Formula Indie Sessions _ Interview with Naila Keleta-Mae
What is your earliest memory connected to music?
I remember singing in the children’s choir at a small church in Markham, Ontario when I was about 4 years old. I remember feeling free and happy when we sang together.
How did your passion for creating music begin?
It began when I saw footage of a seminal Bob Marley concert where he raised the hands of two opposing politicians in the midst of political strife in Jamaica. I was amazed that music could do that – build bridges, bring people together, foster hope.
What’s the story behind your current music project?
I needed to make another album because I was deep in reflection about choices and changes I had made in my life and the best, clearest, most honest way for me – as an artist – was to express it in song and within the context of an album.
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
Old. Live musicianship. Deeply referential to reggae music.
What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?
What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?
Working with the musicians has been essential to my creative process. Jahsun Promesse (drums) and Neil Benskin (bass guitar) have played on all four of my albums. Joseph Shanahan (keyboard) and Elijah Mansevani (guitar) have played on my last two albums. They understand the soul of what I’m trying to do as an artist. They are deeply supportive and open to my process.
Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?
I’m loving the vocal performance, instrumentation and lyrics of Lila Iké’s Where I’m Coming From
How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?
All of my music is deeply influenced by my personal experiences – it’s where I write from. My artistic vision was formed more than 20 years ago and simply stated it is that as a Black woman living in North America, I don’t think I have the privilege of creating art for art’s sake. The art that I’m interested in being a part of has to have a sense of urgency to me, a sense of ‘I have to tell this story’ or ‘I have to be a part of telling this story’ or ‘We have to tell the story, we have to disrupt this story’. There has to be something at stake beyond aesthetics.
What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?
My hope for this album is that listeners will be reminded not to give up in the face of the many complex, painful, discombobulating challenges that life regularly throws our way.
What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?
Peace. That sound, lyrics, and melody can combine to create moments of peace, tranquility, understanding and connection amongst people at a concert, on a dance floor or when we’re all alone.
What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?
I’d love to play at Massey Hall in Toronto.
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?
Burning Spear. I love the dub elements of his music and the repetition and depth of sound and lyrics on his album Marcus Garvey.
Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links)
https://linktr.ee/nailakeletamae
Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?
I would love to record another album in the future. In the past many years have passed between albums but I’m already feeling like there’s more that I want to say and in different ways. I’ve been deep in reflection about my life and choices this past year and the best way for me to process/express that is through song.
What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?
That I’m real. That my artistic practice is guided by my core beliefs in equity, love, justice and hope. That I’ve worked hard to have those values be central to all of the art I make and research that I do as a professor and scholar.
