody. In addition to it thematically feeling like an ideal song to soundtrack saying goodbye to Summer.

I’m not from California, but I hope I get to hear a lot more from Bukola again.