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M for Montreal 2019

By Gandhi Delsoin Image © M for Montreal Published Nov. 11, 2019

With less than 2 weeks to go, the elite of the music industry will be descending upon Montreal for the annual music conference and showcase, M for Montreal. A symbiotic holistic space where emerging artists are championed to coalesce with industry professionals and create connections with labels, music supervisors, journalists, agents and more. 

So begins the industry matchmaking event with a discovery of local Montreal and Canadian artists alongside international artists. 

This year’s edition brings a new element called “Artist Lab,” in partnership with SOCAN, Groover, Side Door, & Cult Nation, which will allow artists & creators to learn and participate in discussions with funding bodies, labels, publishers and alike. These tools will endeavor to help artists scale their projects and have tools and resources, which may have been opaque before. The event is free, but some panels requiring RSVP, so be sure to save a spot soon! 

Showcases show some promising talent we are excited about: Prado, Caveboy, Mind Bath, Merryn Jeann, LIA, and Jerico, to name a few. 

Tickets to the showcases are available to the public here. 

For industry professionals looking to get involved in PRO events, unfortunately, the passes have been sold out, however, we recommend quickly buying a spot for the Speed Schmooze -- if you need to pitch or connect with one of this year’s main delegates!

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TAYLA PARX INTERVIEW

Tayla Parx is on the Wrong Side of a Love Song... and the 25-Year-Old songstress Is Beyond Okay with It

By Mira Silvers Photography Narissa Rollins Published March 27, 2019

Tayla Parx is unmistakable from the moment she arrives to a cactus garden in Los Angeles with pink hair, neon green eyelashes and a rose bucket hat. From her outfit to her attitude, her bubbly energy is contagious, chatting and laughing with everyone on set. After years of navigating behind the scenes and writing for some of the biggest artists around including Ariana Grande, Parx is ready for you to know her by her own sound. Parx is the stage name of Taylor Monet Parks, the songwriter, artist, and actress who has written on genre-straddling pop songs including Grande’s “7 Rings” and “Thank U, Next,” Khalid and Normani’s “Love Lies,” and Panic At The Disco’s comeback hit “High Hopes.” With her full-length solo debut, We Need To Talk—and her tri-fold star power—Parx is finally claiming center stage.

Born in Dallas, her family moved to Corona, a former citrus orchard mecca turned city in the part of Riverside County known as The Inland Empire. She took piano lessons from an early age, and started writing songs in her bedroom. Her parents were “super super supportive” of her musical efforts, and played artists like Babyface and Brian McKnight around the house. Of learning to write songs, she says “I was always drawn to melody and lyrics came later on.” She was inspired by Andre 3000, whose conversational free-associative style is definitely in Parx’s lyrical stream. She listens to all kinds of music. “I think a beautiful song can kind of go anywhere.” She also mentions Missy Elliott as an influence. Missy’s collaborative work with Timbaland and artists like Aaliyah is mirrored in the songwriters-and-artists-as-posse vibe cultivated by Parx and her crew.

Parx’s first job came at age nine, when she performed in a Kennedy Center show for two years. Her breakthrough was getting cast in the film version of the musical adaptation of Hairspray in the role of Little Inez. When Parx was seventeen, she returned to songwriting more seriously after meeting one of her musical heroes and realizing she could make a living as a lyricist. “I met Babyface because I ended up having a friend that was working at his studio. I went with him one day and from then on I was like, ‘Okay, I'm going to be a professional songwriter. Like, lemme do this, not just in my bedroom.’” Parx writes diligently, about 200 songs a year. Her writing process varies. “Sometimes a song comes from a conversation and sometimes a song comes from hearing a chord.” Her first major hit was Fifth Harmony’s “Boss”, the lead single from the girl group’s 2014 debut album. That year she also worked on songs for Jennifer Lopez, Mariah Carey, and Keyshia Cole. Since then she’s continued building an eclectic roster of collaborators: The Internet, BTS, Janelle Monae, and Quavo. She’s been on tour with Anderson .Paak, another artist whose work is not easily categorized into any one particular genre. Of her many credits she is particularly proud of working with The Internet, because it “finally made my younger sister think I was cool.”

Parx’s style is, to her, about finding balance in opposing ideas. “Whether the melody contradicts the lyrics, or the track contradicts the melody line, I’m going to take a sad thing and make it sound like a party record. I try to find quirky ways of talking about the things that every songwriter talks about—love or sadness. But I always tailor it to the artist I’m writing for.” The sessions for Thank U, Next were experimental at Grande’s behest, and Grande hired female songwriters like Parx and Victoria Monet with a vision of an album about female compatriotism. “She wanted to do something different than she had done before. She allowed us to get creative and have fun, which I think that some artists have a hard time doing it because it can be hard to let go and allow something new to happen.”

The day they wrote “7 Rings” is memorialized in the song itself. “Literally we showed up to the studio that day and [Grande] wasn’t there yet. Then she comes into the room with a big bag from Tiffany’s. She apparently blacked out at Tiffany's and was like ‘Here you go, let’s do this.’ It was a thing to solidify friendship and say thank you for being there. It was a really tough week for her and we got an album finished.” The idea for the song’s interpolation of “My Favorite Things” came about because Parx knew The Sound Of Music was one of Grande’s favorite movies, and that the clearance would be expensive but worth it. She wasn’t surprised about the controversy over some of the lyrics: “There’s always controversy when something is impactful.” She thinks people might not have expected songs like “7 Rings” or “Thank U, Next” from Ariana because they simply weren’t prepared for change.

These days Parx is listening to Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Tame Impala, and Kacey Musgraves for inspiration. Is Tayla Parx coming for country next? She smiles and says she’s actually headed to Nashville for some sessions next week before hopping back on tour with Lizzo. “It’s going to be a lot of feminine energy in the air after I just got off the road with a bunch of boys.” She’s comfortable in any kind of crowd. As she changes her lashes and hair to a different but equally vibrant look, Parx catches up on her phone with her favorite show, NBC’s Good Girls, about women who hold up a grocery store together.

She also does voiceover acting in video games like The Sims and Walking Dead, and doesn’t rule out an eventual return to acting on screen as well. But for now, Tayla Parx is focused on music and her album. She’s ready to introduce people to the real person behind all those songs. “I think people are curious about my side of things and, and I'm happy to get it off my chest. You’re gonna hear vulnerability. It's okay to not be okay sometimes. It's okay to be on the wrong side of the love songs sometimes, you know? And also it's okay to say at the end of it all, I turned out just fine,” she elaborates. “It’s kind of the journey that you experience with ‘We need to talk.’ We've all been through the “talking phase.” Right? And it's something that is confusing for you, for your heart, because you're more than friends and less than lovers. And it's a time where you learn a lot about yourself. You learn a lot about your wants, your needs, your desires. And what your idea of love is.”

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OSHEAGA 2019

Osheaga 2019 Returning to Newly Renovated OG Festival Site at Jean Drapeau Parc

By Aelin W. Galathynius Published March 27, 2019

Evenko announces the lineup for Osheaga's 14th edition and festival passes are now on sale at osehaga.com

Bell Alt TV presents OSHEAGA Music and Arts Festival in collaboration with Coors Light from August 2 to 4 at Parc Jean Drapeau in Montréal. The festival will be opened by the rock-folk band The Lumineers, an Osheaga headline debut & closing the festival is multi-hyphenate creative talent, Childish Gambino, bringing the audience to church with lessons in life & culture.

Joining them are Aussie rock band Tame Impala, Grammy-winner & activist Janelle Monae after a 7-year hiatus from Montreal. Most exciting is Latin superstars J Balvin and Rosalía. Flume, the pioneering innovator of future bass, will kick off his tour at the festival. Koffee, a 19-year-old Jamaican making waves on the scene, is reggae's new darling -- bringing about new waves of popularity to the genres.

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Jorja Smith 📸by Syl Austin

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SIT DOWN WITH JORJA SMITH

The R&B Star on Fame, Hypochondria, and Not Believing in Heartbreak

by Mira Silvers

“I never dreamt about becoming a popstar,” says Jorja Smith, “I still don’t want to be a popstar.”

The 21-year-old English artist is to-the-point and in control. On set she requests a minute-by-minute breakdown of the schedule, while she examines the clothing from the styling pull. Her debut album, Lost & Found, dropped this summer and ascended charts around the world, capping what’s been a quick transformation from SoundCloud artist working at Starbucks, to household name. Smith introduced herself to the world with “Blue Lights,” a four-minute commentary on police brutality, and subsequently released a five-track EP, Project 11, that bolstered proof of her R&B prowess. Smith has now been collaborating with the likes of Stormzy, Kali Uchis and Drake—appearing twice on the latter’s 2017 album, More Life.

On set she eats lunch standing up, rapidly tapping messages into her phone. As hair and makeup fuss over her face, she speaks confidently, efficiently—as if daring an opponent to spar. “I decided when I was 16 that I’m going to keep writing and make something of this,” she says. It’s difficult to argue with her conviction—confidence, sometimes, is contagious. But Jorja isn’t all hard angles. There’s a softness to her, a tenderness in the fluctuations of her pitch, in the way she holds herself during an acoustic set—in the way she reps her mom’s hand-made jewelry. Brittne Potter caught up with Jorja to chat before she disappears into international stardom.

How has your life changed?

Lack of privacy. Everyone wants to know what you’re doing. Everyone already knows what you’re doing. Everyone has an opinion on what you’re doing. Did you see the photo I posted in the red dress and everyone commented that I look pregnant? I get it, I don’t have the flattest tummy. What I don’t understand is why people would choose to spend three minutes of their day making someone else feel like shit. I try not to pay too much attention to it because you can get really sad and it’s not real, none of it is real.

What star sign are you?

A Gemini.

Are you in love?

Yes I am.

Is your relationship public?

We’ve been together for almost a year now. His name is Joel [Compass], we wrote “The One” from my album. I posted a picture of him with the lyrics and everyone was like “Fuck him!” I probably shouldn’t have tagged him in it, I’m never posting a picture of him again. I was talking to Kali [Uchis] about this, if I’m going to go out with somebody, it can’t just be anybody, and it’s definitely not going to be mister @privateaccount with a picture of a fish as his profile image.

Someone mentioned that Drake has a tattoo of you, is this true?

[Laughs] No, that’s definitely not true. If he has, I haven’t seen it. I’m sure if he had a tattoo of me it would be on the internet somewhere. Look it’s Sade, although it could be me right now with this net around my hair.

How would you describe your personality?

Unpredictable.

On a day-to-day basis, what kind of scenarios make your blood boil?

Anything. You could look at me funny and I would get pissed off at you.

What fills you with joy, brings you to tears, gives you goosebumps?

I cry at any film, when someone’s dying or if there is an empowering moment. I watched The Florida Project recently and that last scene, I was in tears.

Do you believe in fate?

No.

Do you have any regrets?

No.

Have you ever had your heart broken?

No.

When did you last break someone else’s heart?

I can’t remember when, and I don’t really care. I’m the kind of person that will take a lot of shit from somebody, but once I end it, it’s done.

Do you ever feel lonely?

I like being on my own.

What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind?

A strong one. I want people to remember me for my music. Hopefully I won't do anything crazy that they’ll remember me for.

When was the last time you were scared?

I’m not really scared of anything. I’m quite confident. If anything I scare myself, like I’ll have a headache and then I’ll worry something really serious is wrong with me—I’m the worst. So is my boyfriend. We’re the worst. Imagine. It’s awful because I’ll be like, “Stop telling me there’s something wrong with you.” Then I’ll be like “I’m going to the doctor’s because I think there’s something wrong with my head.”

Do you have any unusual habits or rituals?

I get obsessed with things. I get obsessed with ideas, then I correct myself and start being rational. I’m also not very good with affection. If someone is upset, I don’t know what to do with them. Instead of giving them a hug, I’ll touch them with one finger.

What are the biggest distractions in your life?

My phone. To be honest, I’m easily distracted. I find it hard to focus. Even on stage, I’m constantly thinking about other stuff. It could be something that I last said to someone and I’ll keep recalling it in my head. I’m trying to deal with it, I’m trying to learn how to be calmer and not let my mind wander so much but I find it difficult. I think it’s related to my obsessive streak, getting too fixated on things.

What would be your perfect day?

The perfect day would start with me waking up and understanding that Joel might sleep in. I’m horrible, usually if I’m awake that means he has to be awake. I’ll make myself a cup of tea, let him sleep and not freak out and think he’s dead—that’s happened before. Once he’s up, we’ll make some music together and then go for a long walk. I like walking, if it’s the perfect day then nobody will stop us for a photo because he always has to take it and I feel bad. I’m really conscious of time, so I would try my best to be patient and go with the flow, but I would know exactly what time we’d be going for food. I’d get dressed up and we’d go out for lots of food, with all the courses and more. I love sushi and he likes lobster. Then we’d go for a night walk and run around central London. That’s what we do sometimes, or he runs off.

When you’re not working, what do you do for fun?

What? What do you mean not working? I’m always working. [Laughs] When I’m not working I sleep.

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Kelsey Lu 📸by June Canedo

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KELSEY LU NEVER BORED

The Cellist And Vocalist On Solitude, Sea Angels, And Learning To Say No

by Mira Silvers

Over the phone, Kelsey Lu sounds far away. Far, far away. Further, even, than the actual distance that separates us. Lu in Los Angeles. Me in Montreal. Lu on a porch. Me in a glass-enclosed boardroom. It’s the bad reception, I tell myself. It’s the echo of our phones. The strange and unfeeling, and sort of spoken awkwardness involved in phone interviews, right when they start—before they get going. The time difference, too; an added, more obvious distance. Her morning voice—easy, slowed, contemplative. Vine-like. As if she’s speaking to—in response to—a view. Trees, a blue sky.

While Lu’s tone is faint, it shouldn’t be mistaken for unconcerned. She seems elsewhere but still earthy. Quiet, but listening, Lu makes herself clear. The classically-trained cellist and vocalist speaks in images, flickers of feeling. She describes her debut album, which she’s currently completing, as being inspired by movement: driving, the ocean, water in general. Similar to the arrangements in her music and much like her single, “Shades of Blue”—a sleepy and celestial, sonic anodyne about heartbreak—Lu’s conversational manner is open. Explorative at its core.

Lu, who will soon join Blood Orange on tour, has collaborated with Solange, Florence Welch, OPN—to name a few—and has performed with Kelela at a no-runway Telfar show, or more recently, in the courtyard at the Getty Center in Los Angeles, live-scoring No Sesso’s Eden-like capsule collection.

Here, Lu considers the benefits of solitude, the sound of her cello, and YouTube spiraling.

What imagery do you feel is particularly sacred to you?

Everyday people. Mostly older people. When I lived in New York, I walked around and you could see more of it. But in LA, I live kind of far away from people.

Is that on purpose? The distance.

Yeah. I find that it’s good for me. I can concentrate. After being in New York for so long, I really was starving for space. I needed to feel like it was just me and the trees.

As someone who desires a level of separation to work, is there something you look for when collaborating?

It just has to feel right. A lot of the times I’ve collaborated, the project naturally comes my way. Without having to plan it, things fall into place. But I’ve found myself recently needing to plan more as I come closer to finishing my record. I’m feeling myself come out of this haze of self, and this selfish mindset of being in this whirlwind of my album. My driving force is to abstain from boredom. Boredom and depression. My new feeling is collaborating with people I wouldn’t necessarily expect to because I don’t want to be in my own bubble. I’m interested in exploring things I may have at one time been dismayed by, or that I turned away from, or even side-eyed.

Do you have an approach, then, for climbing out of this ‘haze of self’?

I’m pretty all of over the place. Kind of like my music. That’s how I operate, how my brain works—it’s pretty unorganized. How I consume information—it doesn’t fall in a linear system or pattern.

As you near 30, have you found the right balance for creating so much work while also still turning inwards? Reflecting?

I feel like I’m getting better at prioritizing my energy. Energy conservation is important when you’re making things and trying to connect with people, at least on the level that I am.

When it comes to your work, have you encountered interpretations of it that feel inaccurate? Misunderstandings?

The only misunderstandings I’ve had have been with men. Working with men, sometimes in the past. Them thinking that me being up to collaborate is an opening to my vagina, my pussy. You know what I’m saying?

What’s your artistic vetting process? How do you screen? Is there something you would definitely say no to?

I’m very open.

Where does that openness come from?

Ever since I was little, my dad has told me that we’d like be at the beach, and he says it would be me and twenty other people around me, and I would gather people together to play. I just have this natural drive towards people and gathering people together. I’m a herder.

Do you like to host? Do you consider yourself a good dinner host?

Yeah I do. I really love making people feel at home, and cozy, and welcomed. I love feeding people. I love making tea for people.

Are you the friend who is very much in tune with everyone in the room?

Definitely. I have empathic tendencies. I feel people’s energies very strongly and sometimes I take them on, which is why I feel the need to be alone and why I need my solitude when I’m working.

How have you made your house a home in LA?

I have a morning routine. I’m really fortunate where I live, there’s a lot of nature around and I have access to trails, to water. So I try to take advantage of that as much as I can. I have a porch, which I’m on right now. It helps me gather myself and get centered. Every morning, as soon as I get out of bed, I put on, The Unicorns in Paradise, this cassette tape by Laraaji. It helps me start my day on a super meditative note.

I have some more questions…looser, random?

Gimme weird!

Okay. How would you describe the sound of your cello?

Um…A really fat, old cicada tree. Like a really old wise tree that’s planted in the bottom of the ocean. And there’s all this sea life living within it, specifically sea angels. Do you know what sea angels are?

I don’t.

They’re basically sea slugs. They’re really, really, really small. But they look like little angels. It’s a type of pteropod. And well, that is the sound of mycello.

If you could invent any app, what would it be?

Wait, I feel like I was just talking about this! There probably already is a file organizing app. When you are creating a project in Logic, you create it, you save it, and then that project immediately goes into the app that’s on your device. And it organizes your project for you, somehow. By like date. I’m clearly talking about how I’m struggling with the organization of my own files.

Are you wishing someone could store your tangents? So you can more readily retrieve them?

I guess that’s it. Like an engineer. Or an intern in my pocket.

So basically you want an intern.

I guess that’s what I’m getting at. Last night I was working on a song. I had shot an impromptu video last weekend and there were all these clothes that hadn’t been used, that were leftover, and I was like these can’t go to waste, so I came up with this concept for a music video and then I hit up my friend and said come over, we’re gonna brainstorm. So I was making the music for it last night and I was on a YouTube spiral for hours trying to figure out how to do this thing that is so simple. And if I had an intern, I could be like, “So this is what I want to do.” But you know, the thing is, I really do love figuring this shit out by myself. I really like doing things myself. I feel power through that.

And sometimes YouTube spiraling feels really productive.

Yeah, for sure.

Has anyone recently given you advice that has unlocked something for you? That you hold close?

I was offered to go do a few shows with someone, and it would have been…it just would have been a dream. An amazing opportunity. I was really conflicted because I wanted to do it but I needed to conserve myself because I was working on stuff. And what I was working on was so personal, and there was so much planning, months of it, and I needed to keep working on it. I was talking to Mara Brock Akil—she’s incredible, and has so much love. And she was like, “One of the hardest things to do is to say no. When you say no, you give yourself room to be with yourself. To then have the ability to say yes, later.” She told me it’s one of the best things you can do for yourself and everyone else because then otherwise you’re running yourself thin, and you can’t give yourself to anyone. What I’m saying is just some of what she said, but in that moment, it was truly important for me to hear it. Saying no doesn’t close all opportunities. There’s power in saying no.

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🎙Jessie Reyez  📸by Davi Tohinnou for FORT

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Princess Nokia in Bristol @ The Small Horse Social Club  📸Joseph Hayes 

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Princess Nokia in Bristol @ The Small Horse Social Club  📸Joseph Hayes

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RED BULL MUSIC FESTIVAL COMING TO MONTREAL + TORONTO

Montreal's Red Bull Music Festival Gets Shay Lia, Sophie, Ryan Hemsworth, Kara-Lis Coverdale and Toronto Gets Tanya Tagaq, dvsn, Alice Glass plus more  for Their Respective Inaugural Editions. 

By Gandhi Delsoin Published Aug 27, 2018

Red Bull Music Festival - MONTREAL 

After producing Red Bull Music Academy’s whirlwind entrance in Montreal, Red Bull Music Canada have finally revealed the entire programming for the very first editions of Red Bull Music Festival in Montreal and Toronto. 

The festival brings Oneohtrix Point Never’s live MYRIAD project, Ryan Hemsworth’s listening show for his upcoming album, Elsewhere, Sophie, Arbutus Record’s 10th anniversary showcase, an R&B/electro showcase featuring Shay Lia, Tika, Mind Bath. 

Red Bull Music Festival - TORONTO 

The Toronto festival will feature OVO Sound’s R&B duo, dvsn, will reimagine their body of works with the members of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra at Roy Thompson Hall. 

Followed by Alice Glass transforming a 19th century fermenting cellar for a live production called “The Doll House” with the help of director Floria Sigimondi. 

Toronto has included the live-music improvisation production of “Round Robin” featuring Tanya Tagaq, TiKA, Skratch Bastid, Maylee Todd + more. 

Plus, there will be an interview-conversation with Scott Storch, Grammy-winning production veteran, conducted by Cadence Weapon (who will be performing at the Arbutus anniversary showcase in Montreal). 

The festival in Montreal happens from September 19 to 27 and the festival in Toronto occurs from October 17 to 25. For tickets + more lineup information please see more on their official website.

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PRINCESS ROYALE

by Mira Silvers

Music Editor, Mira Silvers, sits down with Princess Nokia to talk poetry, feminism, & 1992. 

Strong, unapologetic and beautiful are words that describe Destiny Frasqueri, an independent artist known by her alter-ego Princess Nokia.

A girl playing basketball, soccer, boxing, in gold chains, in a plaid shirt and a white dress. The duality of the feminine imagery is what the viewers encounter as a strong female voice raps through computer speakers.

Hailing from NYC, Princess Nokia has released three mixtapes to date, seamlessly infusing feminine and masculine aspects of her persona into her work along with imagery celebrating feminine beauty, especially that of coloured women. In doing so, Princess Nokia has revived some much needed intellectual and feminist discourse in rap.

In early August I called her up to talk about her third mixtape (1992), sisterhood, creativity and power.

Mira Silvers: Can you start with the inspiration behind the name Princess Nokia?

Princess Nokia: I just wanted to come up with a cool name that was cute and kinda of animated. And, I think I took the inspiration [from] not having a phone or a computer at the time. I was seeing all these music videos and touring plans off of an Obama government phone and I was like, “Well, I’m queen of the trap phone.” It’s really cool, it had so much character [and spoke] to the type of person that I am. So Princess is usually considered very glamorous and, you know, high maintenance. But, I am the anti-princess. I’m the princess of poverty, a little orphan princess. Like the real side of a princess. Just like a young, sweet animated female protagonist who came from the slums and didn’t have much to work with, but who is making something out of something that she has.

MS: Hearing the name Princess Nokia made me think of The Matrix.

PN: There was a lot of Matrix influence going on there.

MS: Oh yeah, are you a big fan of the Matrix trilogy?

PN: Yeah actually, and a lot of it influenced my first album [Metallic Butterfly].

MS: Let’s talk about 1992. What was the process of putting together a mixtape like that?

PN: You know I wanted to take a break from normal competition writing. After I had done my first two mixtapes, Metallic Butterfly and Honeysuckle, I wasn’t really satisfied with what I was making. I wasn’t satisfied with my singing. I wanted to do something different. So I started writing poetry and rhyming again.

When I made 1992, it began with a real clean slate. You know, I spent a couple of months not making any music at all. After I put out Honeysuckle, I took some time to just really think to myself and go ‘What do I want to create? What do I want to say?’ And, I just started writing really, really simple poetry — that’s really what it is. I was just spending a lot of time going around New York putting myself into these writing exercises: every day I would make myself go to Central Park or Jefferson Park in Harlem, and I’d take a journal and just writing everything that kinda came out that I felt was correlated to my childhood, my youth, my identity, my life — everything that had some sort of relevance to every little bit involvin’ me. It was this really, really cathartic awesome experience. There was world music for hours on end, you know, walking around the city, and I formulated 1992. 1992 was like, every song was like a chapter in a book that’s about myself. And it was really fun.

MS: You said that you got back into writing poetry again. Did you take influence from your love of Harlem Renaissance writers?

PN: It always has an influence on what I do, but it wasn’t the big influence. I’m just like… I am kid, I am a growing girl, a growing person, for different years and seasons in my life. I have different moods, different subject matters that I’m writing about. At the time I was writing, it was just really lighthearted and there weren’t any dark tones. So my writing process was very free, very fluid and very wholesome and included so many things [such as] mundane subjects of the heart.

MS: What are your expectations for 1992, if any?

PN: I just wanted to make a really good, classic hip hop album. I started rapping and reteaching myself how to rap, really familiarizing myself with poetry and with the style of hip hop, again. I come from doing experimental [music] like drum & bass, jungle, R&B, and soul music and all that kind of stuff. So, when I started rapping again, I wanted to do it right, and I wanted to do it really respectful. I wanted to come into it with a lot of head-on hip hop, like real warm, old school flavour that really influences me and that I really relate to. That was my main focus.

I didn’t think that it would be successful and I didn’t want to put pressure on myself in hopes that it would be successful. I wasn’t even that kind of artist at that time. I’ve been this kind of anomaly in the music world: an independent artist, self-managed, self-made. I just make music for myself, honestly.

I am a musician, and every year I challenge myself to make a music project that reflects some goodness in myself. The artistic protection that I have, I want to exercise that. So, I really didn’t have too many expectations. This is just a music project and this is what I do. Some people wanna come and see me play. Every year I need to work on a project so that I may sustain my life as an artist, tour and [have] the little opportunities here and there.

MS: Can we talk about the imagery and lyrics in “Tomboy?”

PN: I mean what do you want me to say, darling?

MS: Haha! Whatever you wish. I suppose it’s straightforward.

PN: I mean it’s pretty straightforward. (There’s) a tomboyish masculinity that I exude, both in my style and my personality and in my fluidity. There isn’t much to it: I am a tomboy; I’m a tomboyish kind of girl. “Tomboy” is about the love and the comfort that I had with my style and my sensuality and my beauty, which is considered unconventional and which isn’t always feminine, which is extremely messy and boyish. And I love that and I wanted to celebrate that part of me that had always been who I am and a big part of what I do. An unconventional beauty that is a little dirty and a little gross, but still really sweet and lovely, and still girly at the same time. It all came from  an innocent, wholesome place. As a young girl finding her place in the world, there was no better place, feeling really content with just walking outside and knowing that I was happy and healthy by being happy with what I saw in the mirror and however I felt (about it).

The baggy clothes, the backwards cap, the big t-shirts and the dirty sneakers — that has always been my comfort. And it took me a long time to feel comfortable like that. And finally I realized that this is it — this is the best part of me. This is all of me. And it’s something I’m proud of and that makes me beautiful and makes me feel free and fun. It doesn’t make me feel like I’m trying to be anything else that I am not.

MS: To continue on with that imagery of beauty, can you talk about the thought process and imagery of women and sisterhood in “Brujas”?

PN: Well, I like to explore and celebrate the themes of sisterhood, of blackness, of brownness, of divine matriarchy, of urban feminism in my work. I’ve been doing so since Metallic Butterfly.

And you know me, as a female rapper and as a very different artist from most women in my field, I’m inspired by art, high art and the perception of symbolism. So I really enjoy featuring women, beautiful strong examples of women from my community in my work, which I did with “Young Girls,” which I did with “Nokia,” which I did with “Soul Train” and then with “Brujas.” And in “Tomboy” and “Kitana,” you see that it’s a common theme.

The sisterhood between black and brown women is a theme that I’m constantly exploring and celebrating and reinforcing because it’s a theme of beauty and positivity and wellness. And it’s a theme that I want younger girls to see so they feel inspired and understand that their representation matters.

MS: I completely agree with that. You mentioned that you’re very different from the women in your field. Do you think that women in rap are not exploring this concept?

PN: No, it’s not that they aren’t exploring the concept. This doesn’t have to do with other female rappers, this has to do with rappers in hip hop, which is the world of narcissism and megalomania and ego, when we focus only on ourselves, which is not entirely a bad thing. But how many people use other people as their subjects instead of themselves? Do you know what I mean?

MS: Not many.

PN: Yeah! It is a big deal when you feature other beautiful women and say look at them and not look at me as much. This is the story and this is the subject matter and these are the people or the women — these are the real people. Only featuring myself in the storyline or the video would be limiting and under-representing.

MS: True femininity, feminism, and women should be celebrated in hip hop and rap. How do you do it?

PN: Women are over-glorified and overly sexualized. Women are regarded as objects. When it comes to divine aspects, women as subjects become undervalued. So it’s really great that I can influence these themes as an important subject in art, in visualization through hip hop.

MS: How do you feel about being labelled a role model?

PN: I have no problem with that label. I consider myself an eternal big sister, a mother-type, to a lot of people. And I don’t think it’s cumbersome. I think I’m very honest with my fanbase. Don’t glorify me for my image or for a perfect image or perception. You might consider me your role model because you might admire and value and respect my intellect. But you also admire and value my honesty, my thoughts and my mistakes. So, yes, in some way I’m role model to many many people in this world and I happily accept that because that is just life. Young women look up to me because I create inspiring and empowering music. You can’t have one without the other.

Am I bothered by the pressure? No, I think that my fanbase has a lot of respect for me and my values and my flaws and mistakes. I am very lucky to have a very very forgiving and understanding fanbase that values me as a human and values my mistakes and my flaws as well as my accolades. ■

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