TUNING IN
Jackin’ Across the World
by Nicky Roland LADONNA INTERVIEW:
For this month’s edition I thought I’d cast a wider net and talk with and about some of the artists from across the globe that have become essential parts of my music listening and my social circle. My main focus is an incredible queer synthpop artist out of Tokyo, Ladonna Rama, who you’ll be champing at the bit for once you dig your teeth into her music catalogue and art-house bondage flair. “Extending reflections to something futuristic, almost post-human”, Ladonna Rama produces queer synthpop, campy electro and perverted pop. Originally from Sydney (Australia) and now residing in Tokyo, her electronic debut Ladonna Rama from 2014 “embodies the avant-pop of a pint-sized singing budgie on the edge of acceptability”. Described as “music to wiggle the ding dongs”, Ladonna’s second album Unzip the Chick appeared in 2016 with remixes by UK producer Hectic and Sydney DJ Matt Vaughan for house track I’m on a Mission and dom anthem fan fave I’ll Require Your Full Attention. Early 2021 has seen Ladonna releasing her third album “Animals” described as “feral, frenzied, trangressive disco” and a slew of remixes and other releases monthly! Teetering between the performance art and queer club scenes, she’s supported Peaches, Christeene, The Blessed Madonna and Chicks On Speed. She’s collaborated with Glitta Militia, The Hoopaholics, Motel Sisters, Gang of She, the Naked Barber, Ben Drayton, Yiorgos Zafiriou, Aaron Manhattan and Bunny Hoop Star.
Ladonna, it’s an absolute pleasure to talk with you and feature you in the month’s issue of boiMAG. As I’m sure you know, I’m a huge fan of your music and art. You have a cutting Aussie sense of humor that seeps into everything you do, giving it a delightful twist of malevolence and cheekiness. As mentioned in the introduction you originally hail from Australia; what brought you to Tokyo, and how long have you lived there? It’s always been a hokey dream of mine to live and work in Japan since I was a kid. Twenty years ago I did a teaching degree with the aim of coming here to teach but I ended up in Hong Kong. About four years ago I realized I wasn’t getting any younger, I mean the grey hair was literally starting to show and if I was gonna do this I better get a wriggle on while I was still young enough to enjoy it. It’s the best thing I’ve ever done. My parents and sister
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really pushed me and I wouldn’t have done it without their encouragement. I was too scared. They know me too well. My partner is also Japanese. We met about 9 years ago in Sydney, which was getting a bit boring for both of us, so it only made sense for us to give it a go here. We live in a cute little old apartment close to Shinjuku and I still have to pinch myself sometimes. Your talent transcends across the audiovisual spectrum, who are some of the biggest influences for music and the visual arts? I was a major Madonna fanatic from the age of ten in ‘84 when she hit the bigtime. I’m showing my age here! I mean I was really obsessed for many many years to the point where up until about 2012, which was the MDNA era, I was buying at least one Madonna item a day. My collection was massive and I’ve since sold most of it off as a way to recoup some money, reclaim my life (lol) and say goodbye to her and my obsessive
