Monday, April 14, 2014

Interview with Nubia Soul


 by Joey Legodi 

Her stage name creates a striking image of the artist: Nubia, the desert region and ancient kingdom in the Nile River valley of southern Egypt and northern Sudan, and Soul, referring to her spiritual side and the musical style which expresses deep emotion. So when I came across musician Nubia Soul I was very interested to find out what she is all about. Below she answers some of my questions, giving readers a glimpse into what makes her such a unique and powerful artist.

 Who is Nubia Soul?

 I am Nubia Soul, a songwriter, blogger, poet and singer whose ancestry is beyond South African borders, yet I do appreciate being called a Nubian Queen.


  How much does your upbringing contribute to the artist you are today?

  My late Father was the one who influenced me in appreciating the art of song and melody. He was a choir conductor in the church he was ministering in and he used music as an alternative form of punishment for me. Our trips from North West to Kimberly, then finally Gauteng, were enjoyable as we gazed on the horizon to see the splendour of creation; Marvin Gaye, The Spinners, Sankomota, The Ou'Jays and others would be playing in the background. After he died I then went further into the art and I found rap music which was political, Neo-soul which was social and political, and dance music which was fun and free. All of that molded me over the years to appreciate the jewel of rhythm, melody and poetry and hence I am a product of the reality of music.


  Who is your music catered for?

  It caterers for people who are between the ages of 18 to 35 because of the modern sound to it, but it can also cater to anyone who understands and enjoys neo-soul, jazz and poetry no matter the age group.


 You apparently recorded your first album of an ipad,
-How did you do this? -What motivated you to take that step? Was it conviniance or were you experimenting?
  I downloaded the app on App store called Garage Band. I learnt to use the instruments and learnt the language used when recording or creating a beat. From then on I made beats from classic opera to Cuban and African. I learnt to mix and master all my 10 tracks of which I freely distributed to my close friends for their opinions and judgement. I was experimenting since my curiosity got the best of me
  What avenues are available in cyberspace to allow current recording artists and musicians to get a recording deal or get exposure?
 Available avenues in the cyberspace that allow artist to get exposure are CD Bay, Sound Cloud, Amazon, Itunes and OVI (Nokia) which are your major online distribution stores; there is YouTube to post your own videos to showcase your art and social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Linkdin, Instagram and Google+. Also it is important to subscribe to various online newsletters that give you guidelines to get noticed across the borders. Also another important thing to do is to write articles for journalists to take note of on My PR. That is how CNN Market Africa found me. All of the platforms mentioned are a foundation to building your professional profile as a professional up and coming or struggling artist.
  What would you say to musical purists who would say the distribution of music via the web compromises the quality?
  Technology gets better and better every day. If it was bad then we would still be using the traditional way of getting exposure and that would result in vain ambition,  but since digital platforms are high quality and HD then the only person that would comprise the quality is the artist and the [outdated] tools.
  Men are generally the ones who take to tech easily. How do you find your female colleagues are taking to the exploitation of the web or cyberspace in marketing and promting their work?
  It is about time that women took interest in technology because this is how the world has become: technical. And since the cyber world gives a woman the opportunity to interact with fellow colleagues about their positions in the corporate world or in the entertainment industry, women are wise and full of understanding when it comes to their world and its changing tones in technology, hence they should exploit the web.
  The digital age has made it easy for artist all over the world to connect and to share their work. Are there any artists you have connected with as a result of social media or the like? If so, who?
  Yes I have connected with some of the artists on social mefia. I have connected with Miss Angie Stone, Boichoko Qwabe and Justine B-Qubed Martin, a well-know music producer from the USA
  There is a very small pool of young impactful artists in South Africa who address issues relating to socio-economic issues, the societal psyche or political aspects of the world we live in today. Would you say you address such issues in your work? If so, what issues do you shine the spotlight on?
 Yes I do address such issues in my work using the platforms I have access to. The issues I give my absolute attention to are the same issues Malcom X, Steve Biko, John F Kennedy and Robert Sobukwe stood up for and against. I am aware of what is going on in this system, the people who rule the system and for what purpose they want to bring the horror of World War I to this present age, and the understanding of the use of psychology to bring about a negative or positive result that will influence their decisions to [act] virtuously.
 Who have you worked with already?
  I have worked with Thabang Madisha on the Album Nita B on a Reggae track, Benmagnito on one of the house tracks, Odd Experience on a lounge house track, and Lamich Chanda on a soul RnB track.
  Any collaborations, partnerships or projects we can expect in the near futures?
  Not at the moment but I am hoping to collaborate with the best of the best in Africa and beyond and those people being Khadja Nin, Afrotraction, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Jimmy Dludlu, The Muffinz and others.
  How can people get hold of you and your work?
  People can get hold of me through social networks
  Website -www.nubiasoul.co.za
  Facebook -House of Nubia Soul
  Twitter -@Nubia_Soul
  Google+ Nubia Soul The Soul Crafter
  Instagram -nubianworld
  e-mail -nubia.soulchild@gmail.com