Pages

Tuesday 29 June 2010

EVENT: Rum Punch - 2nd Year Anniversary!

Join Partnas in Rhyme, at Rum Punch on Thursday, 1st July for an explosive night, as they celebrate their 2nd Year Anniversary!


Hosted by one half of Partnas in Rhyme, Comfort Art without Apology, they’ll present to you, a full, impressive line up of some of the UK's best performers, who have graced the Rum Punch space over the past 12 months:

André Bentley

David J – Pugilist

Jedi

Kat Francois

Lady Rhymes

Mesinjah

OneNess

Tara Brown

T. Forté

Tshaka Campbell



Prepared to be wowed!

They'll also be a whole heap of fun, jokes, “Shabbas!” and the Open Mic segment, for all you enthusiasts who have some creativity to share (Open Mic is first come, first served – limited spaces - sign up from 7pm).





So, join us for some Rum Punch with a slice of cake and join in the fun!

Doors
: 7pm Show: 7:30pm -10pm

Entrance: £5 (£4 Students/Disabled with
valid I.D.)

Venue: Rudys Revenge (Downstairs), 168 High Holborn, London WC1V 7AA (On the corner of Endell Street, Next door to Oasis Sports Centre/Opposite Shaftsbury Theatre) MAP

Closest Tubes: Holborn, Covent Garden or Tottenham Court Road

Further Info: Email: Pirevents@yahoo.co.uk

Join Partnas in Rhyme: Facebook MySpace



Monday 28 June 2010

EVENT: Carmichael - UK Album Launch @ Soul-D-Out (UK) Live!

Promoted by



Soul-D-Out (UK) Live! | Friday 2 July 2010

Soul-D-Out (UK) Live! is proud to present US Atlanta GA recording artist, Singer, Songwriter and Producer Carmichael’s UK album Launch with full live band.


Carmichael has worked with Grammy Award winners Tony Rich, Joe Rich and Peter Moore in various aspects and in 2004, sang background on Tony Rich’s Live DVD recording. During his early years in Atlanta, he worked with an unknown Pink
, while she was a member of the girl group Choice, writing songs and providing musical direction.


Carmichael will perform tracks from his latest album, Fantasy Rain as well as his hugely successful previous album, All About Love and will be supported by 3 fantastic UK artists; Chidi, Nadine Charles & Bashiyra. All three will perform their own material, as well as duets with Carmichael.


If you enjoy soul, R&B or can remember when love songs actually put you in the mood for love, Carmichael is a definite must have in your collection.



This is the precursor to any other performance in the UK, this is the BIG one - not to be missed!



Entry

Doors open early - 6pm - 2.30am

£7 before 8pm, £10 after


Advance tickets

http://www.urbantickets.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65&products_id=306



Venue

Rhum Jungle
Cotton's Caribbean Restaurant 70, Exmouth Market London EC1R 4QP


Closest Tubes

Angel (Northern Line) / Farringdon (Hammersmith & City or Circle Line)



For further information, please contact
:

lil_dnyce@soul-d-out.co.uk | +44 (0)7723 081 832



Thursday 24 June 2010

NEW MUSIC | Serocee & Rukaiya - Sound di Vuvuzela!

If you've been watching the World Cup Football (and c'mon now, who hasn't?!) you'll have clocked the craze with Vuvuzela's. Well, some people took it to a whole next level and made a tune about them... Serocee's infectious dancehall vibe, combined with Rukaiya's production, draws you in instantly with this catchy hit that is bound to be a Carnival 2010 banger.




Produced by Rukaiya, recorded, mixed and mastered by NLT Productions and services (Leen and Yogi Sensei) www.nltproductions.co.uk


Or listen to the audio version: Sound di Vuvuzela!

If you'd like an MP3 or WAV file, get at Serocee

In the meantime, enjoy!

Thursday 17 June 2010

INTERVIEW & EVENT: Ash | Remedy Live

Short. Sharp. Facts!

Name: Ash
Repping: Music is Remedy
Birthplace: South London
Lives: Greenwich, South London
Likes: Music Football riding my bicycle
Dislikes: International call centres, overpriced clubs
Quirky fact about you: I still watch cartoons, Naruto and Bleach are my Eastenders!


Q&A

ONiT! is excited to see that Remedy Live returns this week, at the Rhythm Factory in East London. We’d love to hear your answers on the following:

Who makes up the Music is Remedy Team?
There’s a few of us that make it all happen; Jamie John Cheatdom works on the artist management side of things. Sophie Pringle is our Mixed Media Goddess, the brains behind our podcast and website/blog. Cage Lu of 9Dots helps maintain the website, Rowan Newton is our arts man for flyers and logos and finally, the band, The Remedies, who practice or gig at least 3-4 times a week; Stu, Louis, Adrian, Andy and Neal. Everyone in the team gives an input into all areas, is a genius in their own right and is amazing, love ‘em all!

Can you tell us what inspired you to create Music is Remedy?
Music is Remedy is a development of projects that begin whilst at Uni studying Commercial Music. Having spent time working at labels, I grew more and more frustrated with what i was seeing and decided the best way i could make a difference, and forge a career for myself in this game, was by starting and creating the brand that is Music is Remedy.

How long has the event, Remedy Live, been running now?
We started out in August 2006, so nearly 4 years!!

What prompted a break?
The Oh! Bar in Camden that we used previously, closed down. So we took a break to workout how best to move forward.

Are you planning to run the show regularly or is this a one-off?
We’ll see how Thursday goes and what the feedback is like, but to be honest, I’ve missed the buzz that I’ve had over the last couple of weeks in the run-up to Remedy Live and can’t wait to open the doors on Thursday night and hit the stage! So I think we’ll be back on a regular basis.... watch this space!

Do you think the scene has changed at all in the time since the last Remedy event, til now? If so, in what way?
A little, but not much, which isn’t great. No disrespect to anyone out there but things aren’t moving forward as they should be. Some leaders of the scene have left whilst newcomers are still learning the game, so standards aren’t as high as they need to be.

What would you say are the greatest challenges in putting on a regular, live event like Remedy Live?
Finances, really and truly, because the scene and artists do not have the necessary hype to command charging £10-£15 per ticket. It’s hard to pull in the necessary funds, to pay artists and contributors to the event, what they deserve and are worth. But it’s just a short term sacrifice for a long term gain. If everyone keeps working hard and improving their game, we will all move forward.

Ultimately, what would you like to achieve with Music is Remedy?
Simply to have a company that is devoted to promoting and developing the best artists and music this country has to offer. Also, hoping to play a role in changing the scene into an Industry in its own right.

We know that Remedy also run a blog, can you tell us a little about that, it’s focus, and what type of content we can find on there?
There are a lot of fantastic blogs out there but the best are all heavily reliant on US content. The Music is Remedy blog is just about UK music and artists. You’ll find event listings, videos, performances, EPs, and as we move forward, interviews and our own features.

We’re aware that you’re a musician yourself, can you tell us what you most enjoy about performing on the live music circuit in London?
Crowd reactions can vary from night to night, but the one thing that remains consistent throughout are the musicians I share the stage with, and the music we play together and that is what I love. I love the people I play and work the stage with. It’s a bonus when you look out and see peeps jamming with you!

How do you balance the roles of Promoter, Musician and Blogger as well as going to gigs as a spectator and generally living life?
Not with great ease. I’m not out as much as I’d like or used to be, and until this starts paying the bills, there is a 9-5 to fit in as well! It’s all about time management and organisation, the more organised you are, the easier it is to solve the many problems that come along. I try to have a regular schedule and stick to it. There’s never enough time to do everything you’d want to do and you have to devote some time for yourself and loved ones just to keep your mind at ease.

Who would you cite as your influences, in terms of your musical career?
Diddy and D’angelo were my main inspirations growing up that pushed me towards getting into this game. UK artists like Jamiroqaui, Brand New Heavies and Soul II Soul prove to me that quality UK music can find success. And finally my peers, who continue to grind and provide me with belief and inspiration to keep doing this; Paul Aarron (UK Soul Jam), Writers Block, One Taste, Poejazzi, Vula, Inua Elams, Kaana Ellie, XO Man, there are too many to mention.

If you could work with any other artist(s), dead or alive, who would you choose and why?
MJ, Jamiroquai, Bob Marley, D’Angelo and Biggie Smalls.

Which do you prefer, putting on the show, or performing as an artist in your own right?
Putting on the show! Being on the stage is great, but seeing all the faces of people in the crowd enjoying the show that you’ve helped put together is just as big a buzz. Love it!

What advice would you give to an artist who’d like to perform on the Music is Remedy stage?
Bring the quality! If you ain’t got it you won’t be joining us i’m afraid. People need to know that when they are coming to a Remedy Live event, that they will be getting quality regardless of who is on the bill. Chances are Joe Public won’t know any of the names on the flyer, but if they know that Music is Remedy put on great nights, they are more inclined to come!

Are there any artists that you’ve featured, who you particularly enjoyed or who stick in your mind?
Tinashe was a great artist to work with, simply amazing songwriter and artist and so much more then what his Record label is allowing him to be (that’s another story). I remember Cherri V rocking one of our shows HARD. Her live set is toooo MUCH - fantastic artist. Enrico Delves note for note (never hits a bad one) the best singer on the scene. And of course the guys we work with regularly; Kaana Ellie and XO Man always bring it on stage, two of the best performers out there.

Which artists have you got gracing the stage at the re-launch?
So two of our regulars, Kaana Ellie and XO Man (couldn’t relaunch without them to be honest) will be there to tear the roof off the place, Dean Atta is providing spoken word with a twist, as he’ll be backed by The Remedies, Wilson and our new artist Sharika Medla will be opening the show with some sublime soulful vocals and finally our headline act is Ed Sheeran who will be performing with full band, The Remedies for the very first time!

Can you give us an insight into Thursday’s show? What can people expect when they come down?
Quality live music!

Can you tell us about any forthcoming projects that you may have coming up?
We’ll be droping the Kaana Ellie & The Remedies album this summer, introducing our new artist Sharika Medla to the scene and working with Pinboardblog on some exciting new concepts, just to name a few.

Anything else you’d like to share with us before you go?
Everyone has to start looking at the bigger picture and start working together. It’s no good staying in your own little bubble, that isn’t progression and that won’t pay your bills! Artists, blogs, promoters, we’re all in it together! We must step our game up and put in the work! There’s a massive cake out there that we can all eat from, everyone just needs to put together the ingredients to make it!


Remedy Live takes place TONIGHT (Thursday 17 June), 7:30pm - 1am at The Rhythm Factory, 16-18 Whitechapel Road, London E1 1EW
Entry: £5 all night

*Competition is now closed! Congratulations to Ayo Adepoju for getting ONiT! with the correct answer - enjoy the show!*

Win
a pair of complimentary entry tickets for Remedy Live by answering the following question:

Name three artists who have performed at a previous Remedy Live event.

Send your answer, before 3pm today, via email to: onitpr@yahoo.co.uk the first correct answer will receive complimentary entry for 2 (via the guest list).


Further Info on Music is Remedy & Remedy Live:

Tuesday 15 June 2010

INTERVIEW: Saran Green | This is Poetry - Do not Panic!


Short. Sharp. Facts!

Name: Saran Green
Repping: Jamaica
Birthplace: South London
Lives: South London
Poetry Debut: Can’t remember
Awards/Accomplishments: Co-founder of Partnas in Rhyme, (Rum Punch and Poetry in the Park), 2005 Farrago International Slam Champion, Farrago Zoo Award Nominee
Likes: Art in all its forms, and food
Dislikes: Pretentiousness and Shellfish
Quirky fact about you: I believe in angels


Q&A

ONiT! is excited to see that you're on the line up for This is Poetry – do not panic! By Apples & Snakes @ Soho Theatre on Wednesday 16th June. We’d love to hear your answers on the following:

Can you tell us how you got involved in this event?
Well, I received a call from the Programme Coordinator of Apple and Snakes who asked me to be a part of the show. I’ve performed and hosted for A&S in the past, and it’s always a pleasure.

We know you grew up on the beautiful island of Jamaica, but live here in the UK. What do you love most about London/UK?
What do I love most about the UK? It’s all the lovely people I’ve met here, and the appreciation and investment in the arts in general.

We know that you have been performing poetry for some five years now, both here in the UK and in Jamaica. Can you tell us a little about the two scenes – how they differ, if at all?
Hmmm, the Jamaican poetry scene is a bit dissected. On the one hand, it can be very pretentious, and on the other, very ‘conscious’. It just depends on the type of event and the organisers. In the pretentious arenas, poetry is deemed sophisticated and you find that those types of events generally attract those people who don’t have a sincere appreciation for the art/craft. On the ‘conscious’ scene, or other nights, for example, the monthly poetry night at the Edna Manley School of the Performing Arts, the audience is made up of people who have a shared appreciation and passion for the craft.

It’s quite humurous that this forthcoming event is called ‘This is Poetry – do not panic!’ Do you think that people find performance poetry quite a frightening concept?
No, I don’t think anyone would find poetry frightening, [laughs]. I think the only people who would find poetry frightening are those that can not recognise evolution of, and appreciate diversity within the craft. I don’t know who came up with the name, but to me it speaks to the eclecticism of poetry and of the artistes on the bill – it’s like they’re all very different, but they all come under the umbrella of poetry, so don’t be alarmed!!!

How would you encourage someone who has no prior knowledge of performance poetry to come along to a show?
I think I would have to begin by encouraging them to approach it with an open mind. Abandon any pre-conceived notions and just take in whatever show it is. They are bound to like at least one artiste.

Do you think there is a false, pre-conceived notion of what performance poetry is, and what you’re expected to be like, as a person, when you’re a Poet?
Hmmm, I don’t know. I suppose a number of people have their own opinions of what poetry is, and what performance poetry is. I find that exclusive page poets, are of the opinion that performance poets are wannabe’s who lack technique, hence rely on theatrics and gimmicks to express their craft, while at the same time some performance poets have a false and preconceived notion of page poets, as stuffy and boring - so to each there own, I guess.

Can you tell us a little about one of your personal favourite gigs to-date?
Oh wow, I don’t know, every experience is so different and enjoyable, but I suppose performing at my own show, Rum Punch is always a great experience for me, I guess because I’m so at home.

How about a nightmare one – had any of those?
[Laughs] Oh yeah, I don’t think any poet is without one of those. I won’t say what event it was, but there is a particular piece [of poetry] of mine that always seems to have quite a varied reaction, kind of like Marmite. The piece is called ‘Welcome to Jamrock!’. The piece was inspired by Damien Marley’s video of the same title, and the whole controversy surrounding it. The Minister of Tourism wanted to ban the airing of the video internationally, as he believed that it portrayed a negative image of Jamaica. So really, my poem is kind of a response to the Minister, and the whole affair. So, what happened at this particular event, a few Jamaican’s in the audience had a similar view to the Minister of Tourism at the time. I could feel and see the contempt as I delivered the piece, and after, one approached me about it… So yeah, that was a bit of a nightmare for me, performing and having people staring back at you with glaring eyes, not nice!

What has been your most inspiring moment, in terms of your performance career, so far?
It’s the response, and the love my Partna in Rhyme and I receive each month at Rum Punch and each year at Poetry in the Park that encourages me to strive for more and nothing but the best.

What has been your proudest moment, in terms of your performance career, to-date?
There are so many, it’s like a baby/child who learns to talk, then walk, then read, etc. My transition from poet to host, not only at my own events, but being approached by other people and organisations to compere. For example, Apples and Snakes in Soho that I’ve hosted before, which I don’t find very easy, but it’s becoming less difficult with time, and alcohol, [laughs], and also the success and continuity of Rum Punch and Poetry in the Park.

We know that you’re one half of poetry partnership, Partnas in Rhyme (PiR), can you tell us what it is that PiR do?
Partnas in Rhyme arrange and host monthly and seasonal, spoken word orientated events that incorporate other areas of the performing arts. We aim to provide a platform for new artists to showcase their talent and gain exposure, as well as the opportunity for established artists, to share and promote. We also attempt to gain the interest of those individuals who may not have a particular interest in such events, and moreso, to just bring the fun factor to poetry altogether.

Rumour on the street has it that you’re not only a performance poet, but that you also cite singing as one of your talents. Is there any truth in that, and can you tell us a little about your singing?
[Laughs], well, all I can say is one must never listen to rumours…but yes, I have been know to sing a note or two [Laughs]

What do you most enjoy about being a Performance Poet?
The appreciation of the truth and craftsmanship; the pain and the joy shared between the audience and myself, and the fact that it’s all me, and they like me.

Who would you cite as your influences, in terms of your writing and performing?
Ohhh, that’s a hard one. Various genres of music and other poets inspire me, both modern and traditional. My personal inspiration varies from one stage to the next, but if I have to be specific, I will have to say Mutabaruka, and Lorna Goodison.

If you could work with any other artist(s), dead or alive, who would you choose and why?
I would love to work with Amen Noir and Stevie Wonder – two greats!

Can you tell us about any forthcoming projects that you may have coming up?
Well, on
Thursday 1st July, we have the Rum Punch 2nd Anniversary event at Rudys Revenge in Holborn, and on Sunday 25th July, Poetry in the Park – the family-friendly, poetry picnic at Hyde Park (Cumberland Gate/Speakers Corner end).

Catch
Saran Green performing at ‘This is Poetry – Do not Panic!’ brought to you by Apples & Snakes, at Soho Theatre, tomorrow, Wednesday 16 June at 8pm
Tickets: £8 / £6 Information: 020 7478 0100 / Web
site



















Further info on Saran Green:
Partnas in Rhyme
Stanzas of Saran Green MySpace


Thursday 10 June 2010

One to Watch | EVENT: Poetry Gazebo

Endorsed by ONiT!


Poetry Gazebo - a FREE Spoken Word festival!
Come and here some stunning performers FREE at this beautiful community garden in the heart of London.

Date: Sunday, 13 June 2010
Time: 13:00 - 19:00
Venue: Culpeper Community Garden, 1 Cloudesley Road Islington London N1 0EG


Featuring:

Raymond Antrobus
Dean Atta
Dzifa Benson
Denrele
Cath Drake
Aisling Fahey
Abe Gibson
Miriam Halahmy
Sabrina Mahfouz
Karen McCarthy
Katrina Naomi
Courttia Newland
Esther Poyer
Baden Prince
Jacqueline Saphra
Heather Taylor

and Culpeper's Writer in Residence, Naomi Woddis


Raymond Antrobus is a photographer, performance poet and writer born and bred in East London.

Dean Atta Award-winning Poet, Presenter, Producer & Director, much of his success is down to the amazing company he keeps, Dean is Associate Artist at The Broadway Theatre in Barking, Creative Director of Silence Is Not Golden, a member of Point Blank Poets, Roundhouse Poetry Collective and Plain Janes Arts Collective. http://www.deanatta.co.uk/ deanatta@hotmail.com

Dzifa Benson is a well-established performer on the London poetry, literature and cabaret circuits. She has performed at Tate Britain, ICA and Glastonbury Festival among a host of other venues and been published in the Guardian, Evening Standard and Philosophy Now. Her work embraces cross-artforms and she was recently artist-in-residence at the Courtauld Institute of Art.

Denrele writes preposterous stories and a good few poems. Sometimes she performs them, sometimes she sings. She blogs at http://braincandy.tumblr.com/ and awaits the next big adventure.

Cath Drake has been published in Australia, UK and America, writing everything from poetry, stories, radio scripts, nature trails, newspaper and magazines articles and columns, books and oral histories. She runs writing workshops specialising in poetry and life story

Aisling Fahey is fast becoming known for standout, passionate performances and finely crafted verse. She won the Teenage Poetry Senior Slam in May 2009 and was also a recent winner of the Slambassadors competition which was run by the Poetry Society and BBC Blast.

Abe Gibson is a London-born poet, storyteller and fulltime caretaker with Hackney Council. He is the winner of The Voice Poet of the Year Award and performed at the Cheltenham Literary Festival in 2002. He has been writer in residence at Feltham Young Offenders Institution. Abe was a member of the Brothaman Poetry Collective and his poetry collection Violently Tender has recently been republished.

Miriam Halahmy is an author, poet and freelance journalist. She has published a novel, two poetry collections and short fiction for children and adults. Her cycle of three teen novels will be published by Meadowside Books, first title, HIDDEN, March 2011.

Sabrina Mahfouz was awarded the Westminster Prize for her first short play, That Boy, which was performed at Soho Theatre. She is currently on commission to Contact Theatre, Manchester and working on an exciting project called REMIX, to be showcased at BAC in May. Her appearances include BBC Radio 1; 1xtra; Apples & Snakes and Book Club Boutique.

Karen McCarthy was born in London to an English mother and Jamaican father. Her poetry pamphlet The Worshipful Company of Pomegranate Slicers was selected as a New Statesman Book of the Year. She is also an editor.

Katrina Naomi is the Bronte Parsonage Museum’s first writer-in-residence; a short collection, ‘Charlotte Bronte’s Corset’ will be published in 2010 by the Bronte Society. Her first full collection, ‘The Girl with the Cactus Handshake’ received an Arts Council England writer’s award, was published in November 2009 (Templar Poetry). www.katrinanaomi.co.uk

Courttia Newland published his first novel, The Scholar, in 1997. Further critically acclaimed work followed, including Society Within (1999) and Snakeskin (2002). He is the co-editor of the anthology IC3: The Penguin Book of New Black Writing in Britain (2000), his latest books include The Dying Wish (2006), and a collection of macabre short stories, Music for the Off-Key (2006). His latest anthology, which he co-edited with Monique Roffey, is Tell Tales 4: The Global Village (2009)

Esther Poyer has performed at The Albany Theatre, Millfields Theatre, The Gallery at Foyles and the London Barbican. Published work in (selected publications) include: The World According to Goldfish: Vol I Looking Past and Vol II Sight (2009); Blank Pages, Issue 4 (August 2008); A Bedtime Poem for Every Day of the Year, Annabel Cook, Ed (2006); and Within My World, Heather Killingray, Ed (2005) She is currently an MA Creative Writing student at Birkbeck University.

Baden Prince, writer, poet and performer; “Speakeasy” promoter and host. Baden’s chapbook, “Shadow Dancer,” is available from the tall-lighthouse press.

Deanna Rodger has performed all over London, including RADA Theatre, BAC and Lyric Theatre, Soho Theatre, Roundhouse and various artists launch parties. She has been writing for just under three years and has achieved the title of Farrago UK Poetry Slam Champion, toured Germany and competed in Paris coming 5th in the world championships (despite being drunk..) She was a finalist in the BBC Radio 4 Poetry slam and has featured on the nokia N96

Jacqueline Saphras pamphlet, ‘Rock’n’Roll Mamma’ was published by Flarestack. She won first prize in the Ledbury Poetry Competition and recently received Arts Council funding for first full collection, ‘The Kitchen of Lovely Contraptions’, which will be published by flipped eye later this year

Heather Taylor is a Canadian writer, performer and filmmaker. She tries as hard as possible to be on the go at any given moment but often stops for good coffee & vegan cake. www.heathertaylor.co.uk

and Culpeper's Writer in Residence, Naomi Woddis whose pamphlet “Life is Music” was published in 2007. Amongst other venues she has performed at the London Literature Festival - Southbank Centre, Courtauld Institute of Art, O2 Wireless Festival and Theatre Royal Stratford East.

Music from Thabani
British Zimbabwean singer songwriter Thabani Nyoni second album "Child of Independence" will be out soon. Debut album "Mind is a rebel" available on itunes, amazon...etc. Record Collector said that THABANI produce a classic 'Soulful Wall Of Sound', with TIME OUT magazine saying 'Thabani Nyoni brings the energy of a young 'James Brown' the voice of 'Marvin Gaye' and the songwriting influences of Curtis Mayfield and Fela Kuti'. http://www.thabani.com/



Words:
Writer in Residence at Culpeper Community Garden http://culpepercommunitygardenwriter.wordpress.com/
Poetry Mosaic, an online Poetry invention - http://poetrymosaic.wordpress.com
Moments of Chaos and Nostalgia - Photography by Dan Wesker and Poetry by Naomi Woddis http://momentsofchaosandnostalgia.wordpress.com/

Photography:

Contact:
07852 553 534

Friday 4 June 2010

INTERVIEW: Enrico Delves | Soul-D-Out (UK) Live!

Short. Sharp. Facts!

Name: Enrico Delves
Birthplace: East London
Repping: London Town
Musical Deb
ut: Singing since aged 10. Realised at 16, that this is my desired career.
Awards/Accomplishments:
  • Western Union MOBO 'Unsigned' Winner, 2008
  • Supporting artist for US artists Joe and Jagged Edge
  • Worked with UK artists Shola Ama, Eska and Shaun Escoffery to name a few

Q&A

The extremely talented, yet modest UK Singer/Songwriter that is
Enrico Delves has performed alongside international artists across the globe, as well as for Tom Cruise and John Travolta. Winner of Best Unsigned Artist at the 2008 MOBO’s, Delves is fast becoming a major force in the music world and is currently promoting his new EP. ONiT! had a quick catch up with him, prior to his performance at Soul-D-Out (UK) Live tonight, Friday 4 June.



How did you get involved with performing at Soul-D-Out (UK) Live?
I was in contact with one of the organisers for the event. When I was asked to perform, I was very interested because I had heard loads of positive comments about the Soul-D-Out Live showcase.



How would you describe your style as a performance artist?
POP/Electro/Acoustic



How did you first get into singing/songwriting?

At the age of 10, I found Michael Jackson's instrumental of his song, 'Man in the Mirror'. My Mum had the single at home and I would listen to the recording nearly every day, mimicing his voice, singing over the instrumental. My Mum overheard me a few weeks later and gave me some boasting words. That gave me the confidence to sing to my friends at primary school and their support pushed me to continue. The rest is history!



What has been your personal favourite gig so far?
Erm, that is a hard one to answer because I have had so many good experiences. I have 3 top gigs that I enjoyed performing; 'Remedy' showcase, Jazz cafe's 'Soul Jam' event and hopefully 'Soul-D-Out' [laughs].



Any nightmare gigs that you can share with us?
Yes! I have had many of those [laughs]. There was this performance at the International Black Film Awards in Birmingham. I was quite nervous because the cast from Eastenders were sitting at the front. My PA CD was severely scratched, so I had to start again, twice! Then it decided to jump to the next song and my voice cracked. I was sweating with embarrassment [laughs hard].



How did it feel to win your MOBO 'Best Unsigned' award?
I still can't believe it happened. It was overwhelming. All I can do is praise God for his blessings.



What has been your most inspiring moment?
My most inspiring moments have been when I am at shows, watching other up and coming artists that blow me away. I have a passion for music, so when I am touched by a composition, voice, performance, etc, I am inspired in a huge way.



What do you particularly enjoy about performing in London and/or the UK in general?
I just think people are open to all musical styles. As long as it is good, you capture the support of the audience. Also, I sing with a British accent, so it isn't really distracting to UK music supporters.



If you could work with any other recording artist(s), dead or alive, who would you choose?
I would work with a collective of artists; Michael Jackson, Rahsaan Patterson, Taio Cruz, Simply Red, Gnarls Barkley, Aaliyah and Otis Redding.



What can the audience expect from you at a performance?
They can expect to hear quality songs with ear grabbing melodies and a strong visual performance, that can only be described as Enrico Delves in action!



What performances and projects do you have coming up?
I am currently working on the campaign for my official debut single which is set for release later this year.

Also, I will be supporting for N-Dubz, Chipmunk and Ms Dynamite during July 2010.



Anything else you'd like to share with us
?
Yes, check out my latest EP, whch you can download for free here :)




You can see Enrico Delves live, TONIGHT (Friday 4 June), at Soul-D-Out (UK) Live!




For dinner reservations, please contact Cottons, in advance, on: 020 7833 3332/ http://www.cottons-restaurant.co.uk/. A two or three course meal will guarantee your entrance fee to the Soul-D-Out (UK) Live! show is frozen at the mere price of £8.


Doors open at 6pm
Show commences at 9:00pm sharp
After party
until 2:30am with music from RAMPAGE (BBC1Xtra)


Entry
£10 before 11pm/£12 after on door
Tickets available with your meal, if booked in advance, at the discounted fee of £8


Venue
Rhum Jungle
Cotton's Caribbean Restaurant
70, Exmouth Market
London EC1R 4QP

Nearest Tubes
Angel (Northern Line) / Farringdon (Hammersmith & City or Circle Line)



Listen to the Soul-D-Out Radio Show with D'Nyce on BANG Radio 103.6fm / http://www.bangradio.fm/ at 19:00 BST every Thursday for the very best in Soul music.



Soul-D-Out (UK) Live! where the soulful reside