'My hand tattoo is called a Malu' /Ladi6
Jag skrev om Ladi6 för ett par veckor sedan efter att ha sett henne spela pĂ„ Fasching. Allt jag visste nĂ€r jag gick dit var att hon Ă„kt hela vĂ€gen frĂ„n Nya Zeeland och att hon lirar soul. Det blev mycket dans och glada tillrop frĂ„n min sida, samt denna intervju som jag fick Ă€ran att göra med Ladi6 i efterhand.Â
Is soul music being listened to in NZ?
- Absolutely! We are very fortunate to have such an abundance of soul artists and soulfulness in New Zealand. Im not sure what breeds this? Perhaps the history, perhaps the isolation, or the size, but, we breed soul in New Zealand.
Jag berĂ€ttade för Ladi6 att jag bodde i en liten stad nĂ€ra Nelson (högst upp pĂ„ södra ön) som heter Takaka i ett par mĂ„nader. Det var nĂ„got helt annat Ă€n Stockholm och allt kĂ€ndes sĂ„ avslappnat och familjĂ€rt dĂ€r. Ladi6 dĂ€remot kommer frĂ„n en stad vid namn Christchurch som jag aldrig fick chansen att besöka. Jag vet dĂ€remot att hon sjĂ€lv har rest en del och Ă€ven bott i Europa, nĂ€rmare sagt i Berlin;Â
- Berlin is so laid back, and generally I just feel at ease here. I don't feel any pressure on anything. I enjoy my time in Berlin tasting bits and pieces of Europe here - it's truly wonderful, and I do consider this place a type of second home.
Is there any other place in the world you'd like to live in?
- I would like to spend some time living in Samoa, most likely when I'm in my fifties. I would also love to live in the states, perhaps NYC or maybe L.A. I'm unsure, as I haven't spent enough time there to really know any place well enough.Â
NÀr jag bodde i Takaka lÀrde jag kÀnna en tjej frÄn Nya Zeeland som var besatt av bandet Fat Freddy's Drop - en grupp frÄn Wellington som kör en mix av reggae, rhythm, blues och funk.
Ladi 6 har dansat breakdance och arbetat med Fat Freddy's Drop, tvÄ inslag som hon menar har pÄverkat hennes musik starkt.
- B-girling led me to the hiphop culture, and ultimately to music. I believe I wouldn't have found music if it hadn't been for the discovery of hiphop in my life. All my earliest influences musically stemmed from hiphop... Fat Freddy's Drop were among the first to truly support and influence my original music. I had the idea to start a career under my hiphop moniker, Ladi6, and it was Fat Freddy's Drop who were the first to get in behind and really encourage me by accepting to produce my record.
I felt truly supported and uplifted by their love and belief in me - it built my confidence and helped solidify my decision to continue making music.
Hennes karismatiska utstrÄlning pÄ scenen lamslog publiken inklusive mig sjÀlv, dessutom kunde jag inte undgÄ att stirra mig blind pÄ alla hennes vackra tatueringar! NÀr jag var i Wellington och besökte museet Te Papa lÀrde jag mig en hel del om Nya Zeelands urinvÄnare Maorier - vars stil och konst tydligt har inspirerat Ladi6 i alla hennes tatueringar. Jag Àlskade den hon hade pÄ sin hand!
- My hand tattoo is called a Malu. It is Samoan. It is my mothers. A malu traditionally is bestowed upon the eldest daughter of the high chief of a village. My mother is a chief, and a high one at that, of her village. Poutasi Falealili in Western Samoa. She was given her Malu as a gift from Paolo Suluape - who at the time was giving my father his Sogaimiti as part of the intro to a play that was touring around Australia and NewZealand called, 'Tatau, rites of passage.'
I copied my mothers hand back in 2000 as a tribute and in solidarity, when she was diagnosed and treated for cervical cancer. My three sisters followed suit and two of our cousins.
What soul artists inspire you?
- Aretha Franklin, Sam Cooke, Etta James, D'angelo, Aaliyah, Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu, Angie Stone, India Arie, Amy Winehouse, Joe Dukie, Feist, Radiohead, Nirvana, Warpaint... the list goes on and on.Â
- No not really, none I dream about. I like to dream about freedom. I like to dream about being completely at ease with myself and everything around me, no thoughts good or bad, just being. Roaming through fields of green grass covered in willow trees, lying in the only spot with a crack of sunlight shining through, lying down and bathing in it while I drift off to sleep, with a warm breeze softly blowing.
Any plans for the future?
- To create more music, to experiment more. To be better, in our opinion of the term. To travel more, to have more children, to continue to grow in wisdom and kindness. To find, fight for and maintain happiness. To be a loving person who expresses it daily. To be a good mother, a sincere friend and a reliable, loving family member. So many more plans, the list truly does go on..
PÄ scenen var Ladi6 iklÀdd en vacker blÄ tunika och jag tyckte att hon sÄg vÀldigt cool ut. SÀregen, snygg och med pondus! Uttrycket "Scandinavian Fashion" verkar ju ha etablerat sig som en ny genre inom modevÀrlden, en stil att relatera till. Jag frÄgade Ladi6 om mode och klÀdmÀrken!
- I do like fashion. Brands however never do stick in my memory.Â
I like getting to know designers. I find fashion designers to be extraordinary people. Rarely do I meet a fashion designer I do not like immediately.
How does a happy day look like?
- My family and friends around me, all happy and content at being together. We all are not expecting anything from each other, just being together relaxing, talking, not talking. Everything is provided for. Just being together with no where to be, and nowhere else we wanna go.
För er som aldrig har varit pĂ„ Nya Zeeland sĂ„ Ă€r det verkligen vĂ€rt resan dit! Man behöver dock ett par veckor pĂ„ sig för att hinna upptĂ€cka landet och alla dess skatter. Ladi6 ger oss sina favoriter:Â
Jag hoppas fĂ„ se mer frĂ„n Ladi6 och skulle tycka det vore sĂ„ otroligt hĂ€ftigt om hon i framtiden kommer till Sverige för att spela pĂ„ festivaler hĂ€r! Mer soul tack!Â
Ladi6 Ă€r en artist att se upp till. Hon Ă€r unik pĂ„ alla sĂ€tt och jag tycker att det Ă€r fantastiskt att hon lyckas hitta nĂ„got personligt; pĂ„ scen, i sin musik, sin stil och sitt uttryck.Â
Det var soul frĂ„n Nya Zeeland. HĂ„ll koll pĂ„ bloggen för soul frĂ„n resten av vĂ€rlden.Â
Peace, love & soul music,
