Monday October 3rd, Double M Entertainment presented Musicalize: “The Female Take Over” sponsored by Aspire at the XOXY. The event was aimed to display new female talent from the UK. Performers included; the headliner Lioness, A.L, Kirsti Robinson, Kyra, Lily Mckenzie, Molly ad Rebecca Storm.
Ace from 1xtra who is also Lioness’s manager was there to support the event. I asked him about the importance of promoting new female talent from the UK at events like Musicalize.
‘Live music events like this a so important to display how much talent we have in the UK. Every time I come to an event I’m always impressed I’m never disappointed’
The UK urban scene has always gravitated towards London, artist feel as if they have to come into London too really establish themselves. This has assumption has been changing recently, especially in the arena of Female MC’s. Artist’s like Lady Leshurr and Roxan have been gaining respect, making people pay attention to the talent in the northern cities.
‘Five years ago you wouldn’t hear about MC’s from outside of London. Thats a shame because there are some really talented MC’s from the midlands and up north. I would like too see more events like this in those areas. It feels like everybody has to London down too perform their music’ - Ace
How do you feel about Lioness’s progression as an artist?
‘I work with Lioness very closely. The thing that drew me to her was the way she put lyrics together. She could hang with the guys when it comes to the free-styles. You can see a picture of everything she says, she's a story teller, she can make party tracks and talk about love. Now she is fulfilling her potential as an artist’ - Ace
One of the stand out performers of the night was A.L, who describes her sound as fun funky soul. Her energetic stage presence paired with strong soulful vocals, made her the first performer of the night to have the audience fully engaged in her set and moving. She performed tracks; It’s Okay, Rewind and Tell Me. A reprised version of ‘Tell Me’ for 2011 featuring Mercston, Stutta & Ghetts received the most response. A.L. is a diverse vocalist that demands attention on stage as well as on track format. She is releasing a free EP in November all tracks produced by the late J Dilla.
Recommended track: Love Of It
For More A.L check out : http://www.youtube.com/ALmusicOfficial
I also ran into Amplify Dot (A.Dot) who was there to perform with Lioness. I asked about her new single ‘Semantics’ featuring Kano.
‘I actually recorded that song with no plan of having a featured artist, I played it for Kano and he loved it. Then we did the video, it just came out of no where. My new EP ‘Short Back and Sides Vol.1’ will be dropping late November early December on iTunes. I’m working on that at the moment.
What do you think about the new attention being given to the Northern Based MC’s?
‘There is talent everywhere! I did a show in Manchester and a girl came up to me and said “A Dot let me spit some bars?” and she was sick!’. People look to London because its the capital and think its the only place music can be made, but creation lives everywhere.
I later too spoke to headliner Lioness, known for her rhythmic style of flow merged with skill full word play. Making her one of the UK’s most respected MC’s braking into mainstream. We discussed; that evenings event, the progression of her music from mixtapes into a full length album, why she decided to return to music after a 4 year break and collaborating with Ms. Dynamite.
VB: How you feel about MusicaLize and a brand like Aspire coming together too support female artist at tonight’s event?
Lioness: I love events like this so much, especially this year, female artist have been going in and it’s time.
VB: Female MC’s have been getting respect for their skills, braking down that gender barrier, proving they can hold their own amongst the guys.
Lioness: Its just about working hard and putting your self out there
VB: Your first mixtape ‘Loch Ness Monster’ reintroduced you back into the scene after your break. Now you have a new mixtape out called ‘RoarNess’. Listening to ‘RoarnNess’ there is a clear difference between the two, “RoarNess’ has a more album structure. Your speaking more on life lesson especially in love. There is just a lot of growth all round including the delivery of the lyrics.
Lioness: You know what it is? Over the years I’ve been thorough a lot of things. When I started it was a hobby for me. It was me just getting my feelings out on the page and if someone like it, someone liked it and thats how it was always going to be for me. Now it’s more than me just expressing my feelings, I’m becoming more of an artist now, I’m getting older now Ive been doing this since I was 14. ‘LockNess’ was my first ever CD to show everybody what I can do.
VB: What are you trying to achieve now, are you moving towards releasing a full album?
Lioness: Hopefully if God is on my side April 18th my album will be out, I’m really excited about that.
VB: What can you tell me about the creative process, who are some of the producers your working with?
Lioness: I’m going to be working with a lot of the producers that I worked with before. They might not be the biggest names.
VB: Its the talent not the name.
Lioness: Yes, its the talent I don’t care for the name. Because I know, there have been times when people didn’t want to work with me. Now I’m at a level people take me seriously, I will never par the underdog.
VB: As a Female MC from London, how do you feel about the way the scene has expanded recently. People are starting to look outside of London. Female MC’s up north are really starting to get exposer.
Lioness: It’s heavy, I really think that twitter has brought everyone together. Before there wasn’t these huge social networks. Now everybody has that platform to get out there and people are recognizing the talent.
VB: On the track ‘Game Over - Female Take Over’ the majority of the UK Female MC’s are featured. How does it feel for you all to to come together?
Lioness: I love it. Some people saw it as a competition.
VB: I don’t look at it that way, you all have your individual styles.
Lioness: Exactly
VB: Yourself, Amplify Dot and Lady Leshurr collaborated with Ms Dynamite adding your verses too ‘Never Soft’. How did that come about?
Lioness: Dynamite just hollered like “Do you wanna jump on the remix?” Never soft is a banger and we rate Dynamite so highly. So to be able to have that opportunity is out of this world.
VB: You had your mixtape release party for “Roarness” a few weeks ago. What was that experience like?
Lioness: If I had ever been nervous for a show it was that night! Because essentially everybody was there for me. Shows like tonight even though I’m headlining, some people are here too see the other acts. So it was a huge pressure.
VB: Talking about some of the other performers here tonight. I had never seen A.L. before she blew me away. Her stage presence in amazing.
Lioness: She is amazing. I have so much time for that girl, anything she wants me on, I am there. She is going to be on my set, we have a couple songsa together that we are going to perform.
VB: I spoke to Amplify Dot earlier on this evening, you collaborate on a song called ‘BAD’ on “Roarness”. How is working with A Dot?
Lioness: Every since I met Dot we clicked, me her and Leshurr. Because we’re MC’s were are supposed to be competitive, but we are all friends and love working together.
VB: I was speaking to Ace today. He was expressing that he respects you as an MC. Also that you are working hard to push your career to the next level. How does it feel to have someone that has so much influence on what people listen too around the country giving you support?
Lioness: It feels amazing. He is my manager now I don’t know if he told you. He followed my career, even when I took a breaking and was at Uni. He got in contact with me to see if I was still on doing music and I would say no. He is an actual fan of my music and cares about my career.
VB: You took a few years out, what made you come back and decide to really focus on music?
Lioness: I was in my lectures writing bars, I was ignoring the lecture and I was writing bars. So I decided to take some time out to really focus on the music.
VB: So your performing tonight, what can we expect?
Lioness: Everything. I’m going to do some tracks from ‘Lock Ness Monster’ some from ‘RoarNess” a little acapella merging everything together. I want to compact different sides of me into one set.
Watch Lioness display her skills on Channel 4’s Random Acts
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