Over the last year we have been out and about searching for the UK’s hottest upcoming talent and have done various features, shout outs and interviews to promote the talent to you guy’s. Today we have a round up of some our most viewed interviews, including two new Music Artists and an up and coming Music Presenter take a look below.
1. JESSICA AGOMBAR | TALKS ABOUT HER NEW POP/GRIME SOUND AND NEW SINGLE BAM BAM PART 2
04 November 2014
Born and raised in Bow East London, the pop-grime princess Jessica Agombar has now established herself as one of the most fascinating female artists in the UK as she combines a pop sound with her E3 Grime roots. we sat down with Jessica to eat curly fries and discuss everything from her new video for ‘Bam Bam pt.2’ to how important it is to follow your gut instincts in this industry.
Since you’re from Bow, who are your favourite East London Lyricists?
Ghetts. Watching his MOBO performance last week, he just looked like he thought ‘I’m ready. I’ve been here two years in the waiting and I’m ready for this.’ of course Wiley He’s one of the OG’s so you always have to name check Wiley and Kano is the best. So Wiley, Ghetts and Kano.
Where do you think you fit into in this music industry?
I don’t think I wanna fit in. I wanna stay in my own lane. I don’t feel that I want to listen to 1Xtra and think ‘okay they’re playing pop music and I need to slot in there and put my own angle on it.’ I want to do what the likes of Jessie Ware has done in terms of creating her own lane. You can’t put her up against another artist. When you listen to one of her records, it completely personifies her. So I’m not too worried about fitting into a stereotype. I’m just going to be a cockney girl from east London, mixing Pop and Grime to make great commercial records.
You were once signed as part of a five piece girl group Parade and are now finding your feet as a Solo artist. Did being in a group stifle your natural artistry?
I did feel a little stifled artistically in my writing. Definitely.
How?
You gotta imagine being flown out to LA to work with Kuk Harrell, who vocal produces for Rihanna, and other huge producers that Atlantic got us in with. When you have your own concept idea you’re not going to say it out loud because you’ve already been given a concept. On the other hand, what kid from Bow is going to turn down the opportunity to work with Kuk Harrell? You can’t buy that type of experience. So it was a detour creatively for my writing but it was a huge learning curve. That was like a crash run for me. I’ve played in the O2 with Parade supporting Shakira. We did a Children In Need gig there. So I’m thankful for that experience.
Earlier this year you turned down a record deal with Universal Music. Talk to us about that.
I do a lot of organic work off of my own back and I want to be built from the ground up and not just jump into a record deal again and get into a situation I had been in before. I’m glad I turned it down because they would have just pushed me to release a song there and then that I didn’t really want to release. I probably wouldn’t have been able to work with Sticky to create Bam Bam. I probably wouldn’t have been able to remix it and work with Manga & Scratchy and I wouldn’t be here sitting down and talking to you right now if I had signed that deal. I didn’t feel like my package was ready.
What reaction were you expecting when Bam Bam came out?
I’ll be dead honest with you. My only goal and expectation was for people to listen to it and think ‘this is credible, honest and I can relate to it.’ I also wanted to get on 1Xtra’s playlist. All I wanted was to be on that playlist and we got it last week. For me to write a song myself and have that audience appreciate, respect and back my words means so much
What was the thinking behind the Bam Bam part 2 video?
I wanted it to be performance based. I didn’t want any gimmicks. I didn’t want a storyline. I just wanted me, Manga and Scratchy to have an amazing time in front of the camera and for it to be an introduction to me as an artist.
Recently on the 1Xtra show with Sian Anderson, you debuted a new track called ‘Preeing’. What was the inspiration?
I was having a conversation with the producer I wrote it with, Karl Gordon (K-Gee). He’s worked with Jessi J and everyone you can think of. And I was talking about the culture we’re in now. Twitter, YouTube, Instagram…. It’s endless. You can find out about someone so easily now. So I was talking about preeing an ex-boyfriend. My opening line was ‘why do you never wear the tracksuit that I bought you?’ And then I spoke about how his new woman has come along and changed him and I was preeing on how he’d changed and why he’d changed for this woman yet couldn’t for me. However it was in a light-hearted way. Very tongue in cheek. It’s such a massive thing now. You can go online and find out what your ex is up to. It’s available for us to see.
When it comes to making big decisions, who and what influences them?
My family are a massive influence to me, It’s always good to talk to my family despite them not being in the industry because they understand following your gut when your head is telling you something else.
Who are your Dream Collaboration and why?
Obviously Ghetts. I’m his number one fan. And I’d really like to work with Diplo. When I listen to his music I just want to make a random, yardie-pop track mashup with them!
Words: Henry Stonez
The visual for Bam Bam Part 2 is out now. Check it out here
Bam Bam Pt. 2 (feat Star.One, Scratchy and Manga) is released on November 16th and available to pre-order here.
2. Remel London | Interview
10 July 2014
Remel London, for those who have been hiding under a rock, is a TV/radio presenter and host working with the likes of Link Up TV, ILUVLIVE and Sky 1. She has been all over the industry for the last few years and it seems that there is nothing that this young 25 year old woman cannot do! Here at Trapped, we have all the gossip from her on how she built her career as well as what she expects from the UK music scene.
How did you start your career of presenting?
Since I was 7 I have always wanted to perform. I did musical theatre, dance, drama and athletics. But it wasn’t until I was 15 and had the opportunity to host a show at my school for black history month that I knew I wanted to be in front of the camera and interviewing the stars.
You are a host for UK online Music channel Link Up TV, Can you tell us a little bit more about that and how the opportunity came about?
Whilst I was at Uni they encouraged us to find work experience, I tried every major company, with emails and applications but I was getting nowhere. I came across sites such Link Up TV and a few other online platforms and I reached out to all of them, like the major productions no-one got back to me, except for Link Up TV. To be honest they got back to me a year later, the year I had finished Uni and told me when I got back to London they would plan some interviews for me. And that’s exactly what they did, they kept their promise and 4 years later we are still working together and are practically family.
With your job, you are very much exposed to the current UK music scene. What are your views on our music scene?
I love UK music. I think it always developing and artists are always reinventing themselves, but to be honest I’m waiting for the next big thing… The next Tinie Tempah, Dizzee Rascal, Estelle, Emeli Sandé or Adele. The next big break out artist who can go global and represent how strong the UK music industry is.
And for someone out there trying to break into the industry as a musician, how do you suggest they go about it?
I know this sounds obvious but make good music and be consistent with it. Have a plan, a wicked lead single, a dope follow up single and a great collection of music overall. Know your brand and be consistent with it. Make videos use your social networks and create a great buzz. You have to stand out.
You are a role model to young people trying to come up and be successful. Who do you look up to?
I look up to hard working talented people who are respected for their craft. This is people such as Davina McCall, Angie Le Mar, Oprah Winfrey and even people closer to home such as my Manager at ILUVLIVE Rachael Bee who has taught me so much about the industry.
You are also the producer of new online entertainment show The Showroom. Of course this isn’t your first time having your own show as you have The RateMePlz Show and The Remel London Show. Tell us more about what it is like starting up a show and how things are different now with The Showroom.
The Showroom was a huge production difference for me. Over the years I’ve built up skills in events as a volunteer and assistant so RateMePlz was putting that into practice and being organised. For The Remel London Show I was the content producer, which meant I would arrange the shoot with Rashid at Link Up TV and tell the team when and where to be. They handled all of the technical stuff.
But The Showroom was my first studio production and mass production. With 9 back to back interviews on a single day it was tough, but I loved it. There was so much support with a specially selected crew on the day, creative planning meetings over 4 months, a year of location hunting, artist researching, going back and forth with PR and labels. It was a totally new experience but it all paid off!
What would you say has been your biggest achievement thus far?
Launching The Showroom is my biggest, especially as it’s my own production and is an example of where I want to take my career and how passionate I am about it.
Moving forward, what can we next expect from Remel London?
I’m going on tour soon promoting RateMePlz, The Showroom, and of course myself. So look out for me across the country and also season 2 of The Showroom will be on the way.
COOPS – INTERVIEW – NORTH LONDON RAPPER
02 June 2014
North London Rapper Coops releases his mixtape ‘Lost Soul’ today and hosts a launch party for his fans and friends at Birthdays nightclub in Dalston. Having an oldskool flow and flair for fashion has earned Coops a performance opening up for Hiphop Legend Nas and built him a fanbase of true Rap connoisseurs,we caught up with him to get to know a bit more about his new single ‘Blessings’ and his upcoming Mixtape.
For those who are new fans of yours, who is Coops? How long have you been making music? and how did it all come about?
I first started rapping about 2009, I put out my first mixtape ‘What Do You See?’ in February of last year and now I’m about to release ‘Lost Soul’ Which drops June 2nd.
Why do they call you Coops?
My surname’s Cooper, so friends just called me Coops from school days. and it stuck.
Coming from North London, how do you feel that the environment you live in influences your music?
My music is a product of my environment that it’s made in I suppose, I get all my inspiration, ideas and contents from what’s happening around me.
Compared to the faster flows out there in the UK Rap Game your flow has a very laid back almost effortless feel to it, is that intentional?
Yeah my music is influenced by the 90’s HipHop era so that’s why its got that Boom Bap vibe to it.
The video for your latest track ‘Blessings’ is a very artistic video, was that always the plan for the track or did it just happen that way?
I wanted all the videos to have an element of creativity about them, something different, I wanted to stand out. In the scene I stand in today everyone’s quite generic with their themes in the videos, like “Yeah, get a penthouse, get a this, get some gyal, boom boom boom, shoot!” But I suppose that, I wanted the visual to convey the same thing as the music which is that I am different, fresh and unique.
With ‘Blessings’ you worked with another UK artist Rexx, have you been working in the studio with any other artists recently?
I’m not gonna let out too much as my mixtape ‘Lost Soul’ is out this month with a few features on it, but I will say that I’ve got a video with Benny Banks coming out on Monday.
Okay so we need to wait?
Yeah, you need to get the mixtape to hear the rest.
Something more fashion related, Within the last few weeks you’ve become a member of the Trill Made clothing society tell us a bit more about that.
Trill Made, that’s one of my friends that I met when I was down at Uni in Southampton, he made his clothing line, gave man a few items and made me a member. I was like yeah man I’m happy to support that. It’s sick!
Monday the 2nd June is the launch party for your second official mixtape down at Birthday’s nightclub in Dalston. So congratulations on that! What can we expect from the evening?
Thank you very much! We’ve got DJ Shortee Blitz down there from Kiss FM. He’s gonna be DJ’ing on the night. Yeah, it’s gonna be big! Expect good vibes, I’m gonna be doing a little performance, I should have some of my friends that featured on the tape coming up and performing with me. But yeah, basically that’s it man I’m just trying to set the scene for the tape before it comes out.
What can our readers expect from Coops in the future?
You can expect me to be here to stay! Haha..I’m not going no-where, I’m here now you can expect a bright future.
Words: Rebecca Tyson
To keep up with Coops’ musical journey follow him on Twitter@Coopsofficial
Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and Instagram @trappedmagazine
