Music Talk - Issue 1, Vol. 1

NEW ON THE SCENE

with Saïna, M'kiah, 3 Saints, Isabelle Mettle, & Yazmine

MB

LOVE & HEARTBREAK with Jovan Perez

HOW LANGUAGES CONNECT US with REMENKIMI

FLUID ART & MUSIC with Tayah

VISUAL POETIC DISCOVERY with Baby Panna

PA' QUIEN SOMOS: SPANGLISH MUSIC with Jasmine Rodriguez

VOL 01 | JULY 2023

I T O R S N O T E

This magazine is what can only truly be described as an exciting, new beginning for myself and for Music Talk with Nina G. To think that a passion project that began in May 2O2O would now be turned into permanent pages of digital and physical stories is surreal. I am grateful to the people I have had the opportunity to interview, and am incredibly inspired by their stories. These stories are full of love, authenticity, and appreciation for music in all the forms it is created and perceived in. Most of all, it empowers Music Talk's message that knowledge about the music industry is for everyone and that it is our stories that start conversations, create narratives, and generate communities.

DEI wanted to expand my dream, and so I did. I envisioned its rebirth, reimagined its pathway, and pushed myself to make it a reality.

Santa Muerte - Boslen

Santa Muerte - Boslen

Tafassil - REMENKIMI Tafassil - REMENKIMI

The Sun Sets in the West - Tayah

The Sun Sets in the West - Tayah

The Lung - Hiatus Kaiyote

The Lung - Hiatus Kaiyote

I'll Show You - Yazmine MB I'll Show You - Yazmine MB

Gone Baby, Don't Be Long - Erykah Badu

Gone Baby, Don't Be Long - Erykah Badu

I Won't Take It Personal - Saïna I Won't Take It Personal - Saïna

Waster - 3 Saints Waster - 3 Saints

Just The Two of Us (Cover) - Jasmine Rodriguez Just The Two of Us (Cover) - Jasmine Rodriguez

When Alone - M'kiah When Alone - M'kiah

Retrograde - James Blake Retrograde - James Blake

Age

Location

Liverpool, United Kingdom

Occupation

Singer-Songwriter

Genre(s)

Alternative R&B / Funk

MusicalInspirations

Erykah Badu, Prince, Frank Ocean, Kate Bush, Blood Orange

YourMusicalThemes

I often write metaphorically, and so most of the time I don’t actually have any proper themes or real stories to tell lyrically. I tend to focus on the idea of self-love / self-discovery, moving on from the things that don’t serve you, etc. Themes of platonic and romantic relationships tend to organically take the shape of the lyrics I write which sometimes gets me into a bit of trouble because people wonder if it’s about them or someone in particular (spoiler alert: it’s probably not!!). Maybe in the future though. I could definitely write some banging tracks about my own experiences at this point.

MusicalOriginStory

My dad works within the creative realm, specifically in graphics and photography. When I was about ten years old I managed to get my hands on his computer and spent hours using the stock loop library in GarageBand, singing on top and burning my songs onto CDs. I think that was when I realised that making music was something I really wanted to do, and I just kept on making stuff from there! I use different softwares now but my first song, ‘Orange’, was made on GarageBand when I was around 14 years old, and I just love producing music!

RecentReleases

My newest release is ‘Dreamz’ - a maxi-single that came out on the 21st of April! It features two new tracks; Side A is ‘Dreamz’, and Side B is ‘What You Did’, and they both touch on themes of love, the positive side and the negative side, and the emotions that arise with experiencing both sides of love.

onthe scene

Other newer tracks include ‘Underwater’ and ‘Sick of Me and You’ which both came out in the second half of 2022.

BabyPanna

VISUAL POETIC DISCOVERY

This is not the first nor last time that I will express my love for music and poetry. They are incredible outlets in which we can create stories and learn more about ourselves. In the last year, I've been intrigued by visual poetry and sat down with musician and poet , Baby Panna to discuss his work and journey with visuality.

Nina: How long have you been writing music and poetry?

Baby Panna: I wrote my first song when I was about twelve years old, but I didn't start taking it seriously until I was fifteen. I always knew music was what I wanted to do and over time that voice in my head got louder and louder. Eventually, I realized I had to stop pretending that I wanted to do something academic and needed to start focusing on putting more effort into making music.

Nina: You wrote a short poem called ‘Intuition’ and shot a video for it. This was such an innovative idea and the setup is simple yet unique, could you talk to us about the process behind this poem and visual? What inspired using a telephone box?

Baby Panna: Funny enough, we were filming the music video for my song 'Moonlight'.

We walked past the telephone box and thought maybe we could use it in that music video. It didn't really fit the vibe for that song, but I had already sent the videographer a bunch of other songs and 'Intuition' was one of them and it had fit that song a lot better. It was something really serendipitous and it worked out super well. In terms of writing 'Intuition', I'm not quite sure where I channeled that particular narrative from. I think I just enjoy crafting images, themes, and situations, and I'm in love with the power of words because they allow me to do just that.

Nina: How has writing poetry motivated and influenced your music journey?

Baby Panna: It has motivated and influenced all of it. Everything I write is poetry. In my early days I was very focused on bars and lyrics and punchlines, and trying to wow people with the technicalities. I can do that, but I feel a lot more connected to my work when I'm just being honest about real life rather than spitting bars to impress people. I feel the more honest I am, the more poetic it comes across.

Nina: Throughout your content you talk a lot about how traveling has changed your perspective on life. Could you talk to us about how travel influences your music and the visuality you bring to your work?

Baby Panna: I come from a small city. While it's a cool place to come home to, it can feel slightly restrictive in terms of resources for creativity. The world is also massive and I feel it is a disservice to limit yourself to just one small part of it. I mainly say this because I feel it is easier to come back to yourself when you're in a place where no one knows you; you can reinvent yourself constantly and discover new parts of yourself that you hadn't before. I'd also say there is this incredible energy when you're meeting people and experiencing fresh things. When you travel, everyone is a stranger, and I like that because I don't have to worry about other people's preconceptions about me. I can simply be the best version of myself and this self-awareness influences a lot of my work. The more I am in touch with myself, the better I understand my purpose, and the better my music comes across. I definitely haven't travelled as much as I would like to though, so there's much more for me to see.

Nina: Talk to us about Panna Mood boards, what inspired you to share them and how does it talk to the importance of visuality?

Baby Panna: As soon as I got told that there would be no studio sessions or shows due to the pandemic, I needed to find another way to be creative, so I started making mood boards because I like aesthetics and putting things together. I started sharing them because I don't see the point in making something if you're not going to share it. In terms of how it talks to visuality... I'm currently reading a book by Rick Ruben and he talks a lot about how when you see a piece of art, it represents a whole world we cannot see and that is why we connect to it. We connect because it is a representation of someone's subconscious content, which we can unconsciously relate to. This is something I believe in too.

Visuality is important because it is allowed to feel complete and whole without needing to have a study written on why it's right. It is creativity in its purest form. It is also how I connect to my spirituality because I can visually show any world I like, and what matters to everyone is how it makes them feel rather than on its scholarly merit or value.

Nina: Do you believe visual poetry and the music that comes from speaking without an instrumental is often overlooked?

Baby Panna: I think it is overlooked by the music industry, but not by people themselves. People will appreciate it, but the industry doesn't invest much into it because we live in a fast culture and it is perhaps difficult to market in a world that is all about grabbing immediate attention. I think there is a lot of potential in it and that labels should invest in things like label-backed poetry mixtapes, etc because it could open people up to a whole new world of possibility. It also goes to show how much value you can create with words on their own.

Nina: What advice would you give to creatives exploring visual poetry and how do you see it shaping in the next few years?

Baby Panna: If you're looking to go down the poetry root, just be honest. I believe poetry is one of the best outlets for honesty because it's hard to hide behind punchlines or beats, you connect a lot more with your fans in this way. In terms of the future, it would be cool to see more substance, authenticity and honesty in what people put out, and mediums like poetry, art, visuals, etc. allow us to do this a lot better.

SAÏNA

Age

23

Location

London, United Kingdom

Occupation

Singer-Songwriter

Genre(s)

Neo-soul/R&B

MusicalInspirations

Amy Winehouse, Nina Simone, Frank Ocean, Sade, Jhene Aiko

YourMusicalThemes

I like to stay consistent with my message, which is holding a sense of self-worth and strength, even through vulnerability . Music can really change people's mood, and something that has touched me is hearing that my music has helped people through dark times - even way back before streaming services, when I had only released on Soundcloud.

MusicalOriginStory

I started playing the piano and guitar at the age of 7. It was then in an after school club, that I wrote a song for the first time. I found I had a passion for it and continued writing songs, recording & producing in my own home bedroom set-up. I learnt more about production & composition through studying music at school. I then attended the BRIT School where I was surrounded by talented, like-minded musicians. Those were the years I began to take music more seriously and it was then that I wrote a few songs, including my debut single, 'Wrong Love'. After graduating, I went on to release a string of releases, including my Debut EP, numerous singles/collabs & my latest EP, 'Lundun Lullabies". I've had some amazing achievements over the couple years since releasing music, such as being interviewed on BBC Radio London, my tracks played on BBC Introducing, hitting numerous editorial & algorithmic Spotify playlists, and headlining two shows.

RecentReleases

new onthe scene SÏANA

My most recent release is my EP 'Lundun Lullabies', consisting of the songs: 'I Won't Take It Personal', 'Birthday Kisses', and 'Destroy You'. It is a series of nocturnal stories from the eyes of a London Girl.

HOW LANGUAGES CONNECT US

Music is a language that speaks to everyone. Whether it speaks to a group, an individual or simply two people sitting down talking about a lyric that struck them, it connects us. No matter what language we may speak in, you do not necessarily need to understand every single lyric to feel the emotions of voice and instrumentation. I sat down with EgyptianCanadian artist, REMENKIMI, to talk about how she utilizes languages in her music to bring people together.

Nina: When did you start making music?

REMENKIMI: I started making music in 2020, my first song was released in March 2020.

Nina: You sing in four different languages! It is absolutely incredible. What languages do you sing in and why?

REMENKIMI: Thank you! I usually sing in English, Arabic, French and occasionally add a little Spanish. These are the languages that I grew up speaking. I was lucky to have traveled a lot as a child and was enrolled in French schools, hence the multilingualism.

Nina: You have built a brand around creating music that doesn’t need translation to be enjoyed. This is a beautiful message and completely true. Can you talk to us about why you believe this is important?

REMENKIMI: In this time and age, we are seeing more & more international artists connect different cultures and genres together through music. I feel like as humans we have much more in common than we are led to think. Music is just one of the ways that these connections can be made. As an example, I recently released a fully Egyptian Arabic song called “Tafassil” and noticed that the top 5 countries who are streaming it the most are not Arabic speaking countries. Music that comes from the heart reaches the heart.. no translation needed!

Nina: Your song ‘Cours’ was nominated for Ottawa Awards 2021 'Song of the Year'. Congratulations! How did it feel? What was going through your mind? And how does this influence you to keep sharing your multilingual music?

REMENKIMI: My French & Egyptian Arabic song “Cours” was my very first song release! To see it become nominated at an award show in Canada was absolutely incredible. I took it as an omen and kept on releasing more music, and trusting my gut and intuition when it comes to song choices.

Nina: How would you describe the musical environment of Ottawa, Canada? How is it in relation to multilingual music as well?

REMENKIMI: I started my music journey around the time that the pandemic started so connecting with other creatives in the city was very difficult at first. With time, things started opening up again, and performance opportunities allowed me to meet and connect with many creatives in the city. Not only was the environment incredibly welcoming, but I have also learned a lot from these other experienced artists who were very generous with their advice & support.

I can also say that because Ottawa is a bilingual city (French & English), I felt very encouraged when performing my multilingual music.

Nina: Could you talk to us about your process when writing a song in more than one language? How do you choose which language to sing in?

REMENKIMI: I always start with composing the melody, and then the melody dictates the language. It is not premeditated, I just go with the flow.

Nina: What can creatives and the audience takeaway from listening and making multilingual music?

REMENKIMI: Audiences can definitely be exposed to new genres, new flows and new ways of connecting cultures and melodies through art, and all in one song! As for creatives, I can confidently say that multilingual/multi-genre music really pushes the creative limits and allows your artistic curiosity to take you to new undiscovered musical territory!

Age

M'KIAH

Location

Leicester, United Kingdom

Occupation

Genre(s)

R&B, Soul

MusicalInspirations

To narrow my musical inspirations down to just a few people would be impossible because of the amount of music I've consumed since childhood. However, my biggest musical inspiration is music itself. Before anything else I'm a fan of music and just creativity in general. Music inspires me. My closest friends who share the same love for music as I do, who put me onto new artists, new songs, and new sounds inspire me. Most of all though, those I surround myself with who freestyle, sing or make beats. Those people inspire me the most.

YourMusicalThemes

All of my music comes from a real place to me. I've felt love, I've felt happiness, excitement, heartbreak, loss, pain and fear. Through my music, I’ve always just tried to capture those moment’s/emotions. These songs are just me being vulnerable and sharing my experiences. I just trust that the universe helps the right people find them and connect with them.

MusicalOriginStory

My parents are definitely responsible for sparking the journey I'm currently on with music. There was never a moment when I was growing up where I wasn’t surrounded by music. Even-though my mom will disagree, both my parents sing really well and have amazing voices. They have great taste in music and are really supportive of what I do. My Mom has always been my biggest fan and told me that I can do anything I put my mind to. Whereas my Dad is like a music encyclopaedia and one of my biggest inspirations musically. When I was younger, I remember seeing him make beats on the computer and then that same day record a whole song. I remember seeing him effortlessly sing on stage in front of crowds of people. Naturally, he taught me how to make beats, how to record vocals, how to structure songs, how to mix the songs. Literally, most of what I know comes from him.

RecentReleases

My most recent song, 'Maja’s Interlude' is more of a letter than it is an actual song. It's about a "situationship" I was going through at the time. Anyone close to me will know I’m a huge fan of films and so with every song I make, I use my words to create scenes that the listener can picture. With this song in particular, I wanted to make the listener feel like they were witnessing a conversation in front of them rather than simply listening to a song. Something that most people don’t know is that 'Maja’s Interlude' is inspired by my close friend and fellow artist, Tyde, who's song, 'Away from You Interlude', instantly became one of my favourites because it captured what I was going through at the time. I’m infinitely grateful to him for writing his song.

new onthe scene M'KIAH

Singer-Songwriter

Tayah

FLUID ART & MUSIC: THE POWER OF INTERPRETATION & CREATION

Being an artist is never one-dimensional. We constantly see artists incorporating other forms of art within their work, and it speaks to the multitude of worlds we are able to create from different mediums. I was particularly drawn by Tayah's work in which she uses fluid art to promote and create her music.

Nina: What is fluid art to you? How would you define it?

Tayah: Fluid art is a beautiful medium of art where you give your intention toward the painting, but ultimately the final piece becomes what it needs and was meant to be. I kinda define it as intentional abstract.

Nina: When did you start incorporating fluid art into your musical work?

Tayah: I started incorporating this with my new EP, "Still Wonders" – the first single “Momentary High” had a blue toned fluid artwork. It meant so much to me and I wanted to delve more into the benefits of this type of art and continue using it with the rest of the singles (i.e Hotel Suite 31). Music isn’t just the art itself, it’s a whole package when you think about the artwork that goes with it.

Nina: We start seeing fluid art with your song "Momentary High" which you promoted with a physical painting where you asked people to interpret the painting for themselves, talk to us a little bit about this process and the motivations behind it.

Nina: We start seeing fluid art with your song "Momentary High" which you promoted with a physical painting where you asked people to interpret the painting for themselves, talk to us a little bit about this process and the motivations behind it.

Tayah: I wanted to open the conversation surrounding why I had purchased the artwork in the first place. I went to a pop-up event in Kensington Olympia which they do often, during a time where I was…in a nutshell…very disassociated from life. I walked past a stall that was selling art and there were paintings that had marble in them with loads of blue shades. I stopped there for a good fifteen minutes just feeling like these pieces of art really reflected how I was feeling and the hope that I wanted to rebuild. One of my younger siblings has been building their art business and is incredibly talented, so I asked them to commission a personal piece of fluid art that was physically mine. When I started going out to meet people and ask for their interpretations of the art , it was such an interesting and calming experience. We’re all so much more alike than we realise. You don’t really see much face-to-face interactions with “strangers” anymore, so it just put a humane atmosphere to the whole creative project.

Nina: You are continuing your fluid art music movement with your new EP “Still Wonders” which I must say, all the songs flow beautifully together. What is this EP about and how does fluid art fit into it all?

Tayah: Such a compliment – firstly coming from you! And also, because that was one of the key aims when I was in the process of creating this project. Being that this EP is a follow up to my first project, "Wonderer of The West". "Still Wonders" has a double meaning; Still as in continuing your journey, and Still as in the act of being physically and mentally still, which was a big component in how I was able to let these songs flow out of me. During this era, I lost control, I lost hope, and direction, but it flipped into intentional release of control once I realized that I didn’t have all the answers and I didn’t have to. I didn’t have to keep fighting to the point of destruction, day in day out for my livelihood which I’ve been doing since I was a child. I found peace in the stillness of waiting for God to move me back into position with a fresh mind, new goals, and new passions. What makes "Wonderer of the West" different to "Still Wonders" is that in the former I was literally on the move in real life, while in "Still Wonders" I’m navigating and flowing with who I am, and what I have in the present moment.

Nina: It is hard to simply choose one song, but can you talk to us about "Hotel Suite 31" ? Why did you choose this tune as the single leading up to your EP, and how did the fluid art for this song as a single come about?

Tayah: I felt like sonically it was still quite mellow, considering I’m based in London and we were still in winter. The other songs felt more like spring to me, and I wanted my listeners to experience the other songs of the project in a brighter setting weather wise. Lyrically, that song felt like emancipation. It was the spark that made me realize I’ve got this, look how far I’ve come, a message honouring hold on to the parts of you that have brought you out of darkness before. This artwork was actually a piece my sibling did for our dad, who I also mention in the song.

I also love how it’s contrasting to the calming blues of "Momentary High". It’s like a fire, and that fire is deep inside me reminding me to always step up and bring myself up even if I don't feel like it. I also have a deep fire for a lot of things that I haven’t yet spoken about in my music, or at least the world hasn’t heard yet.

Nina: Is your song ‘The Sun Sets In The West’ an ode to your previous EP? Especially because it’s right before your outro song.

Tayah: See, this is why I love being interviewed by you because you ask questions that make me THINK. I hadn’t even thought of that specific correlation, but it is very true. I had written the phrase "The Sun Sets in the West" a while back, because of its literal meaning. The song does have the wonderer theme because I haven't completely “found” or arrived at the golden gates of whatever it was I was supposed to be venturing to at the time. However it’s the journey itself that holds all the content and in a way the song is like a nostalgic and grateful close on my wondering phase. The song is also an ode to the fact that I’m from the westside of London.

Nina: What would you say creatives can learn/take away from incorporating things such as fluid art into their work?

Tayah: I think even if it’s not fluid art, it’s nice to have another outlet for the music you’re releasing. It's another way to get your message across and connect with listeners. I have friends that stopped listening to music due to faith or just because they are currently clearing their mind from other peoples thoughts. However, they still support me, so imagine how using your artwork to further relay your message can include them too. It’s all expression and connection.

3 Saints

Age

3Saints

Location

New York, United States

Occupation

Singer-Songwriter and Producer

Genre(s)

Indie Pop, Pop-Rock, and Alternative Pop

MusicalInspirations

Tame Impala, Paul Simon, Alabama Shakes, Phoebe Bridgers, the 1975, and Bon Iver

YourMusicalThemes

The first three songs I released, "Brake Pad," "Vision of You," and "White Light Heat," explore some introspective themes such as isolation, heartache, and in some sense a general longing for emotional/spiritual salvation. My new EP, "Candyland" lovingly mocks these same themes. In a lot of ways its a more humorous picture of the same struggle. I think its my way of trying to lighten up and not take everything too seriously.

RecentReleases

MusicalOriginStory

This may sound a bit melodramatic (which is pretty typical for me), but honestly it was on 9/11. I was quite young (maybe 7 or 8) at the time and I didn't fully understand what was going on. I just knew that my father was tense and my mother was frightened and so was I. It didn't help that we lived close to New York, and many of our friends and family worked in the city. There was this bad energy in school and at home and it seemed like it would last forever. The following month there was something called the "Concert For New York" in Madison Square Garden, and there were all sorts of musical and comedic acts performing. We tuned in halfway through and I remember the band, "The Who," came on stage. It was my mom's favorite band from her younger years. They struck that first guitar chord in "Won't Get Fooled Again" and it was like all that dark fog just lifted. Mom was dancing and singing and I just remember losing my mind with excitement. In that moment I felt the power music has to move people both physically and emotionally. It was then when something I thought would never pass seemed to disappear in an instant. From that day on my interest became an obsession.

All of my songs are based on real issues I have in life. The first song "Waster" is all about a character who is so worried they'll never be happy that they end up wasting time being miserable. "Fine China" is about losing ourselves in fantasies. It was inspired by advice my friend had given me after I told him I had met someone I could see myself with in the long future. I had only gone on one date with this person and he told me, "well, don't go picking out the fine china before you've been on at least a few more dates." As a love song turned into a song about a guy being so out of touch with reality that he accidentally robs a grocery store, I realized that this EP was all about being able to laugh at yourself.

new onthe scene 3 Saints

Jasmine Rodriguez

I adore Spanglish, not just for the way it sounds but also for what it stands for. Spanglish (a mix between English and Spanish) is less about how 'correct' it is as a language, but rather a celebration of mixed identities and knowing more than one language. It is a reminder that we can exist in various ways, and that we should embrace every part of what makes us who we are. An amazing singer-songwriter who's doing just exactly that is Jasmine Rodriguez with her Spanglish covers of wellknown songs such as, 'Ain't No Sunshine' by Bill Withers, 'Talking to the Moon' by Bruno Mars, and many more.

Nina: What does Spanglish mean to you?

Jasmine Rodriguez: To me, Spanglish means home. It’s a place where I belong. Growing up, I felt like I didn’t belong anywhere, I was always too American or too Hispanic. Not being able to speak Spanish how I ‘should’ actually kept me from speaking it most of my life. I feel like singing in Spanglish is empowering me to be exactly who I am. It embraces both sides of my story and creates a place where I make sense.

I hope my music creates this space for others as well.

Nina: How long have you been making Spanglish covers?

Jasmine Rodriguez: Really in the last year I started translating songs and getting more comfortable singing in Spanish. I had some songwriting friends who spoke Spanish really well and for the first time I felt celebrated for trying to speak Spanish and encouraged to practice it more often.

Nina: What inspired you to start making Spanglish covers of well-known songs?

Jasmine Rodriguez: When I sing covers, I sing them how I hear them, or how they make me feel, and usually that is pretty different from the original song. Adding Spanglish makes me feel like I am connecting with the song in another way, as if it is telling my story.

Nina: Why is making Spanglish covers important to you?

Jasmine Rodriguez: More than what it’s doing for me, my hope is that when people hear me singing, whether I am singing covers or my own music, they will be able to relate in some way. I hope people will feel seen, heard, and understood. I have always felt different, and although Spanglish is just one aspect of it, through it I get to communicate, ‘you are not alone’.

Nina: On Instagram and Tiktok you are always seen in a warm lit room, singing into a microphone with guitar in hand. Talk to us about what motivates this set-up and what you want your audience to take away?

Jasmine Rodriguez: I love that you asked this question because it’s so easy to just see the finished product on social media and either think nothing of it, or compare ourselves when actually, I had to overcome a lot of insecurities to create high quality videos with a mic, my hair a certain way, and a nice set up. Creating and putting these videos out means that I believe in myself, that I think people should see me and hear me, and if I’m honest, in my lifetime I’ve struggled to feel like those things are true. So every time I create and release a video, it’s me reminding myself of my worth, that I have something to say, that excellence is who I am and I don’t need to hide anymore.

Nina: Are there any artists utilizing Spanglish that inspire you?

Jasmine Rodriguez: There are so many incredible Spanglish artists, but I think Selena Quintanilla has inspired me the most.

She had a vision to be a Spanglish artist in a time when it was not as popular, she really led the way for artists as a woman and as a Mexican-American who really understood the struggle with language. I believe Spanglish is our generation's way of keeping our culture alive while still embracing every part of our reality and I am really grateful I get to be a part of this conversation.

Nina: While you feature lots of cover content, you also write your own music. Can we expect to hear more of your original work?

Jasmine Rodriguez: Singing Spanglish covers was a way for me to discover my own voice and I’m so excited and grateful because it’s really supported me when writing my own music. I am currently working on my first Spanglish project to be released this year and I can’t wait to share it with everyone who’s been on this journey with me and those to come.

Nina: What can people takeaway from translating songs they love into the different languages they know?

Jasmine Rodriguez: I think this is the beauty of music, we can all hear the same song, and it speaks to us in different ways. I think translating songs can be a way of connecting our different worlds for a few minutes. Someone gets to experience a melody they are familiar with in a language that tells the other person's story, I mean, how beautiful is that.

21 Age

YazmineMB

Location

London, United Kingdom

Occupation

Singer-Songwriter

Genre(s)

R&B, Soul. Hints of Jazz, Hip Hop, Pop, Gospel

MusicalInspirations

Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, D'Angelo, Etta James, - Mahalia, H.E.R, Jazmine Sullivan, Yebba

YourMusicalThemes

I write about anything and everything. The first ever single I released, 'I Do' had been written when I was 15. The song is about giving in, forgiving yourself and doing what you can in the time and the moment. 'Stuck in These Walls' and 'Stayin' In' are lockdown inspired as I'm sure you can tell by the name! 'Stuck in These Walls' I wrote at the start of the lockdown and 'Stayin' In' as we were coming out of it. My recent single 'I'll Show You' is a letter to all the doubters and disbelieversit's like a pep talk encouraging anyone who is discouraged by others that you'll show them!

MusicalOriginStory

I started very young as a toddler writing songs before I went to school. I then started piano, flute and guitar lessons as well as choir and singing in church - I usually had a musical club every night after school! Throughout high school or secondary school (as we call it in the UK) I was performing any chance I could get— covers and originals at assemblies, events, art exhibitions — you name it! I started taking music seriously and pursuing it as a career when I enrolled at the BRIT School in 2017 to study music and music technology. While at the BRIT School I learnt music production tools like Logic and went out to form my band. We're still together today! From there I made connections with producers and musicians through friends and started working on my original projects - all self-funded with various full-time jobs like childminding etc!

RecentReleases

onthe scene

My most recent release 'I'll Show You' was written on an angsty late night walk through London. I re-traced the exact path I took to create the lyric video as well. The goal was to capture the late night and that 'I'm going to change my life moment' which many of us have had, whilst also giving the listener a lens into my writing process.

JovanPerez

LOVE & HEARTBREAK

Love and heartbreak is a topic we see pop up in music frequently, and we never tire of it. I am always curious as to how each creative channels these emotions into their artistic craft. Within thirty seconds of listening to Jovan Perez's soulful, 'Feel Again', I just had to know how love & heartbreak has influenced his music and sound.

Nina: How long have you been making music for?

Jovan Perez: I became obsessed with singing and learning how to use my voice around 7 years old. Then, I started writing stories and poems in elementary school, and that transitioned into songwriting. Growing up, my twin sister performed with me on the guitar, piano, and drums. Then, in high school I taught myself how to produce on the music software Logic Pro and I put out my first fleshed out acoustic song in 2019.

Nina: Why is music about love and heartbreak appealing to you?

Jovan Perez: It seems like the world revolves around love and heartbreak. As I got older, the topics of love and heartbreak had more of a presence in my life, so that’s the place where all my lyrics started coming from…even if it was just imaginary situations. A multitude of stories can be told through this lens and many people can relate to them. I also enjoy writing from deep, emotional places, and my deepest emotions began coming from places of love and heartbreak.

Nina: Do you believe there is a power in creating and listening to this kind of music?

Jovan Perez: I believe creating this kind of music has the power to connect all kinds of people through a shared experience. That’s the power of music in general, but especially music about love. We can all reminisce about a past lover, or think about a current one while listening to the lyrics. And when we listen to a skilled songwriter expressing words that some of us never had the courage or ability to say out loud, it creates a spark inside of us and it helps us be vulnerable in ways that we maybe haven’t been before.

Nina: To what extent do your personal experiences filter into your music?

Jovan Perez: I’ve always used writing as a creative outlet for my reality. My deepest desires, emotions, and experiences would find their way into my lyrics. But I also would write about imaginary situations, and by observing the lives of others. However, as I’ve begun experiencing greater love, life and loss, those experiences have become the focal point of most of my writing.

Nina: What is your process when writing music about love?

Jovan Perez: Writing about my love experiences tends to work best in the heat of the moment as I'm feeling those feelings. Any words left unsaid, will be said through the music. I usually just start writing sentences about what I feel, like a diary, and I may form some type of rhyme scheme and structure as I’m writing. Then I'll go back and try to create a more structured, concise story, and make the words and scenarios more clever and interesting to read. Other times, I'll already have chords on a piano or guitar, and then I just start freestyling my heart over the instrumental. Then I'll go back and see what lyrics and melodies stick.

Nina: Talking about love, it seems unjust to not ask why you love music, why you love making it, and how you came to discover your current sound?

Jovan Perez: I have an undeniable hunger and love for music that has seemed to be constant throughout my life. A chord progression, a truly passionate and skilled vocalist, the way a song can build suspense and tension through its lyrics and production…these are aspects of music that can make someone unlock their deepest emotions and unlock places of their heart that had been closed off. It unites people from various walks of life. That’s why I love music. It is an outlet of expression from the deepest most genuine parts of your heart. It’s something you feel, and I love being able to make music that people feel and connect with. As I was finding my own voice, I was inspired by bits and pieces of various other voices, like Beyonce’s tone, or Tori Kelly’s agility, or Alessia Cara’s rawness.

I kept singing and recording myself and adjusting my voice and building my vocal strength until I was able to access the sound I knew my voice was meant to have. The sound of my production has always been inspired by so many genres of music, like rock, alternative, r&b, soul, jazz, pop, acoustic, cinematic, and lo-fi. I don’t limit myself in what sounds I want to use, which allows me to go down many different lanes of expression.

Nina: What do you want audience members to take away when they listen to your music?

Jovan Perez: I want them to feel every musical choice sung, every piano note played, every lyric written and know that every choice came from my heart. I trust that they will connect with everything they are meant to connect with. I want them to lose themselves in the music and either use it as an escape or as a way to come face to face with their realities.

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Isabelle Mettle is a 20-year-old singer-songwriter and producer from the music capital, London, and is currently residing in Liverpool. Heavily influenced by genres such as funk, R&B, jazz, folk and alternative genres; Isabelle Mettle is inspired by experimental and disruptive musical ideas. She combines her love of the soulful grooves and textures she grew up listening to, with her love of songwriting and folk genres. Isabelle can also often be found experimenting with her sound when she performs live with her live band, Sir Zebra, who perform plenty of unreleased tracks and implement experimental electronic textures into their gigs.

Baby Panna (a.k.a. Panashe) is a creative from Portsmouth, UK. He is all about exploring where his interests take him. Some days it’s rap, some days it’s poetry, some days it’s events and some days it’s FIFA and bed all day. His sound can be described as within the genres of alternative rap and jazz rap, but he is always experimenting with his sound. His music has also been played on Radio 1 Xtra (Cass tha Kid) and Reprezent Radio (Glorytalks).

@isabellemettle

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Saïna (pronounced Sa-ee-na) is a singer/songwriter/producer from North West London. Starting to play the piano at age 7 with simply a passion for playing, she then fell in love with writing her own material at 12 and went to the Brit School. Saïna set up her bedroom studio where she was able to carve out a style influenced by Neo-Soul and Rnb. Through her lyrics she keeps true to her feelings and doesn’t shy away from the ‘truth’ of topics she explores.

@baby.zeen @remen.kimi

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M'kiah is an underground R&B artist from Leicester, UK. He fell in love with music from a very young age and has not stopped. As an artist, he makes music that is true to himself and that speaks to his own experiences. For as long as he can remember, he has always visualised himself on stage with people singing his lyrics back to him. As he continues on his journey he hopes his music will reach the right people; the people who see themselves in his lyrics.

Tayah is multi-talented artist born and raised in West London, UK. She is at the fulcrum of an evolving R&B scene, making music that is driven by a desire to inspire & tell her story her way. Embodying resilience that coined the moniker of “infinitayah”, music is the vehicle by which she expresses herself authentically. She writes lyrics that draw from her experiences and by using her musical acumen, she articulates stories and shared perspectives that will connect with audiences across the spectrum. she is also the founder of the socially conscious brand "Thee Resilient Ones" that seeks to create a safe space for relatable conversation. Having performed at venues such as The Southbank, Lovebox Festival, and Notting Hill Carnival as well as some airplay on UK radio [BBC Radio 1], Tayah has garnered plaudits among her peers and audiences.

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3 Saints (Peter Bonaventure) is a singer-songwriter and producer hailing from a small town in Connecticut, with a diverse background that includes Armenian and Italian heritage. He is best known for his work as one-half of the pop duo, CUTTS, but has also garnered attention as a solo artist. As a solo artist, 3 Saints has found new freedom to express himself creatively and take risks in his music. He draws inspiration from a wide range of influences, including electronic, indie, and folk music, as well as visual art and literature. This diverse background is reflected in the unique sound of 3 Saints, which defies easy categorization but is always engaging and thoughtprovoking.

@jasminerodrgz

Jasmine Rodriguez is a Dominican-American singersongwriter hailing from Grand Rapids, Michigan. She has always dreamed about being a singer from a young age. With her powerful and moving renditions of well-known songs, Jasmine showcases not only her musical prowess but also her unparalleled professionalism and incredible depth as an artist. Every video tells a part of her story, from the subtle details of her setup to her soulful guitar playing and even her stunning Afro. After years of searching for her true identity, she has finally found her voice and is ready to share it with the world. Jasmine's upcoming Spanglish project is a testament to her authenticity and the complex dance between her true self and the expectations of the world.

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Yazmine MB is a British-Algerian singer-songwriter. Growing up in south east London to a killer jazz, soul and rnb soundtrack of Etta James, Erykah Badu, Alicia Keys and Amy Winehouse - Yazmine blends old school tones with modern themes found on the current rnb music scene to create a fresh, dynamic fusion sound. As well as writing her own lyrics, melodies and composing instrumental parts for her tunes, Yazmine uses sound-synthesia to drive visions and creative ideas for her accompanying visuals with hopes to bring jazz back into the mainstream, through the lens of modern rnb. After graduating from the BRIT School of Performing Arts in 2019, Yazmine has been on a mission to share her soulful fusion sound with the world, gigging at reputable venues like the Lafayette, the 100 Club and the National Portrait gallery picking up support from some of London's hottest stations including Hoxton Radio and Soul Radio UK.

Jovan Perez is a 23 year old vocalist, songwriter, and producer. Hailing from the Bay Area in California, he grew up always wanting to be an actor or singer. Jovan started posting singing videos on YouTube at the age of 9 and had his first viral video when he was only 19 years old. From there, he quickly started gaining a loyal fanbase. He was also being noticed by artists such as Billie Eilish, Mac Ayres, Yebba and more. Jovan's best known song is "feel again" and he is now focusing on producing his first EP in his home studio.

@yazminemb

TO EVERYONE READING

UNTIL

ISSUE 2