Guestlist

Issue 100

Monthly newspaper and online publication targeting 18 to 35 year olds. The ultimate guide to the hottest parties, going out and having fun. Music, fashion, film, travel, festivals, technology, comedy, and parties! London, Barcelona, Miami and Ibiza.

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So how did you get into soul & folk music? I grew up in a very soul, gospel house like my mum used to take me to church and I would watch her sing with the choir. I remember every Sunday, like religiously she would play this one album and I know it like back to front, so that's the soul side of my music. But the folk side came when I was teenager, at school I had a group of friends and a lot of them where into the indie, rock n roll, folk scene and I wasn't really introduced to that until they started showing me artists like Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen & Michael Kiwanuka. Did people make assumptions about you because of the music you listened too? I definitely turn heads when I turn up at gigs, being a black guy playing guitar, wearing a hat, people would definitely be like, "Oh, that wasn't what I was expecting."But what's even better is that when people hear my voice, and then they hear me play the guitar and they are like ' Oh! He's actually quite indie, folk and soulful really,' so it's actually quite nice to show people what my sound actually is who I am, cause that was definitely something I had to deal with a lot growing up. It was always "you're a black guy why are you playing guitar, you should be like spitting some bars, and having clashes with MC's," and to me that wasn't the path I wanted to take. I mean I have a great appreciation for hip hop, rap & grime, but that just wasn't the sound I was aiming for, I just wanted to make a sound that sounded like me, and I could see myself in comfortably. So as a black indie musician have you faced any obstacles? Personally I would say no, and I am quite lucky in that. I am very proud that I am an artist whose a person of colour whose doing very well in this industry, and I understand that not everyone is fortunate enough to do as well as I am doing. But that's why I of try and be a beacon for people, because regardless of that door that's closed there is definitely going to be like 15 other doors that will be open for you, you just have to pick the one that's right for you. Tell us about your new EP Tales from the Broken. Tales From the Broken is just a reflection of us, not to say broken as in people, it is a collection of songs, of experiences from people and we learn from their mistakes through the songs. There is a song on the EP called 'Salt' and it's about our accountability as people, particularly when it comes down to our interactions with our friends, and our partners and even our family members, and just are we lying to keep them away from the pain or are we lying to protect ourselves. If there was one message you were trying to get across with this EP what would it be? This EP I would say is for anyone who's been through something, going through something or who doesn't know that they are about to go through something. In each song there is a line that somebody will be able to relate to and if you find that song keep it close to you and if it makes you feel something, even better! Where there any fears you had to overcome in the process of making this album? To be fair not really because I am quite stubborn when it comes to my own music because I know what I want it to sound like. Cause at the end of the day I just wanted to release more music because people were asking for it, and because I wanted to meet that demand in a sense, not just for them but for myself, just to prove that I could further continue on as a musician and step up a notch and keep progressing and growing. What can fans expect from your live shows? There's no like flashy lights and tricks it's just pure honest music. What ideas changed your life? One of my favourite books in the world to read is a book by Paul Coelho called the 'Alchemist' I remember reading that book and it was just about a journey of self discovery and why it is good to get lost sometimes because that path could lead you to a better path. What would you do to make the world a better place? Get rid of Trump for one, make Jeremy Corbyn Prime Minister, and I would make sure that music was still a thing in a thousand, 2 thousand years to come, and just make sure that music is still vibrant and as happy, as it is now. As you look to the future, what is the ultimate goal for you? I guess the goal for me is just to continue to make music that makes people feel something for as long as possible, that will always be the goal. It's never been about numbers, it's about people and real people going through real things. At the end of the day those people are still human, as human as you are, so yeah just being as real as possible and making music that people love. 2017 / ISSUE 100 INDIE 43 Jordan Mackampa is unquestioningly himself and this shines so brilliantly in his latest EP Tales of the Broken. Coming off the success of his critically acclaimed EP Physics, Mackampa doesn't disappoint with round two. Packed full of hopeful lyricism, joyful beats and that smooth Mackampa-esque voice, Tales of the Broken takes you on a journey, one that you will undoubtedly want to go on, again and again. As Mackampa goes back on tour this July, he lets us know what life is like for a black indie artist in the industry, the inspiration behind Tales of the Broken and why his current EP is "for anyone who's been through something, going through something or about to go through something." "I HAVE A GREAT APPRECIATION FOR RAP & HIP HOP BUT THAT WASN'T THE SOUND I WAS AIMING FOR, I WANTED TO MAKE A SOUND THAT SOUNDED LIKE ME, AND I COULD SEE MYSELF IN COMFORTABLY.." follow @JordanMackampa Patience Takyuka | Guestlist INTERVIEW: JORDAN MACKAMPA

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