By: Yasmin Hassan, Staff Writer
On a bone-chillingly cold Friday night, I made my way down to the VIFF Centre to watch the film premiere of MAUVEY TO A BAWAH. It’s directed by Andrew Huculiak and shot by Joseph Schweers. Most importantly, it’s about the man, the myth, the legend — BAWAH, or, as some know him, Mauvey. Recently, in honour of his family and his Ghanaian heritage, he decided to change his name to BAWAH, his family name.
This project as a whole is “a four-part album series, a film series spanning 48 episodes, and a 48-chapter book.” This premiere is just the tip of a purple-coloured iceberg — his outfits in the film prove it’s not just a choice, but a statement. These jaw-dropping ensembles were made by his wife, Bree Laryea, in collaboration with her brand, BREEFORD.
BAWAH has lit up stages across the globe, delivering riveting performances and sharing the spotlight with artists like July Talk and Snotty Nose Rez Kids. Though I would give you a genre, as he says, “With all due respect, I’m not a rapper. I am not an R&B singer. I am not a soul singer. I am not ‘urban’ or someone making ‘Black music.’ I make music and I am Black!” I couldn’t agree more, and you’ll see why.
The theatre was packed. BAWAH was out greeting everyone which made the screening feel personal. He gave me a big hug and a hearty handshake, which immediately warmed my heart and made me feel so welcome in the space. Everyone was extremely excited, hyping him up for the big turn out. Surrounded shoulder-to-shoulder with creatives, close friends, and artists who knew BAWAH was a bit intimidating because they all looked so cool.
“With all due respect, I’m not a rapper. I am not an R&B singer. I am not a soul singer. I am not ‘urban’ or someone making ‘Black music.’ I make music and I am Black!” — BAWAH
This first film lasted one hour and consisted of 13 episodes, each with their own accompanying song. My favourite aspect of these episodes was the preamble before they started being narrated by BAWAH’s father. Knowing that he changed his name to honour his family and his history only made that aspect shine even more. The episodes take viewers through the story of two days in the life of BAWAH’s journey as an independent artist, which he describes as a rollercoaster. “From looking forward to the biggest show of your career, to the show being cancelled and instead, finding yourself performing at a local dive bar on karaoke night,” this short film shows audiences the oscillating dynamics of “picking yourself up, only to feel worse moments later.” The scenes range from realistic everyday happenings, but others enter a sort of surreal or absurdist fashion of dreamlike states that captivate you with the intense and varied shots. The film portrays the stages of grief, humour, love, self-doubt, and dissociation, in a way that blends beautifully with unique songs fitting each scene.
They shot this film in three days, all in Chilliwack, so viewers get a real local scene from beautiful shots of nature to neighbourhood businesses there.
“We kept the crew super small,” Huculiak said in a statement to The Peak, explaining that, as a self-funded project, they made it work with a limited timeframe and budget. “I truly feel like small crews are the most invigorating, the most active, the closest to ‘truth’ so even though it’s ambitious it also feels within reach.”
Keep your eyes peeled for more of BAWAH’s stuff by joining Club BAWAH, giving you exclusive access to music and events. There’ll be new music on Fridays, new episodes on Mondays, and new book chapters on Wednesdays. All of this will be accessible on his website and streaming services. MAUVEY TO A BAWAH: THE FIRST 13 will be out May 1, 2025.
