It’s All About Expression………………………….
The Story
By Nina Carmela When did your musical aspirations start and how did you begin to pursue them?
I grew up over my mum’s nightclub. Music had always been my motivator, and I was dying to get to America, it seemed that, to me anyway, music was born! I wanted to grow to be a dancer, like John Travolta. I sang along to radio so well, people were looking for it when there wasn’t one! As many singers will tell you, when you get the lead role in "Joseph and his Technicolor Dreamcoat at school, you begin to think that performing is your destiny! I made my first record before I left school.
How and when did you start the musical venture with Soul II Soul?
20yrs ago I was clubbing! It’s a scary thought, but I used to bunk off school to go raving. Of course, it was always raided by the police for underage ravers. They never like people having fun. I met the Soul II Soul crew because someone told me the ‘boogie’ was on point there! I had heard of their parties, but was well past throwing down in someone’s home. Club life for me! They dressed up the hall at African Centre in a way I had never experienced before. I felt like I was in America. I wrote a song as a tribute to the feeling I had about it. "Fairplay" was born.
What have you been doing since your time with the collective?
How much time do you have????
My song launched Soul II Soul as a band rather than a soundsystem. "Fairplay" is considered a legendary classic to those who know it, and inspirational to the newer generations. Since then it’s been non stop, I love it!
I entered the UK Garage scene through my Brother Norris ‘da boss’ Windross with a track called "Heartbeat". I wasn’t sure if the scene would accept my diversity of style, so it went out as a band name ‘Psuedo’. Mind you, that became a classic as well Also, because clubbing is in our blood, I have run clubnites for both Norris and MC Creed (Da Syndicate), and more recently my own clubnite "FLINGFOOT" so I had somewhere to dance. I even sung a film score recording, an Opera track, as well as acting in a film called ‘DIVA’.
What are your most memorable performances?I would have to have my biog in front of me to remember the best ones, cause they were all amazing, but here goes……..fronting the Soul II Soul Live show at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire this March (07), the UK Garage Awards @ Hammersmith Apollo alongside MC Creed, Womad Festival @ Gran Canaries, Glastonbury and the Rock pit of Manumission Ibiza. I have toured with the soundsystem from Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Hong Kong, Brazil and all over Europe at least twice for the likes of The Armani Fashion House, sharing billings with Gang Starr, Moloko, Nitin Sawhney, Asian Dub Foundation. I love it all.
What projects are you working on at present?MAGIC HOUSE .
I am in love with this. Magic house is a collaboration of Love, Light & Life. It is the live band sending out a message of Love to everyone. It fuses Soulful House with 2 Step Garage and that all important feel good factor. The lyrics promote peace and togetherness, a collective consciousness. This is the future. It’s Magic. I am collaborating with other musicians as we speak too. The plan is to send as much love as far as I can
Bless x
Nina Carmela - Artist Manager & PR
+44 (0) 7734 414 280 [email protected]