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Ibeyi

Photo: David Uzochukwu

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Ibeyi Talk Beyonce, J Balvin & More ibeyi-talk-career-beginnings-working-beyonce-chilling-j-balvin-more

Ibeyi Talk Career Beginnings, Working With Beyonce, Chilling With J Balvin & More

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"Let me tell you, we have a fire inside," Lisa-Kaindé, one half of the Cuban-French duo, told the Recording Academy
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Jul 23, 2019 - 2:50 pm

Ibeyi are magic. Only the Cuban-French twin sister duo could get a crowd who had been through rain, heat and overall moody weather, to shout "we are deathless" in perfect unison during their Sunday set at Pitchfork Fest 2019.

The mesmerizing live chant was a recreation of a verse that appears on "Deathless" feat. Kamasi Washington off Ibeyi's 2017 album Ash and has become a staple in all of their live shows. "They did really good," Lisa says of the crowd's participation after their set.

In their signature blue and gold jumpsuits, Lisa-Kaindé and Naomi Diaz, daughters of the late, great Anga Diaz from Irakere and Buena Vista Social Club, energetically dazzled the crowd with their echanting mix of Afro-Cuban roots music, soul, hip-hop, synth beats and Yoruba, English and Spanish. 

https://twitter.com/IbeyiOfficial/status/1153146941888446464

We had so much fun and we got so much love ! Thank you @pitchfork @pitchforkfest 💘 pic.twitter.com/eqgu9KncMU

— Ibeyi (@IbeyiOfficial) July 22, 2019

"People here are hungry and they demand that you feed them. That's kind of the feeling that you [get from the crowds in the U.S.]. They are the ones who shape the show, because they are the ones that send the energy," she adds.

The festival is Ibeyi's last date on a brief U.S. tour, but even miles away from their home in Paris, the two feel right at home. "We're so happy to be able to tour around the world and that people can listen to our music. We especially love Chicago," Lisa says. 

Though it's been a few years since their second album Ash was released, they have not stopped creating. The group wrote a song, "Cleo Who Takes Care Of You," for the Oscar-winning Mexican film Roma, which follows an indigenous Mexican woman as a caretaker in '70s Mexico City. And it likely won't be long before they release a new album. "It's been two-and-a-half years [since Ash], and we love it. But now we feel like we're ready to shed that skin and let the new skin shine," Lisa says.

For now, continuing to grab the attention of pop culture icons (J Balvin is one of the latest celebs to pose with them on Instagram) isn't so bad. Following their Pitchfork set, the Recording Academy spoke to the duo about their dynamic making music, popping up in Beyoncé's Lemonade short film, new music and much more.

You're one of the international acts on the 2019 Pitchfork lineup. How does it feel to play in the U.S.?

Naomi: We feel like it's kind of weird. We feel like we're kind of at home. 'Cause you know, every time we play in the States, it's like that, we're just so happy to be able to tour around the world. And that people can listen to our music. We especially love Chicago. And we love Atlanta, Philly. They have the same vibe. It's fiery. We love that.

Lisa: Well, I feel like people here are hungry, and they demand that you feed them. Does that make any sense? That's kind of the feeling that you get. They are the ones that shape the show, 'cause they are the ones that send the energy and we react to that energy, which is fantastic. And I think, the fact that we are an international band was on our heads, always obvious. And then at one point, we realized that there's not a lot of French bands that tour the world, and we're like, "Oh." In our heads it was always normal to go to like China, and then next week you're in Australia and the next week you're in America, whether it's Latin America or America, and...

Naomi: Australia.

Lisa: Or Australia. Yeah. Or Canada. I mean, for us it was always. Or Europe. It was always so...

Naomi: Natural.

Lisa: Obvious, 'cause we wanted that. We always wanted to connect with everybody. And to be there in like, make them feel "Deathless."

What's your earliest memory of music making. Was it with your dad?

Naomi: No. We were in classical music schools. I mean conservatory. I don't know if you say that in English. Conservatoire are like music schools. So we did more than 10 years of classical music. I think it was that. And then us making music together. We were 11. It was terrible.

Lisa: I mean, it lasted two hours. We have a footage of it actually 'cause our grandma filmed us.

Naomi: And we were like—

Lisa: Never again.

Naomi: Never again.

Lisa: And at 14, I started writing songs, and then at around 15 someone told me, “Okay. Do you want to do?” I was 16, “Do you want to do an EP?” And Naomi said, “You're not doing this EP without me.” And I said, "No, never without you." And we started like that.

RELATED: Cuban-French Duo Ibeyi Are Leaving Their Mark On U.S. Pop Culture

What got you to say, "Let's work together again?"

Naomi: I don't know. Well, first of all, I was like, "My sister's not gonna tour the world without me." It was a bit of pride, I think, at first. And then I was not really prepared. I mean, she was ready before me. And then I was ready and I was like, "Let's try," and actually we didn't think we would be touring the world, and do an album and a second. I think it was really us having fun and then everything happened.

Lisa: We kind of fell into it. We never thought, "We're gonna be musicians." But at the same time, it was happening and we were like, “Oh okay. Let's go with the flow." And then it happened really fast. We literally did our first headline show ever in Paris. And it was in front of like what, 50 people? Excel was there and two weeks after we went to see Richard at his studio and months after, we were recording our album.

Lisa: I was still in uni and I was literally working and passing my exams at the same time. And then the next day I came back and I was like, “I have that many dates I can't attend uni," and they were like, "Okay. Well, bye bye." 'Cause if you don't want to attend school—

Naomi: I was in uni for being a teacher. A music teacher. And it's like, she was doing too much for them for her to attend school. And it's like, you're teaching music but at the same time we can't tour because it's too much for you. I didn't really understand that.

Lisa: Yeah. Anyways I would⁠—

Naomi: I think it was rude.

Lisa: I think at one point it would've become unsustainable anyways because we toured for two years. And then we had a month off, did the second album after that month off, and then started touring again. 

Naomi, what do you mean by saying that she was ready before you?

Naomi: I think I was a little bit maybe lazy. And so was like, “Yeah, do it." Do it and we'll see, and [Lisa] really worked for me to like the songs. She really wrote some songs that I was really interested in. And since the day I was interested, I was full on in the project. She worked hard to please me.

So it's one thing to work in a group with another music creator. It's another thing to work with a sibling. You are twins. How is it? How do you do it so both your ideas make it in your music?

Naomi: Well, we're really different. We're twins but really opposites. So, it's not really hard. I think Lisa's is the melody and the rhythm. I'm a huge fan of hip-hop, danco.

Lisa: You like production and I kind of create the song without⁠—I create the skeleton and she puts the skin and the meat on top of it. We always find the middle ground. I think it's bias and trust because there is a bit of ground between her and me. Sometimes it's more towards me, and sometimes it's more towards her. The more we are growing, the more it's growing towards Naomi, which has been also a natural course. 

Like a balance?

Lisa: Yeah. Exactly, the next step. But if I let her go, then it's going to be a two-hour song. So I need to control a little bit too. It's never like a cat fight. But that confrontation, positive confrontation is what makes Ibeyi.

How do you decide what song is in English and what song is in Spanish?

Naomi: We don't.

Lisa: It comes naturally.

Naomi: We don't decide anything.

Lisa: I think the song decides. You know what I mean? 

Tell me more.

Lisa: It's sometimes the chords. Sometimes the way the chords are going defines the type of song you want to make and the kind of the lyrics that go out of your mouth, that being Spanish or English or Yoruba.

Naomi: It's really intuitive.

Lisa: Exactly. It's really intuitive. Also sometimes it's just a desire. I'm like, "Oh, I want to write a song in Spanish." And then suddenly, I sit and when I try to write in Spanish, but I think, yeah, it's a lot more intuitive than what people think. Of course, it's a lot of work after that. 'Cause once you kind of feel that, "Okay, that's how I feel. Oh there's some Spanish words or English words or French words that are coming out of my mouth," that you really need to work on them, and rewrite and rewrite and rewrite. But I think the start of it is always really intuitive.

In the U.S., for some of us it's a little bit new seeing Afro-Latino artists in pop culture, or at least knowing they are mixed. Cardi B is one artist that is out there that is Latina and mixed.

Naomi: I love her.

How does it feel to be able to open to people's eyes to a different side of Latinidad in the U.S.?

Naomi: I think the weird thing is that I don't think they see us.

Lisa: I think what is really nice is that people claim us for their own. So Latinos see us as Latinas. Black people see us as Black people.

Naomi: They don't see us as...Caucasian.

Lisa: I know they know we're not. They don't see us as Caucasian here. But I think—

Naomi: Neither in France.

Lisa: No, but I think in Cuba, they know we're French. Each country chooses how they see us and how they kind of connect with us, and that is something I actually love and I think it's important. And embracing every part of you. Every part of your culture, of your roots. Every part of what defines you.

I think there's also a thing with America where people have to choose. I'm not Latina, I'm American. You know, and then start slowly, “Okay, I'm Latina,” And then slowly, “I'm actually American-Latina, but I'm Puerto Rican. Oh, I'm Cuban." And you know slightly in America it starts getting clearer and bigger and you can be both. And you can be everything. Exactly the same with Afro-Americans. Before they're, “I'm Afro-American. Oh, I'm just American.” Then, “I'm Afro-American." Then, “Oh my family is from Nigeria." People are slowly starting to go back to their roots and that doesn't make them less of an American.

Naomi: We weren't raised like, we didn't had to choose.

Lisa: Our parents were clever.

Naomi: Yeah. So, our family was really cool with each other and there was never a [a feeling that] you had to choose, are you Cuban or are you French. And in France also, you don't choose.

Lisa: I think that we're really smart, but also I think it's something that you have to...you kind of have to learn. Also they were really smart in not making us choose and then slowly by slowly. Also journeying the world seeing how people would define us and finally how we want to define ourselves. It's really interesting.

So, your last album was in 2017. When can we expect another one?

Lisa: Not now.

Naomi: We're gonna stop for a little bit. 

Lisa: We haven't stopped working.

Naomi: We haven't stopped working. So we have some [music]. But we're like, it's the first time since the beginning that we're gonna take some time. People want to work with us. We want to work with other people. We're gonna search things. Try things. And we're gonna make the third one when we're ready. We weren't ready for the two first ones. But right now we feel like we have to gather our thoughts.

Lisa: It's gonna be lit. Let me tell you, we have a fire inside. It's been two-and-a-half years of this album, and we love it. But now we feel like we're ready to shed that skin and let the new skin shine. We've already written some of those ideas.

You've been hanging out with J. Balvin?

Lisa: Yes.

Are we gonna see something with him?

Naomi: Maybe. Maybe. We don't know.

Lisa: I mean, why not.

You appeared on Beyoncé's ​short film for Lemonade. How was it being a part of that project?

Lisa: Oh, we were so out.

Naomi: And humbled by the fact that she called us to be in this video and for this album.

Lisa: Iconic album. Yeah.

Naomi: For this iconic album because I think was like something very different from what she does.

Lisa: For me it's the album of her career. I mean, until now. Really, it's like the album that embodies everything she represents and how important she is for America. For black women. For women in the world. And then we saw her at Coachella, and then she came to see a piece of our set at Coachella. She was on the side of the stage. So it feels like, there's always little hint that she's following still where we're going.

My favorite song on your current album is "Deathless." And I heard your episode on Song Exploder, so I know the story behind it, so I know it's about a racist experience you had in France. It's a choice for you to be able to bring your experiences into the world. Do you think that's important?

Naomi: I think it's important if you're ready to talk about those things. I think it's important if you're ready to explain why you did it, because there are important subjects. So if you're not ready to really explain, then, you're not a journalist or even your family, don't do it.

Lisa: It's not something you can force.

Naomi: Yeah. You don't need to. But if you want to do it, then do it. But do it well.

Lisa: It was so important for us, because we were ready. We had done it previously on our first album that was about our family. That was to celebrate our family and the ones that are gone. We wrote that first album between 14 years old and 18 or 19. So that was our whole life, and then we started touring and discovering the world and discovering the problems of the world and everything that was happening, and hearing fans and their stories. Signing every night and seeing how the world is at that moment.

Lisa: And then the American election happened the first day we recorded the first song. The first day Trump got elected, we recorded Ash and "Away Away." That same day. 'Cause we were at the studio and it was our first day off studio and he got elected, and we were like, “Well now we have no choice.” We have no choice but to reflect how we felt and that's what we felt, but it was so, I always say, “Those songs were made for us,” we needed them. We needed to feel "Deathless," we needed "No Man Is Big Enough For My Arms," we needed "Away Away." We needed that chance, we needed that strength and that power.

Naomi: And we needed "Me Voy."

Lisa: We needed also to then celebrate. We needed all of those songs and so then when we realized that "Deathless" was becoming a little anthem for a lot of people, it was incredibly beautiful. And then we were like, “We want to make them sing that song,” and so now every night, we make people scream, "We are deathless." Today they were really loud, so that was nice.

CHAI On Redefining "Cute," Subverting Uniformity & Tasting American Ramen

GRAMMYs

LaLa LaLa 

Photo: Mathew James Wilson

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Lala Lala: "I Definitely Was Born An Oversharer" lala-lala-straightforward-songwriting-i%C2%A0definitely-was-born-oversharer

Lala Lala On Straightforward Songwriting: "I Definitely Was Born An Oversharer"

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The Chicago-based singer/songwriter opens up to the Recording Academy about playing Pitchfork Fest, getting sober between albums and more
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Jul 21, 2019 - 5:43 pm

Chicago indie-rock project Lala Lala was one of the local acts this year at Pitchfork Fest. Fronted by London-born singer/songwriter Lillie West, the band's 2018 sophomore album, The Lamb, is a sweet, spare moment of self-reflection written during an anxiety-ridden time where, as West notes in a press release, "I started to frequently and vividly imagine the end of the world, often becoming too frightened to leave my house. This led me to spend a lot of time examining my relationships and the choices I’d made, often wondering if they were correct and/or kind."

West's gentle songwriting has definitely caught the eye of her more established familiars: In January, West released a collaboration with WHY? singer Yoni Wolf titled "Siren 042." This past spring, she opened for Conor Oberst and Phoebe Bridgers' band, Better Oblivion Community Center, and most recently West has opened for GRAMMY nominees Death Cab For Cutie on their U.S. summer tour. 

The Recording Academy spoke with West at Pitchfork Fest about her personal evolution between albums, getting sober, opening for Death Cab and "being born an oversharer."

How does it feel to be performing at a major festival in the city where you live?

It feels really nice. I mean, it felt pretty monumental to me. I feel like Pitchfork is sort of a rite of passage for Chicago artists, and it was very special.

Hometown shows were always nerve wracking, because there's a lot of people you know, but it's also great because everyone's on your side, everyone's like eager for you to succeed and have fun, and yeah, it felt good.

You lived in London and were born in California... How did Chicago become your home?

I moved here for art school when I was 19, and then I dropped out and I stayed [in Chicago].

What did you listen to growing up?

When I was a teenager, I was really into Pavement. Was a band I really liked. Karen Dalton. I was into indie music, kind of. When I was a kid, I remember my mom listened to Kate Bush and Moby and Buena Vista Social Club. But that was like all we had in the house.

How did you get your start in music?

I've just always been a really big fan of music and it just slowly occurred to me that I could do it. And I started going to DIY shows in Chicago and just becoming friends with DIY musicians and sort of picked it up myself, as well.

I played piano on and off for awhile, but I started playing guitar, really, when I was 19. And now I've been branching into other instruments just for fun, and taking my knowledge and intuition from what I know from guitar to other things.

How has that experience been, learning an instrument as an adult? I tried learning guitar, and I couldn't as an adult.

You totally can. It just takes like so much longer than you think it does, or for most people I feel like. Some people pick it up really quickly, but I find it very challenging. But yeah, you just have to keep trying. You can learn anything as an adult. It just takes longer.

The Lamb is your second album. What was your state of mind going into the making of it?

I really wanted to make something that I cared about. I just wanted it to sound good, and I wanted to pay attention to guitar parts and melodies, and yeah, I just was trying to be really present for it.

Has it been hard in the past, to be present when making an album?

Well, just the first album we made, I didn't even really know we were making an album. I just was like, we've written some songs as record them. So I was very aware of the fact we were making an album.

In your song "F**k With Your Friends," you have a lyric about drinking to make someone seem more interesting. Your album touches on stuff like that, very personal things. Was it a cathartic experience being able to write about these part of your life?

Yeah, "F**k With Your Friends" is from the album Sleepyhead when I was drinking a lot, and now when I made The Lamb, I was sober and I don't drink anymore. But it's just more so that I write about what I'm experiencing always. And those are just things that I experienced and I'm just a pretty straightforward person.

Do you feel like you've grown?

Yeah. I mean hopefully. Yes. Yeah. Everything has changed, that's for sure.

In what ways do you feel like you've grown, artistically?

I just feel like I pay more attention in every way possible, and I want to go somewhere specific. Whereas in the past, I just let things happen.

Some of The Lamb touches on things like mental health. Does sharing this side of yourself come easily? 

To a certain extent, yes. I do disguise some things. Honestly, I think the longer that I do it, the harder it is to be open. I find myself becoming more and more closed off. It's hard to share your life with a lot of people, but I definitely was born an oversharer, and as I've gotten older, I've closed off a little more.

I've spoken to some artists who say that they forget they're being vulnerable in the studio, but once they're performing live, it's like they're showing the world who they are. Do you feel like that?

Yeah, totally. I think live, sometimes if there's lyrics that I wish were different. I might sing them in a certain way that they're less audible, for sure.

What's one thing creating music has taught you about yourself?

Honestly, that you can just do anything, because I don't have formal training, and I started so late, or not even that late, but I started later than most people who get into music, and it just really showed me that at any point you can just decide to do something and if you keep trying.

Even if it doesn't become [my] full-time job or something, I'm very lucky with that has happened, but doesn't mean that you can't just do it. You can just do whatever you want.

You recently opened up for Death Cab For Cutie on their summer tour. How was it opening for such an established act?

It was amazing. I have only good things to say about that band. They are so, so kind. They were so generous to us, and they're amazing musicians, and they made us feel so welcome. And it was an environment that we were not familiar with. It was really big shows, and they really made us feel at home and I can only rave about them. I was a huge fan. "Soul Meets Body" was my ringtone.

What's next for you after Pitchfork?

I'm going out of town. We have one show in L.A. this week, and then I'm going to Russia to visit my Dad. Then I'm going to go on tour with this band WHY? Just hanging out and singing with them, and then we go on tour with Whitney in October, November, and then we have a tour in December with Twin Peaks.

How do you take care of yourself on tour?

It's really hard. We don't party at all. We go to sleep right after the show. As soon as possible, we go to the hotel. We eat really healthy. We try and exercise when you can, if there's like a gym in the hotel, or just like going for walks in between soundcheck. But it's really tough. Those are the things I try to do. Stay hydrated.

Do you feel like being sober has changed your life, the way you write?

Yeah, I'm like the opposite now. I like won't eat dairy. I try not to eat sugar. Before, I just didn't care what happened to me and I just drank so much and did drugs and stuff, and now I'm like hyper, I need eight hours of sleep now. If I get less than eight hours of sleep, I'm exhausted.

Ric Wilson Wants His Debut Album To Sound Like "If Stevie Wonder Started Rapping"

GRAMMYs

[From left]: Bartees Strange, Anjimile and Jordana Nye. Photos courtesy of Julia Leiby, Maren Celest & Grand Jury Music

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What's It Like To Release A Debut During COVID? bartees-strange-anjimile-more-what-its-release-debut-album-pandemic

Bartees Strange, Anjimile & More On What It's Like To Release A Debut Album In A Pandemic

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A variety of rising artists sit down to discuss the unusual and inopportune circumstances of releasing a debut record during COVID, and what it takes to make the best of an impossible situation
Mike Hilleary
GRAMMYs
Oct 27, 2020 - 1:36 pm

Video-chatting through her phone, Wichita-based singer/songwriter Jordana Nye shows me a tattoo she recently got on her right forearm. Written in small red ink is a single word: "numb." "I feel like I've just been kind of numb throughout the whole thing—like my tattoo," she says. Laughing at herself, almost as an aside, she quickly adds, "The decisions you make when you're in quarantine."

The "whole thing" Nye is referencing is of course the increasingly fragile state of the music industry as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, a global health crisis that has in just a few short months forced the closure of concert venues across the country, the cancelation of festivals and tours, and manifested an overwhelming sense of uncertainty for the untold number of musical artists that make recording and performing songs their livelihood. While established, high-profile acts such as Bruce Springsteen, Lady Gaga, and BTS are fully capable of releasing a new album in the middle of a volatile and complicated environment and experience little to no impact on their financial bottom line and cultural cachet, those like Nye, who only just made her first steps into the industry with the release of her debut album Classical Notions of Happiness in March, are finding themselves mentally and professionally hobbled at the exact moment they are trying to introduce themselves to the greater music listening community.

In addition to Nye (who has followed Classical Notions of Happiness with the EP Something to Say and has a second EP … To You scheduled for release in December), a variety of rising artists, including Christian Lee Hutson (Beginners), Anjimile (Giver Taker), Bartees Strange's Bartees Cox Jr. (Live Forever), and Nation of Language frontman Ian Devaney (introduction, Prescence) all sat down to discuss the unusual and inopportune circumstances of releasing a debut record during COVID, and what it takes to make the best of an impossible situation.

The Initial Shock

Jordana Nye: I kind of went through like the worst depression. I mean, you just gotta keep swimming. It's hard to sometimes. But you get medicine, get therapy, talk about stuff. That's what I did, and it helped a lot. I couldn't even do anything for maybe three months straight. It was the worst.

Ian Devaney: It was kind of disbelief, especially when I realized how long it would go on and I realized what that would do to small and mid-sized venues. I was like, even when we do come back from this, the landscape is just gonna be so totally different. What does this mean as far as these businesses as independent hubs in the community? But my brain also just zoomed out to the corporate consolidation of touring above the D.I.Y. level basically. Are the only people who are going to be able to keep their venues open the ones who aren't as artist-friendly?

Bartees Cox Jr.: After we released my EP Say Goodbye to Pretty Boy, it was crazy. We got invited to play this WNYC soundcheck live show thing on March 12. And then we also had a show in New York on March 13. And this was when the shit was really going down in New York. And we were there, we played the thing, and we were all like, "Dang, this looks like it's gonna get really serious." And then after the EP came out, my team and I were like, "Well, do we just not do anything for a year and a half? We have momentum now. We should just ride this and keep writing." And that was just it, let's just follow the wave. It's working right now. So why why stop, you know?

Read More: Anjimile Opens Up On 'Giver Taker,' Sobriety, Identifying As Trans & More

The Road Is Closed

Christian Lee Hutson: Just from my perspective, the thing that seems to help debut artists the most is supporting other artists on tour, and that element has been completely taken out of the picture. Having your name tied to whatever the act is you're opening for and getting a chance to be in front of new people that might not have heard you on whatever streaming playlist, that aspect is probably the most damaging.

Ian Devaney: I've always been someone who feels like Nation of Language captures more people through the live show. And so when it became clear that we weren't going to be touring for a long time, I was like, "Oh, I guess we're doomed. I guess we'll put these things out and maybe some people listen to them, and then it will just fade away and we'll get on with the next thing and wait. But I was very shocked and flattered that the record started doing much better than I ever thought. That was very exciting. I feel very grateful for that.

Bartees Cox Jr.: I'm glad that we put Live Forever out now, instead of right at the beginning of the pandemic, because I don't think people knew what the f**k was going on in March. I saw some bands, put some records out that were really good in February and January who had huge tours booked all summer. I feel like this really hit them in the chest. That just takes so much like gas and energy out of you.

Ian Devaney: We were three shows into a tour, when they were like, "OK, everyone has to go home." It wasn't just disbelief that a dangerous thing was happening, but disbelief from the whiplash of the fact that we were about to be on the road for a month. But now, I'm back in my apartment. There was confusion and then, yeah, just real sadness of not knowing when I'm gonna get to do this again.

Christian Lee Hutson: Doing my first real headline tour, that was supposed to happen. I was supposed to on it right now, actually. In June I was also going to tour with one of my favorite bands, The Magnetic Fields. I was excited to spend a month with them. Those are two things I feel like, "Oh, man, those would have been cool." And hopefully, in a world where we're safer, those things can still happen.

Read More: Bartees Strange On 'Live Forever' & Why "It Shouldn't Be Weird To See Black Rock Bands"

Ian Devaney: I was really looking forward to playing the Seattle show on our canceled tour. KEXP seemed like the first radio station that consistently was reaching out to us and playing us on a regular basis, and we kind of developed a close relationship with them. And to me they've always been sort of one of the gatekeepers of like, "Oh, I'm in this level now. KEXP knows about my band." And so, them just being excited for us to come and us getting the sense that people just driving around in their cars during the day were hearing our music—and that being such a strange thing to wrap our heads around—it felt like we were gonna show up and be like, "We've arrived."

Jordana Nye: I was going on my first tour. I felt unprepared. I was also really nervous. And then when the COVID stuff started, there was a surreal moment where I was like, "What? I was just about to do something that could impact my life in such a big way and now it's gone." I was told there was gonna be hotels.

Christian Lee Hutson: Not touring is a huge change in my life in general. I've been touring with other people or just on my own for the last 11 years in my life. So to not do it at the one time I've finally released an album and not be doing it feels hilarious.

Bartees Cox Jr.: I keep telling myself, "It's just delayed. You will get to play the record for years. It will always exist." It won't be the same, but I also think when shows open up, people are gonna be really hyped to go to shows. The bottom line is, it'll be okay. Again, I have no choice. It's hard to like dwell on that. I knew that would be the case, before I put it out.

Fiscal Feasibility

Anjimile: I would describe it as not an ideal time, but I also have never monetized like my music career in a major way. It's not like, "Oh, no, all this money I usually make is gone!" [Laughs.]

Christian Lee Hutson: My wife and I are both living on unemployment and savings right now and just kind of hold on as long as we can, just hoping that touring can come back before we're in a crippling amount of debt.

Ian Devaney: The unemployment insurance is currently supporting me. When we left for tour the restaurant I was working at I said, "I understand if you won't have a space to me when I get back," but they were like, "We I think we'll be able to work the schedule," and I thought, "Perfect." But then the reason we came back was because everything was shutting down. And so I got an email suggesting we should all file for an appointment, and we'll see what happens.

Jordana Nye: At least I have my job back in Wichita. I work at a brewing company called Norton's. They're super involved in live music and it's a great place. I was like a barback during the summer. And now I'm a dishwasher. It's humbling.

Team Building and Content Alternatives

Bartees Cox Jr.: I just feel sometimes [as a new artist] you're the only one that knows that you have something special, and you just gotta build around it. And then all of a sudden people just show up around you. You have a team and you have a plan. But you got to make the first step.

Anjimile: It definitely changed the scope and nature of the promotional cycle. When it became apparent that touring was not happening I was like, "OK, so I guess we'll have to get creative and do other things to generate and maintain interest in this record."

Christian Lee Hutson: I think everyone was just flying by the seat of their pants, like, "We'll do the best that we can do and we're just gonna do everything that we can as we think of it." Those were really the kind of conversations that were had. The funny thing about all of this is all you can do is throw your hands up and just do it, surrender yourself to it. And I feel like everyone has a label and Phoebe and me and my management, everyone has been pretty good at just being like, "Alright, we're just gonna roll with it."

Anjimile: I'm also working on building a team. I now have a booking agent. And I'm talking with managers for the first time and that's super exciting. I'm doing all these behind the scenes team building stuff.

Ian Devaney: We've actually, in the middle of the pandemic, gotten booking agents. And they were like, "This is weird, but we an tell people about the band for when things open back up. We can get your name into circulation of who's being considered for what." You can get the sense that they are ready to just throw us intensely on the road, and we are ready to do that as well.

Bartees Cox Jr.: Will Yip, who runs memory music, was just like, "This thing is super fresh. It's good no matter what. You got to just trust us." I was the most apprehensive because no one's ever cared about my music or anything I've ever done. So I was like, "Well, OK, if this is what you think, I trust you guys." And they were all just so passionate about it and they just worked so f**king hard. My publicist Jamie and manager Tim, they just really pushed the record really, really hard. Teams are so important. I didn't know how important they were until really this year, how much how much it helps to have a label and a manager and a publicist that love you and love your record, and are going to put in extra hours and go the extra mile. That was the difference-maker. I think that's why it didn't matter what was happening around us because yes, it's an election year, yes the world was literally ending, yeah there's a pandemic. But this record is f**king good. And it's not the first time a great record has come out when things are really bad.

Anjimile: I got hit up by a U.K. booking agency first, and they were like, "Hey, obviously, there's no touring happening right now, but we love your sound and we're looking into the future to see where you would fit in certain clubs, and we just want you on the team." The same thing happened with my new U.S. booking agent. She was like, "We've been following you for a couple years, seen your name everywhere. Booking doesn't really exists, but I want to work with you and get you on the team and we can talk about slowly building what a live Anjimile thing looks like."

Ian Devaney: I think part of it is letting fans know that we're not stopping. It often helps me emotionally invest in a band if I can believe that the band is really in it to keep moving. I don't know if that makes sense. People will email us or reach out through Bandcamp and things like that. And it's always just really nice to hear people's stories of how they've enjoyed the record.

Jordana Nye: My team taught me to just try to keep working and keep busy until we get a sense of what the hell is going to happen—and just release music because it's really all you can do. Anything you can do, you just have to do it.

Anjimile: I think the main idea for me is just galvanizing and continually engaging my social media presence. My social media numbers have climbed substantially as a result of this release, which is exciting. And not to sound like a f**king music industry business guy, but content is helpful, and so I'm just trying to create chill content without losing my mind. We're about to have a contest. We've got a video coming out. Hopefully people can sit at home and watch. I want to try and create content that folks can engage with at home. Part of our merch is boxers. We were like, "What about hats?" "Well, nobody's gonna see the hat." "What about fanny packs?" "Nobody's going anywhere." "OK. Boxers. People will be at home wearing them." We're just trying to be as creative as possible.

Jordana Nye: I've got some music video stuff in the works. There's a new one coming out that was filmed in my home of Wichita for "I Guess This is Life," and my best friend is in it with me. It's very, very sweet. And I can't wait for it to be out. But I'm also shooting a music video out here in L.A. for the track "Reason." It’s going to feature me walking an invisible dog on a leash. I'm f**king excited for that. I can't wait.

Ian Devaney: Our manager has been really kind of fantastic and diligent. In his mind there's still people who don't know the record. And so just because it came out in May, doesn't mean we're not going to keep working it as though everyone knows it, because they don't.

Mental Health Whiplash

Christian Lee Hutson: It's like, for debut artists, what do you have to compare it to?

Bartees Cox Jr.: I almost feel like more people are listening to music now than they were before, like really listening through albums, and really interacting with them.

Christian Lee Hutson: I think it would make me crazy to sit around and just be like, "Damn it, I spent all this time on this and of course when my record comes out, this is what happens." I mean, I'm actually kind of encouraged by the response to the album just in general, because I feel like it's such a weird time for music to come out and I'm happy that anyone has found it at all considering it's come out in the most turbulent year in recent memory. That aspect I feel positive about, like it was weirdly worth it, even though I'm not doing all of the things that I thought I would be doing a year ago.

Bartees Cox Jr.: I mean I've never had fans like I do now, and I'm doing all this during a pandemic.

Ian Devaney: In a strange way, I'm glad we're putting music out now. I feel like we are, as much as anyone can, engaging with the madness and sort of being defiant in the face of the madness and not giving up on trying to be creative and trying to dream big about what we can do in the future.

Anjimile: It feels surreal, but at the same time I've released music locally in Boston over the years. And nothing has ever come of that. And so releasing an album nationally with a label, I think my expectations were actually pretty low. Usually when I put out music nobody cares, you know? Why should they really care? And this time some people cared, and I was like, "Holy f**k." Even that that was beyond my expectations. And so I don't know, I'm just kind of trying to go with it. Because even though things feel weird, and at times, unfair and strange I don't know what is going to happen in the next three months, six months, nine months, right? I'm just cautiously cautiously optimistic about what will happen next. Because I do think that so far, things have actually happened right on time. Even though shit is really weird right now, and I don't know what's going to happen next, maybe something positive in my career will occur. Who knows?

Bartees Cox Jr.: I was talking to a friend about this. You look at these areas in music, or in America, like Vietnam War era music or these other big social phenomenon and the music that came from it, I think that one day people will look back on this quarantine pandemic era and think, "All these records came out during this weird ass time are interesting because of it."

What Comes Next

Bartees Cox Jr.: I was thinking that bigger artists that need bigger studios are gonna kind of be hamstrung by this where more D.I.Y. people can just be like, "Yeah, I'll write another record."

Jordana Nye: Going on tour, getting experienced would have helped my career a lot in way. But working on new music is also helping it.

Ian Devaney: For Nation of Language, we're planning on putting out a seven inch either like, December or January. So we've been working on two songs, as well as songs for the second record.

Anjimile: At this point, in the year, I have a lot of songs written, some which I think might be good. And so I'm just stacking up demos at the moment, trying to make sure I have like the juiciest tunes available.

Jordana Nye: I'm still just making music and content, and it kind of tells me that I can pretty much do anything that I set my mind to, which is comforting, especially in dire times when I feel like I'm not doing anything at all, and I feel like I'm a loser. People are digging the new stuff so I'm super excited for that, and makes me want to do more with different genres and just play around with them.

Bartees Cox Jr.: I'm gonna really take my time. I put out two records this year. I don't feel like I gotta like, hustle. I just gonna just keep working try to make some money and hold it down.

Christian Lee Hutson: I'm honestly just writing a lot and I am recording a lot of stuff at home. Early on in quarantine, I was just like, "Alright, in order to tell the days apart, I'm gonna record a different cover song for fun every day." So I did that for a while until I got bored of that. And now I'm just demoing and recording new stuff. It's the only thing I really know how to do. And I'm grateful that there's a lot of time to do it. Something I noticed observing other friends' album cycles in the pre-COVID world is the amount of time that they had to actually write and follow up their debuts is actually pretty slim, which I feel like I have a lot of time to accomplish that.

Capturing Los Angeles' COVID-Closed Venues

Wayne Snow & Darius

Wayne Snow & Darius with "Equilibrium" vinyl

Photo: Courtesy of artist

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Record Store Recs: Darius & Wayne Snow Take Us To Paris, Berlin, Tokyo & Beyond

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The powerhouse pair's latest release, "APOLOGY," is an emotive, thumping track and was just dropped on Paris' Roche Musique on Oct. 1
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Oct 7, 2020 - 2:40 pm

With the unprecedented global disruption of 2020, it's important to support the music community however we can. With our series Record Store Recs, GRAMMY.com checks in with vinyl-loving artists to learn more about their favorite record stores and the gems they've found there.

Berlin-based Nigerian future soul artist Wayne Snow and Paris-based French dreamscape producer Darius are quite the musical force, with Snow's rich, inviting vocals being the perfect fit for Darius' floating melodic house beats. They first joined forces in 2015 on "Helios," following with two collab tracks ("Night Birds" and "Lost in the Moment") on the producer's 2017 debut album, Utopia. 2017 was also the year Snow released his debut full-length, Freedom TV.

The powerhouse pair's latest release, "APOLOGY," is an emotive, thumping track where the singer's angelic voice is backed by a gospel-inspired chorus asking for forgiveness in a dark world. The powerful, poignant track is the follow-up and B-side to "EQUILIBRIUM," and was just dropped on Paris' Roche Musique on Oct. 1.

For the latest Record Store Recs, Snow and Darius invite us into their musical world, sharing some of the music that inspires them (including jazz, bossa nova and experimental electronic music artists). They also invite us to crate dig for vinyls with them in their hometowns of Berlin and Paris and while on in Seoul, Tokyo and Los Angeles.

The Last Record Store Recs: El Guajiro Of Ghetto Kumbé Shares The Music & Rhythms That Inspire Him

Pick three to five records stores you love.

Darius:

Bigwax in Paris 

Hi-Fi Record Store in Tokyo 

Music Library in Seoul

Amoeba Hollywood in Hollywood, Calif.

Snow:

Oye Records in Berlin

Sound Metaphors in Berlin 

Hard Wax in Berlin

Another Record Store Recs: Chulita Vinyl Club On The Best Music Stores In L.A., Oakland, Austin & Beyond

Why do you love these shops? what kind of goodies have you found there? 

Darius: I have to talk about Bigwax because they are both our partners for years on all our Roche Musique releases and one of my favorite Parisian record stores. The place is super nice, spacious, modern and if you like electronic music, it's the perfect place to find house, techno and experimental nuggets. If you want to dig a little bit more, there is also a very sharp selection in hip hop, jazz, funk, disco, soul, etc. This is my favorite part because I always find at least one or two nuggets on the spot. Moreover, for someone of my generation it's really the ideal place to have a drink with friends because the place also regularly organizes events with DJ sets and live bands.

During my first visits to Tokyo on an Asian tour, I had the chance to discover Hi-Fi Records, this exceptional little record store in Shibuya owned by a couple! A friend of mine had taken me there and I remember listening to a small selection of soul and funk music taken at random and coming across some incredible stuff.

The store also offers a repertoire of a large number of records that can be pre-listened on the site. Unfortunately, if you don't live in Japan no delivery is possible but the advantage is that you can still discover their selection and I admit that I keep looking from time to time to find new nuggets when I want to feed my Spotify playlist.

Music Library is a bit of a must-see in Seoul if you're a music lover. When I'm in Seoul, I usually stay a five-minute walk from the Music Library. The space is bright and the architecture is beautiful. It's really nice to see that there are places like this that highlight the world of vinyl as well as a work of art in a museum.

Amoeba Hollywood is a classic in Los Angeles. I try to go there as soon as possible when I have time when I'm there. I 'm not an expert in the field either but I've never seen any other place with such a concentration of artists/albums of all kinds available. I have the impression that you can always find what you want in this record store, or almost.

Snow: At Oye Records you can find tons of local stuff from Berlin-based producers and record labels. While you're digging, they always play dope music. There are two Oye record stores in Berlin. My favorite is the small one in KreuzKolln as we say it here (between Kreuzberg and Neukolln area).

Sound Metaphors is for the party crew, there's a lot of weird disco and obscure rarities from Africa, Asia, etc.

Hard Wax is the home of techno music in Berlin. [German record producer/engineer] Moritz von Oswald started the record store. What's interesting is that it's full of dub and reggae records from the '90s. It's a very small shop with endless discoveries.

GRAMMYs

Kenny Burrell The Tender Gender vinyl | Photo: Darius

Read: Terence Blanchard On The Music Behind 'Da 5 Bloods,' Working With Spike Lee And The Lasting Impact Of Marvin Gaye

For at least one of your favorite shops, share a recent record or two (or three or four…) you bought there and what you love about the record/artist. 

Darius: I have to mention Arthur Verocai's self-titled album (1972) because it's one that I listened to over and over on Spotify and I absolutely needed the vinyl. Luckily, I stumbled upon it completely by chance at Amoeba. For me, it's a must listen bossa nova/funk/Latin jazz album.

Kenny Burrell's The Tender Gender (1966) is a nugget I found in a garage sale in a small village in Charente-Maritime, France. I didn't know the artist until I bought it and the seller explained to me that this guitarist was one of the leading guitarists in jazz/blues.

I am gradually trying to expand my collection of Marvin Gaye vinyl. He inspires me in so many ways, and his story has touched me a lot. I also stumbled upon his [soundtrack] album Trouble Man (1972) by chance and took it without hesitation. There are a lot of his titles that I love and will never get tired of, like "Please Stay (Once You Go Away)," "Distant Love," "Just To Keep You Satisfied," "I'd Give My Life For You" and others.

Snow: I found a gem from Austrian musician Giuseppe Leonardi at Oye Records. His Mente Mente EP (2020) is Balearic vibe—tropical, chilled ambient music.

All That Jazz: Hank Mobley's 'Soul Station' At 60: How The Tenor Saxophonist's Mellow Masterpiece Inspires Jazz Musicians In 2020

What's a record you have your eyes on picking up and why?

Darius: Charlie Rouse's Yeah! (1961). This is jazz the way I love it, this album is a pure delight, I have no words to describe it. It's my last nugget. I feel like I'm there [when I listen to it], the quality of the recording is incredible. You can feel every instrument, the breath of Rouse's saxophone playing, the harmonies on the piano that puts us on a cloud, and the round and all-encompassing double bass that warms the heart.

This album really transcends me every time I listen to it. [The vinyl is] quite rare, I dream to have it in my collection and listen to it in an optimal way. I especially love the track "When Sunny Gets Blue."

Snow: Allysha Joy's Light it Again EP, being released on First World Records in November. She is an amazing artist from Melbourne. 

When crate-digging, how do you pick out records?

Darius: I still have a lot to discover, so there is a first big phase where I make a selection only related to the cover, for sure. Sometimes I come across artists/labels I know and add them to the pile. For me, that's what the record store is all about, it's the opportunity to try out records that fall into my hands that I'll never have the chance to find by chance on the internet.

Wayne Snow: Sometimes it's just a feeling, or simply based on a recommendation. Generally, when you are in a great shop you just have to listen to the music blasting around you.

Unearthing A Lost Ella Fitzgerald Recording, 60 Years Later

Ambré

Ambré

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Quarantine Diaries: Ambré Is Making Music, Enjoying New Orleans & Playing Video Games With Her Brother

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"You gotta figure out new ways to live life, and it's making me a better person. As messed up as the circumstances are, you can always find the good," Ambré says her video diary
GRAMMYs
Sep 29, 2020 - 12:58 pm

As the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic continues to rock the music industry, GRAMMY.com reached out to a few musicians to see how they were spending their days indoors. Today, New Orleans-born alt R&B singer/songwriter Ambré shares her video Quarantine Diary.

Alt R&B singer/songwriter Ambré met producer Erick Bardales in 2014 and began making music with him when she was just 17. In 2015, she released her first mixtape, Wanderlust, which was produced by Bardales. That same year, the "american beauty" singer gained recognition for her first collab with Kehlani in 2015, a cover of Drake's "Preach."

She's also collabed with the Glitch Mob, TOKiMONSTA, Keys N Krates and Ryan Hemsworth, and co-written music on H.E.R.'s GRAMMY-winning self-titled mixtape. After signing to Roc Nation in 2019, she released her major label debut project, the Pulp EP, in November 2019, followed by Pulp (Director's Cut) this past July 31.

Quarantine Diaries: Ambré

In the latest episode of GRAMMY.com's Quarantine Diaries series (watch above), the "fubu" singer brings us along for a productive day working on music and enjoying good company (her brother and Bardales) and good food while staying in her hometown of New Orleans.

"You gotta figure out new ways to live life, and it's making me a better person. As messed up as the circumstances are, you can always find the good," Ambré says in the video.

Quarantine Diaries: Black Pumas' Eric Burton Is Working On A New Album & Spending Time In The Garden

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Some of the content on this site expresses viewpoints and opinions that are not those of the Recording Academy. Responsibility for the accuracy of information provided in stories not written by or specifically prepared for the Academy lies with the story's original source or writer. Content on this site does not reflect an endorsement or recommendation of any artist or music by the Recording Academy.