Pred koncertom v Kinu Šiška smo se pogovarjali s kantavtorjem Obarom Ejimiwejem, bolj poznanim pod umetniškim imenom Ghostpoet, ki samega sebe ne bi uvrstil v nobeno glasbeno zvrst. Glasbo ustvarja, da bi predstavil svoje misli o okolici in družbi, ki ga obdajata in ker v glasbi uživa. Po kupu tehničnih težav s telefonsko povezavo, sva se končno uspela povezati za kratek intervju o njegovih glasbenih začetkih, zgodbah o njegovem zadnjem albumu in kako poteka trenutna turneja. V nedeljo, 25. 2. 2018, bo v Kinu Šiška odličen glasbenik in dobro vzdušje.
Živjo, kako si?
Fino, dobro, hvala, v gneči, ampak dobro.
Dajva začeti kar s prvim vprašanjem. Si pevec in kantavtor, deluješ od leta 2009. Po prvi izdaji EP-ja v letu 2010 in potem albuma v 2011, si bil nominiran kot eden najboljših glasbenikov, nominiran in imenovan za nagrado Mercury. Kako se je vse začelo? Kje jemlješ navdih za pisanje?
Ja, v bistvu se je vse začelo kot prostočasna dejavnost. Poslušal sem veliko glasbe, ko sem bil na faksu in začel eksperimentirati s programi za produciranje. Skozi čas je glasba postala odsev tega, kar se je dogajalo okrog mene in nekako me je potegnila vase in to počnem.
Ghostpoet je tvoje umetniško ime. Kakšna zgodba se skriva za tem? Je povezano s stilom glasbe, ki jo delaš?
Želel sem si splošnega imena, ki ne bi bil povezan s kakršnim koli stilom. Mogoče bi moral izpustiti ‘poet’, saj me velikokrat uvrstijo v poezijo, ampak mislim, da je bilo predvsem zato, ker nisem hotel biti v nekih določenih okvirih. Nima posebnega pomena. Ustvarjam glasbo, ki mi je všeč in se ne obvezujem k določenemu stilu.
Za sabo imaš kar nekaj sodelovanj, mogoče je najbolj odmevno z bristolsko trip hop zasedbo Massive Attack. Kako so ti bile všeč kolaboracije? Si k projektom prinesel tudi svoje ideje?
Ja, dobil sem to kul priložnost, da sodelujem s tem duetom in seveda sem jo zagrabil. V osnovi sta me povabila, da sodelujem pri produkciji njune glasbe, ampak smo se odlično razumeli in všeč so jima bile tudi moje ideje. To se je odrazilo v produciranje tudi mojih komadov. Zabavna sta in zelo rad sodelujem z njima.
Tvoj zadnji album lahko poslušamo že od avgusta. Kaj je ideja za njim, sploh ker se mu pridružuje zanimiv naslov Dark days + canapés?
(presenečeno) Res se ti zdi, da je ime zanimivo? No, hvala!
Poskušal sem odraziti čas v katerem je album nastajal. V tem času se je zgodilo veliko stvari. Veliko je bilo za premleti v teh momentih, od begunske krize, globalnega segrevanja, mentalnih bolezni … ob enem se tepem s svojo minljivostjo. Vse starejši sem, družba te uči nekih ‘pravilnosti’, stvari, ki bi jih do neke starosti moral doseči. Začneš se spraševati, kaj se dogaja s tvojim življenjem, še posebej z vsem kar se dogaja naokrog.
Trenutno si na turneji. Kako poteka do sedaj? Kakšni so občutki po koncertih?
Poteka v redu, v bistvu imam srečo, da potujem z busom. Na prejšnji turneji smo med različnimi kraji leteli, kar je pomenilo, da si se moral prej vstajati, nič nisi imel od mest, bilo je kar naporno. Zdaj potujemo od mesta do mesta z busom, kadar mi želimo in z manj pritiska. Fizično in psihično je veliko manj naporno. Koncerti so super, zelo uživam v njih, trudim se da dam vse od sebe.
V Ljubljano prihajaš prvič. Se je veseliš? Kaj pričakuješ?
Veselim se prihoda v Ljubljano, še nikoli nisem bil tam. Super je, da sem lahko na turneji in spoznavam nove kraje. Hkrati pa delam, kar me veseli, igram glasbo. Vesel sem tudi, da lahko igram svojo glasbo in se izražam pred ljudmi, ki so zame novi in me ne nujno dobro poznajo.
Imam eno standardno vprašanje. Če bi lahko igral s komerkoli, kdo bi to bil?
Mislim, da moj bend. Res so super glasbeniki in vesel sem, da lahko igram z njimi in koncertiram na turneji.
Kakšno sporočilo za Radio Terminal?
Hvala za intervju in podporo. Veselim se koncerta v Ljubljani. Se vidimo!
Original:
Before the concert in Kino Šiška, we talked with a singer and songwriter named Obaro Ejimiwe, more known as Ghostpoet who would not put himself in any specific genre. He’s doing music to present his thoughts about his surroundings and because he likes to. After a bunch of technical difficulties with telephone connection we finally got to do a short interview about how he started, what’s about his latest album and how is the tour going. On Sunday, 25.2.2018, Kino Šiška, you are welcome for a great musician and good vibe.
Hi! How are you?
I’m fine, I’m good, thanks, busy but good.
I’ll move to a first question. You’re a singer and a songwriter being active since 2009. After first release in 2010 with an EP and a first album in 2011 you’ve been named as one of the best musicians, nominated and winning Mercury prize. How did all started? What is your inspiration for writing?
Well, it kind of all started as a hobby. I listened to a lot of music when I was in college and I started experimenting with a producing program. Through time, music became a reflection of what was happening around me, since then it became a thing I got really interested in.
Ghostpoet is your artistic name. Is there any story behind the name, maybe connected to your style of music?
I wanted a general name that wasn’t connected to any genre. Maybe I should have left out a poet to not be fit into a spoken word category, but I think it was mainly because I want it not connected to a specifics. It didn’t really mean anything. I’m doing the music I like and I have not obligated to anything genre-wise.
You have quite some collaboration behind you, also with the Bristol trip hop representatives Massive Attack. How did you like those? Did you all bring your ideas to the projects?
Yeah, I got this very cool opportunity to start working with these two guys and of course I took it. They originally invited me to work with them on their music but we really got along and they liked my ideas. This resulted in starting working on my music with them as well. They are fun people and I love working with them.
We have been able to listen to your latest album since August. What is an idea behind it, since it comes with a very interesting name of Dark days + canapes?
(Surprisingly) Really, you think it is interesting name? Well, thanks!
Yeah, I tried to reflect the period of time the album was made in. During last year a lot of things have been happening. There’s a lot to take in and digest at the moment, from migrant crisis, global warming, mental illnesses … and at the same time I’m really wrestling with mortality. I’m getting older, society teach you some things and some things have to be achieved by this point, so you start question what you’ve done with your life, especially with everything going on around me.
You are on the tour right now, how is it going till now? How are the feelings after the concerts?
It’s going okay, I’m pretty lucky to travel by bus this time. On the previous tour, we were flying from city to city which meant I had to wake up early to catch a flight and then prepare for the concert, wouldn’t be able to enjoy places. Right now, I go from the destination to destination by bus and it’s physically and mentally less stressed. Performances are good, I’m enjoying them and trying to make them as best as possible.
You’re coming to Ljubljana the first time. Are you excited about it? What do you expect?
I’m happy to come to Ljubljana for the first time, I’ve never been there. I’m so lucky to do the tour and discover new places and at the same time do what I love to do, play music. I’m also happy to play my music in front of unknown public and I’m grateful to people.
I have this standard question in my interviews. If you could play on the concert with any musician, who would that be?
I guess my band. They are all really great musicians and I’m really happy to work with them and play with them on tour.
Any message for Radio Terminal?
Thanks for the interview and supporting, I’m looking forward to a concert!
Zaslišala: Ana Medved – Annarch