The 25-year-old MC Speech Debelle from south London won the Mercury Prize 2009 for her debut album! There's a reason Speech Debelle's debut album is called "Speech Therapy," and that's because she speaks directly from the heart, with complete intimacy, as if she were addressing only one person. As if she expects the record to never be heard. Perhaps this is not an unreasonable assumption in a way. The 25-year-old South Londoner has been through a lot both before and since she began working on these recordings. The oldest song on it is called "Finish This Album". It was the melody she played for the first time when she visited Big Dada almost five years ago. It's about her having to pull herself together, take care of herself, and try to finish the record, as if the act of finishing it will somehow free her from the problems in her life. It is both intimate and epic, moving back and forth between the personal and the political, the everyday and the spiritual. It is a journey across London and a journey through her life so far. Speech is both young and old for her age. At twenty-five, she sounds like a teenager with her fragile voice, but she has gained enough experience to accompany most people forever. But now, finally, everything has come together and the record is here. "Speech Therapy" is an expression of will. Speech doesn't need to shout to make that clear. This is a record that sounds like no hip-hop record before. Her sound palette is characterized by the intimacy of her thoughts and the fragility of her voice. She always knew what she wanted to do, but she needed time to find the tools to implement what she heard in her head. One day, she was introduced to Wayne Lotek at Big Dada. In addition to his own project Lotek Hi-Fi, Wayne has also produced for Roots Manuva since Brand New Second Hand. Now he was living with a girl in Melbourne and came to visit for a month to visit his family. The two hit it off right away and decided to record a track. The result was ›Searching‹ The acoustic guitar, played by Wayne's brother, and the brushed drums, which syncopated the singer's flow, created the perfect atmosphere for Speech's reflections on life in the hostel and the struggles of survival. It was pretty clear what needed to be done. In November 2007, Speech flew to Australia and recorded most of what would become "Speech Therapy" with some live musicians Wayne knew locally and additional producer Plutonic Lab (responsible for the clarinet fanfares of the single "The Key" and the widescreen drama of "Better Days"). She took the opportunity to pour out all kinds of emotions, to process bad memories and fears, but also funny incidents and sharp observations. »Daddy's Little Girl« is a biting attack on an absent father, who is held together by organ and dub bass. »Working Weak« is a funny story about office life in London. »Bad Boy« takes an unwavering, but also unprejudiced look at the attitudes and views of the young people with whom Speech grew up. »Wheels In Motion« casts a sociologist's gaze on life in London and beyond. »Buddy Love« is a funny, erratic look at what happens when you start fucking your buddy. The combination of microscopic details and big words, of dry jokes and genuine examination of conscience is what makes Speech's worldview so convincing. After returning to London, Lotek worked on editing and mixing the sessions, while Speech continues to socialize