NINJAH | INTERVIEW
Bristol has Big Jeff. Glasgow has putting a cone on the Duke Of Wellington statue. Norwich has the Bird Puppet Man. Cardiff has Ninjah, whom Sophie Archer spoke to.
You like to take things apart and make sounds out of anything other than instruments. Do you think that’s inspired your music and helps you create something unique?
You’re like a magician, you’re making something out of nothing. I’ve found with a lot of sounds people go with flash equipment for the look, but music has got nothing to do with the look, it’s the sound. My ears become my eyes, that is why a lot of people are not making hit tunes, people make hit tunes by following others who have made a hit tune because they can’t do it themselves. Someone come to me and said “You nutter – that is a bin not a drum.” Who says it’s not a drum? A bin can be used as a drum, there’s similarities. Cardiff bins are quite unique, different sounds and different size of bins. I get a buzz out of exploring sounds.
What inspires you?
Cardiff is an arena for people all over the world and one of the tracks came to me because I started to listen to the wind. [It’s about] being non-judgemental and connecting with the wild and majestic beauty of Mother Nature. She’s expressing herself in Wales and a lot of people are not listening to her because their mind is distracted with other things, which are not connected to Mother Nature. They have no respect for her because they’re not aware of what she is. In the beauty and the beast, I am the expression of letting the animal free, the animal that is in us all. Sometimes we need to listen to the wind and find the divine majesticness of Mother Nature.
If you could make music with any musician, living or dead, who would you chose and why?
The other day I was watching the telly, The Voice and I thought to myself, ‘I would love to turn up, at The Voice and sing and I’d sing behind the one I want. [Stands up in middle of the room and starts singing] “It’s not unusual to be loved by anyone! Why why why, Delilah! Sex bomb, sex bomb!” It would be Tom Jones, I’d love to just see him turn on the chair. I think he’s awesome, very strong voice. I have done a ‘Ninjah Elvis’ on this album and I’d like to do a ‘Ninjah Bowie’ too.
If you could recommend one place in Wales to someone who has never visited before, what would you pick and why?
Sophia Gardens. Take a walk around Cardiff Castle grounds and Sophia Gardens.
photo by @gracenatalie_pj
Ninjah’s new album Keep Britain Lively is available now in Spillers and via www.tantrumrecords.net
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