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| Photo by Kobus Snyman |
Angela Nimah: Tell us a bit about yourself. Who is Serati? What is
her childhood and musical background?
Serati: My name is Serati, I’m from Johannesburg, born and bred. I am the
youngest of three children and then youngest grandchild in my family. My family
moved to the US when I was 2 years old, we moved back two years later. When I
was 16 my mother was working in the UK and so I moved there with her for two
years again. I would definitely say that moving to different countries
influenced my musical tastes, and has opened me up to music that I otherwise
may not have been into.
I do not come
from a musical family, but I have two much older siblings, and I was influenced
heavily by the music that they were listening to in the late 90s when I was
very young, music that they picked up on when we moved to America, for
instance; and so I have a wide array of music that I’ve grown up hearing. Living in different countries has also
opened me up to the idea that the world is a very big place, and yet so small
because we are so connected these days, and so I strive to be an artist that
can move across borders and perform on world stages.
Angela Nimah: We see that you’ve performed at a number of gigs: the Last Poet Poetry Show, in Newtown, the Ram Jam Session and Sandton Poetry Show – When did you start performing and how has it been since?
Serati: I started performing in school, my first performance was in primary
school, I used to be very shy about my singing, and I was very shy in general;
so it took me a while to feel comfortable with the idea.
When I got to the UK I
performed at the annual school concert after having been at the school for two
weeks, people received me and my performance so well that I guess I figured that
that was definitely the path! I’ve performed on Alex Fm, Radio 2000 and VOW FM.
I have been doing mostly poetry jam sessions, which I really enjoy, I love the
poetry community; it’s so inviting! I am looking forward to progressing to
playing with a band and performing at different types of music venues. I’ve
gradually gotten more and more comfortable on stage, and the crowd almost
always receive me well so it’s encouraging!
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| Photo by Kobus Snyman |
Angela Nimah: What was the first song you learned and when did you
start playing the guitar?
Serati: I started with the piano in London that was always my dream; to play
piano! I played for two years so I didn’t get the chance to get very good at
it, but I was in my ‘Alicia Keys phase’ then so I learned lots of her songs.
Whilst still in London my mom bought me a guitar, and I didn’t actually start
playing it until I got back to SA when I was 16, I no longer had a piano, and
so I picked up with guitar. I learned a few simple songs, but mostly I got
loads of inspiration and started writing poetry and lyrics, melodies would just
come! I suppose it was having this outlet to experiment, it just triggered this
lyrical flow.
Angela Nimah: How has the crowd gravitated to your music?
Serati: Whenever I perform people are always so gracious! It’s such an amazing
feeling to perform these songs that I so love and that have been conceived from
a pure place of just a love for music, and to have people accept them, and
appreciate them; I can’t express what a pleasure that is! Not everybody will be
into my genre or my style, but I think
most people appreciate honesty, and that is exactly what my music is, I don’t
make music to be a star or to make hits, I make music because I want to express
something that is within me that needs to come out; and it’s always sincere and
always intimate. I think people feel that and appreciate that!
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| Photo by Kobus Snyman |
Angela Nimah: Describe your family member’s musical interests and
abilities – is there any influence?
Serati: I do not come from a musical background at all, no one was a singer, and
no one played any instruments as far as I know. But I think my older siblings
and I have been influenced musically (and in every other way) by travelling.
Going to America my brother and sister got into artists like Tracy Chapman, so
I grew up hearing that, and that has shaped me as an artist. It’s what’s made
me want to make timeless music, rather than a hit of the moment that it will
soon fade into oblivion.
Angela Nimah: Your sense of style is very relaxed, calm and celestial. How important is image and who inspires your dress sense?
Serati: In this industry image is very important, but of course it depends on
the kind of artist you are; and what is most important to you. I have always
been interested in fashion, and even at one point wanted to be a designer. Now
it’s more about style than fashion, creating my own style, rather than
following trends.
My style really
depends on where I am going and what I’m doing. I like bohemian, sort of, hippy
style, flower power, bright colours, drapes and layering, I love tribal prints
and ethnic clothes. I also like all things vintage and retro, retro hairstyles,
and clothes. My style is important to me because it is how I express myself, as
a child I was very shy and never wanted to stand out; now I like to look
different and interesting! People whose style I admire is first and foremost
Solange Knowles (!!), she is effortlessly chic and bold; I love that!! I also
love Lisa Benett’s bohemian style.
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| Photo by Kobus Snyman |
Angela Nimah: How important would you say a connection is
between/amongst artists, and how important is faith and spirituality?
Serati: Well for me I would say attending and performing at poetry sessions and
to get such a good response from these amazingly talented and gifted fellow
artists has made me feel so at home in this ‘community’ which I previously
admired from the outside at one point. You learn so much from other
artists, and it’s important to surround yourself with the best that you can find
because they push you to be better.
Sometimes when you are only surrounded by people who
keep telling you how good you are it can be stifling, you need to be surrounded
by artists that will push you, and who you can put yourself up against. My spirituality is important to me because it keeps
me grounded, but I think, not just as an artist, but as a person, one should
steer away from dogma, anything that tells me how to behave and how not to
behave, which has rules that are authoritarian.
Angela Nimah: Which musicians do you admire and why?
Serati: There are so many musicians that I admire, but I’ve noticed that the
artists that do the best in their fields, and hence who I gravitate towards are
the artists who least cared about fame and celebritydom. Artists like Sade,
Jeff Buckley, Tracy Chapman and Lauryn Hill to name but a few are artists who I
admire for their commitment to their craft and not being the best dressed or
being seen on the red carpet.
It’s easy to get lost in all the hype; but it’s important
to remember why you are doing what you are doing. Locally I admire Lira for the way she has conducted
herself with such poise and grace throughout, and not gotten taken away by the
hype. She is someone who you can see has a clear vision of where she is going
and what is most important. I also admire Zonke Dikane, she is just simply
stunning, and also so gracious and poised; those qualities are becoming a
rarity!
Angela Nimah: Where do you see yourself in 3 years?
Serati: In three years I see myself in a position where I will have been doing
lots and lots of travelling! Next to music travelling is a big desire of mine.
I see myself being in a position where I’ll be able to make my own music
independently, where and when I want to, and have a label through which I can
manufacture and distribute my music.
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| Photo by Steve Marais from Gaschette Magazine |
Angela Nimah: How would you describe your relationship with music?
Serati: I think my relationship with music has evolved greatly since I started
really ‘getting out there’: performing and recording and dealing with a record
label. I’ve heard people saying ‘I don’t care if I like my song, as long as
it’s a hit; then I like it’, and I feel the total opposite! I make music
because I truly enjoy the art form, singing and making music is too important
to me to have it be just about monetary gain and being a star.
Sure, I want to
make money from music, absolutely, I want to live off it; I just don’t believe
that I have to ‘sell out’ for me to do that. I know I can make music that I
enjoy and that others appreciate too. I don’t have to be a star, and I don’t
have to have a song on the Top 20, but I want to be an artist that is relevant,
and who has a steady fan base. Artists who after 10 years of not having any new
material can come out with a world tour and people will go out in droves to get
that ticket because their music is that timeless; those are artists that I
admire.
Angela Nimah: What are your fondest musical memories, in your house, in your neighbourhood or town?
Serati: My fondest musical memories.. That’s a difficult one, but I’d say I
remember hearing a lot of Tracy Chapman in my childhood. Before I knew who she
was or anything, I heard a lot of her music, and if there is one artist that I
can say maybe influenced me a lot subconsciously just because I heard her so
much it’d have to be her.
Angela Nimah: How do you remain consistent and relevant in such a small industry; we all know you are only as good as your last performance?
Serati: Well, I’m not yet at the point where I’ve had to worry about staying
consistent, I have performed in only a few selected places. But I think that as
an artist if you stay true to yourself and to your craft you never have to
worry about that. I think the problem arises when you are trying to compete,
there will never be another you, so just do you; and people will recognise and
appreciate that.
Angela Nimah: How do you handle mistakes during a performance?
Serati: I guess it just comes with the territory, it’s nerve wracking because a
lot of the time people have high expectations of you, they may have heard
good things about you from others and then you don’t want to disappoint them by
making mistakes; often times that pressure is exactly what puts you off
balance. I recently had an experience where my fingers cramped up whilst I was
singing and playing guitar on air at a radio station. I consoled myself by
thinking of what an incredible star Beyonce is, and yet she still falls!! No
one is infallible!
Angela Nimah: Do you get nervous before a performance?
Serati: I absolutely get nervous! I like to get there and go on, or at least go
and as soon as possible otherwise I don’t enjoy the whole show because I’m
thinking about when I’m going to go on. Plus, I can’t eat or shout too much
before becauseI want to protect my voice. At a recent show there was this awesome
band playing just before me, and they were so awesome that I just had to go out
into the foyer and dance and shake the nerves off. Its better if I’m up and not
just sitting there shaking. But once I’m on stage I’m okay.
Angela Nimah: What advice would you give beginners who get nervous?
Serati: I think it’s normal, as long as you don’t let the nerves over power you.
I actually enjoy being on stage, it’s just the build up that kills me. If you
are someone who genuinely enjoys the stage, then once your on it should be
okay, on the other hand there are some artists who just never get used to it, I
guess one could develop a ritual that they do that helps them feel safe and
comfortable before going up.
Angela Nimah: How often and for how long do you practice?
Serati: I practise everyday. It varies because I have to practise my guitar and
my vocals separately; and I have to practise my performance. Some days I spend
more on voice and other days I’ll just do my breathing exercises and then
practise guitar. So it varies.
Angela Nimah: How do you balance your music with other obligations: friends, children, and job?
Serati:It isn’t easy, I must be honest. It is really important to practise, it
is really important to go to as many gigs and sessions as possible; you learn a
lot from other musicians. At the same time you don’t always get paid for
performing so you need to work, but managing your work obligations with your
career obligations; it’s tough. Right now I am doing music and modelling, which
are bother pretty flexible hours; so it’s cool. I’m trying to get into a
program where I wake up early and do all my practises first thing in the
morning, that way I am done with it, and then I can do other things. Because often
when I plan to do it later in the day stuff comes up, and I don’t end up
practising.
Angela Nimah: What does independence mean to you?
Serati: I really value my independence. I don’t really like authority or being
told what to do, which is not actually always a good thing because even as an
artist you have to work with others; and it’s important to be flexible and
relate with others. But independence is an important thing to develop in this
industry especially now where artists can do so much with so little, where
previously you had to have a record label to get out there, times have changed,
it is no longer the case; it’s important to develop that independent mind set
where you trust in your own ability to make it on your own terms.
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Angela Nimah: What does love mean to you?
Serati: To me love is everything! Love is life. Love holds the entire Universe
together. We were created in an act of love and affection so how can love not
be who we are?
Angela Nimah: What’s on your play list currently?
Serati: Right now I’m loving FKA Twigs! She’s a British trip hop singer and
dancer. I’m crazy about her!
Angela Nimah: Are there any projects we can expect from Serati?
Serati: Right now, I’m looking to grow my Facebook page Afro Hair In Fashion.
It’s a page about natural afro textured hair in the beauty and fashion
industry, well that’s how it started, but it’s evolved into being about that
and so much more; educating ourselves on our hair, and the psychology and
politics of black hair and black beauty.
Serati: My Facebook page is Serati, that’s where I update people on where I’m
performing and so on. https://www.facebook.com/seratimusic?ref=hl
Afro Hair In
Fashion
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Afro-Hair-in-Fashion/215646905262062?ref=hl
I’m also on
Instagram @gypsidaze
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Thank You Serati for allowing us to speak to you. We love your work.
@RVL__
© Angela Nimah 2014 Revolution Validates Life™
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