Sade Olutola has revealed that the title of her debut EP, Arrow Heart, comes from an idea she first had as a child. Speaking backstage at Reading Festival 2026, the South London pop artist explained that she was inspired by Ed Sheeran’s use of symbols across his albums and guitars.
Olutola said she drew an arrow-shaped heart on her own guitar when she was 11 and imagined using the name for a future project. Years later, that childhood idea became the title of her first EP.
The project also includes the opening track 2099, a song inspired by the emotional fallout of discovering that a partner had been unfaithful. Olutola uses imagery stretching from the 1600s into the future to express the anger behind the song.
Her appearance at Reading Festival follows a busy run of live shows, including support slots for Lexa Gates and Fousheé and a sold-out debut headline performance in London. The growing schedule has given Olutola more opportunities to introduce her music to new audiences.