EVENT: Style & Substance All Female Talent Showcase

Sistova Productions presents Style & Substance London's No.1 All Female Talent Showcase Tuesday 2nd August | 7:30pm * Click Flyer * Sistova Productions presents Style & Substance A Live Music Showcase bringing together and celebrating emerging female talent in the arts, in aid of raising awareness of charities that support women. Join your host, Dionne Reid and DJ Carmen Leigh in aid of charity, Ovarian Cancer UK Performances by: Michaela Coel | Cleo Sol | Moy Moy Indigo Williams | Kay Young | KGS Kaana Ellie & The Remedies and You! for a chance to share your talent, put your name on the Open Mic list on the night (first come, first served) Venue The Queen of Hoxton, 1-5 Curtain Road, London EC2A 3JX Closest Transport Links Liverpool Street/Shoreditch High Street Entry: £6 on guest list before 8pm | £8 at the door Guest List: Email names to guestlist@sistova.com *Exclusive Artist Interviews* Click on artist names above to read their exclusive featured interviews SISTOVA A Sisterhood Inspiring a Sense of Togetherness, giving Opportunities and Voicing Ambition

INTERVIEW: Kaana Ellie

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Name:

Kaana Ellie

Repping:

Music as Remedy

Birthplace:

Camden

Lives:

Tottenham

Awards/Accomplishments:

Head of Music, Media and Performing Arts projects for young people in Haringey, before the government decided the kids weren't important.

Q&A

Describe Kanna Ellie in 5 words…

“Lickle but Talawa”, Powerful, Energetic and Wild

What’s your favourite guilty pleasure?

Eating custard creams in bed.

What came first, the chicken or the egg?

[Laughs] "Chicken" comes before the word Egg [laughs] I’m so smart!

If you were a fruit what fruit would you be and why?

Passion Fruit, not sure why but it sounded sexy.

Since it’s supposed to be “Summer”, what’s your favourite thing to do in the park?

Swim and Eat.

ONiT! Is very excited about your upcoming performance at Style and Substance next week. With such an amazing line up of artists, what are you planning to do to wow the crowd?

I'm gonna take off my six inch heels and shake what my father gave me [laughs], the saddest thing about this interview is I actually find myself amusing [laughs]. Really though, I plan to wow the crowd with good music, alongside my band.

Ah yes, we know you regularly perform live with your 7 piece band, The Remedies. Can we expect to see them at Style and Substance too?

The band are out there playing hard with other artists but for Style and Substance they will be coming back home, back to the beginning, to play with their big Sister - they are amazing. We have good energy and write great songs together. . I have missed them, so the answer to your question is YES!

Wicked! You have such a powerful soulful voice - do you do anything to vocally prepare for a show?

I shut up my mouth, look miserable and pray. It helps me preserve energy for the stage and the show, where I let it all out.

Do you have other any pre-performance rituals?

No not really. I always go to the toilet before the show and do a number 2, then pray. Strange place to pray but it works.

[Laughs] OK! Who are your greatest influences?

The Remedies, my fans, family and love.

Is there an artist or performance that you’ve recently seen that blew you away?

I did not like Rihanna until I saw her pop style on X Factor.

Let’s pretend I’ve just given you £6,000 for you spend on a dream holiday. Where would you go and how would you spend it all?

I'd go to Tanzania, where my mum was born, to sing and live like the Queen!

What’s been your best or worst performance experience so far?

My worst performance was when I forgot my lyrics on stage at a charity event like Amy Winehouse*. The worst thing was, I was sober.

Will we be hearing any material from your new album Now or Never at the show?

My God yeah, It’s all I've got [laughs] and the album is finally due to drop this year.

So, all that said, where can we find you performing next?

I'll be performing at Style & Substance on Tuesday 2nd August at Queen of Hoxton, 1-5 Curtain Road, LONDON EC2A 3JX (Full info)

When and where can fans get a copy of your new album?

The album will be available in September, via iTunes, Amazon and http://kaanaellie.bandcamp.com

Lastly, where can we find you outside of the stage?

You can find me in North London, the sunny side of Tottenham. Alternatively, you can be cheap and Facebook or Tweet me via 'Kaanaellie'.

EDITORS NOTE: This interview was produced before the passing of Amy Winehouse - no disrespect is intended to her or her family.

Words: Shorntay Allen

Video: Courtesy of d'nyce (Soul-of-the-UK Live)

INTERVIEW: Moy Moy Artist

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Name:
Moya Morris aka MoyMoy Artist

Repping:UK/JA

Birthplace:
East London

Lives:
Essex

Artist Debut:
Moy Moy -Let Me Go: Tha Mixtape

Awards/Accomplishments:
Midlands tour - performed in Sheffield, Kent, Nottingham, Leeds, Birmingham, West Bromwich as well as London shows.
Radio play on Choice FM and BBC Radio 1xtra.
Travelled to South of France and Italy to make music.
Over 50,000 views in 3months on 'Put Ina Di Work' on YouTube.



Q&A


What came first, the chicken or the egg?
Aaarrrrr I don’t know!!! You need a chicken to make the egg, and an egg to make a chicken. I need to google it ;-).

What’s your favourite guilty pleasure?
White chocolate.


If you were a fruit, which would you be and why?
Strawberries- they are presentable, yet exotic!


Since it’s supposed to be “Summer”, what’s your favourite thing to do in the park?
Look up to the sky and gain inspiration for my music.


Describe Moy Moy in 5 words….
Hip-Hop artist with dancehall vibes.


Where does your dancehall influence come from?
Both of my parents are from Jamaica - my mum born was on the island, and my dad born here in the UK, but both of his parents were born in Jamaica. Reggae has been a prominent genre of music played in my household from a young age, and I like to represent for my family in my work.





ONiT! Is very excited about your upcoming performance at Style and Substance next week. With such an amazing line up of artists, what are you planning to do to wow the crowd?
You’ll just have to wait and see I’m afraid. I always give a taster of unheard material when I’m live, so hopefully the audience will enjoy.

We love your current mix-tape 'Let Me Go' - can we expect to hear you perform any tracks from it at Style and Substance?
Yeah, without a shadow of a doubt - and I’m touched that you’re feeling my stuff, thank you.


Only talking the truth out here! Where does your dancehall influence come from?
Both of my parents are from Jamaica- my mum born on the island, and my dad born here in the UK, but both of his parents born in Jamaica. Reggae has been a prominent genre of music played in my household from a young age, and I like to represent for my family in my work.


How did it feel when you first heard your music played on radio stations such as Choice FM and BBC 1xtra?
Euphoric - it makes the hard work worth it when you hear your own music played and you feel appreciated by others. Anticipating that radio play makes my music reach wider audiences and gives me the motivation to continue. Any reward for your efforts always feels great!

Do you feel it’s harder or easier for female rappers like yourself to become established in the industry as opposed to male rappers?
Both. It’s easier because of the ratio to male rappers. There are not many female rappers, so it’s easier to get attention in terms of competition. It’s more difficult because females can get bitchy. Haters slandering you can have more of an effect on a female than a male in this industry.


Do you have any pre-performance rituals?
Ermmm… [I] feel sick!! I get so nervous before performing it’s unreal; I think I’m getting good at hiding it though [laughs]. But seriously, my pre-performance ritual is prayer; I ask for His guidance and for Him to give me the confidence to take the stage. He never lets me down.


Who are your greatest influences?
Buju Banton, Lauryn Hill, Drake, Lily Allen, Tinie Tempah.


Is there an artist or performance that you’ve recently seen that blew you away?
Drake and Jessie J gave performances that really impressed me. Their energy, stage presence and clarity were on point. What really made me smile was the diversity in the audience. When you touch people of all kinds, you must be doing something right.

What inspires you to write?
Two things: the beat, and my life. I am an observational artist so everything I see, hear or do is embedded in my lyrics somehow, in some way. I just play the beat and whatever comes to my head first, I write it down. A word or phrase in that first line may make me think of something else- so I’ll write that down too. I’ll gain an idea of concept by the fourth line, and gear it towards a conclusion by the end.


Let’s pretend I’ve just given you £6,000 for you spend on a dream holiday. Where would you go and how would you spend it all?
Fiji! It just seems so beautiful. I would spend the money on an all-inclusive treat-me-like-a-queen package. Cos one day I’ll want to go waterskiing, the next day I’ll want to be getting my hair and nails done [laughs]


What’s been your best performance experience so far?
I think the best has been Notting Hill Carnival. The crowd was so big, and so hyped up over what I was doing it was overwhelming. I love music and the feeling it brings when I write and record; but performing makes me feel like I’m on cloud nine. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

So, all that said, where can we find you performing next?

I'll be performing at Style & Substance on Tuesday 2nd August at Queen of Hoxton, 1-5 Curtain Road, LONDON EC2A 3JX (Full info)

Lastly, where can we find you outside of the stage?

Web | Twitter | Facebook | Reverbnation | Soundcloud

Words by: Shorntay Allen

INTERVIEW: Indigo Williams

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Name: Indigo

Repping: Love

Birthplace: Nigeria

Lives: London

Poetry Debut: Early 2010 at The Roundhouse

Q&A

Describe Indigo Williams in 5 words…

Loving, introspective, spiritual, passionate, reclusive.

What’s your favourite guilty pleasure?

Keeping up with the Kardashians *she bows her head in shame*

What came first, the chicken or the egg?

The chicken. It probably evolved from something else and became a chicken that laid an egg.

If you were a fruit what fruit would you be and why?

A strawberry, because they’re my favourite

Since it’s supposed to be “Summer”, what’s your favourite thing to do in the park?

Listen.

ONiT! Is very excited about your upcoming performance at Style and Substance next month. With such an amazing line up of artists, what are you planning to do to wow the crowd?

Lol this is a funny question. I don’t really think about wowing the crowd, I just hope to share something that touches, moves or simply connects with someone.

Will we be hearing any poetry from your current EP “Growing Pains” at the show?

Oooo you’ll have to wait and see.

We know you’ve performed at some MAJOR events such as The Big Chill Festival and the iTunes Festival. Are there any other major events/festivals/shows that you are hoping to ambush with your talent (other than Style and Substance of course!)?

“Ambush with my talent,” hahaha you’re great I like you. To be honest my train of thought hasn’t been on performance. I’ve been investing a lot of time working on my page work and just studying the craft, to improve in general. It is possible to be gifted but lack skill and so performing isn’t hard, wowing people isn’t hard but neither of the two are things that rank highly on my priority list. Performing anywhere is always an honour; I think there is something beautifully powerful about strangers opening themselves up to you and so standing on a stage is somewhat of a sacred act for me.

Do you have any pre-performance rituals?

Going over my lines in my head [laughs] and breathing!

Who are your greatest influences?

Oh lord, we could be here forever. Li Young Lee is currently the person who has majorly impacted my whole approach to poetry and art in general. He has the most unique and esoteric approach to his work. I can relate deeply to that, he was the first poet for me where I could see myself in his work and his attitude to art. My drive to write comes from my drive to understand things; I am always trying to understand myself, humanity and the universe. Life is my greatest influence.

Is there an artist or performance that you’ve recently seen that blew you away?

Warsan Shire and I have a lot of respect for Kayo Chingonyi.

Let’s pretend I’ve just given you £6,000 for you spend on a dream holiday. Where would you go and how would you spend it all?

OH IF ONLY! A trip across Asia with my mum and close friends.

What’s been your best or worst performance experience so far?

I tend to black out during performances so generally I don’t remember them. But the best....the best is never on the stage, it's always after when someone reaches out to say they connected with you. I can’t think of a particular performance, I can only think of particular people. To answer the question though, I guess I’ll say, my debut performance at the Roundhouse, the energy was amazing.

My worst is always when I don’t mean what I say in that moment, which is everything I’m not. For some time, I felt this way, which is why I stopped performing and took a hiatus to just sit down and listen.

Describe your performance style…?

I don’t know. It’s changing so I don’t know.

So, all that said, where can we find you performing next?

I'll be performing at Style & Substance on Tuesday 2nd August at Queen of Hoxton, 1-5 Curtain Road, LONDON EC2A 3JX (Full info)

Lastly, where can we find you outside of the stage?

READ MY BLOG...not that I’m begging - nah, I’m totally begging and it’s fine, read my blog!! LOOOL

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Words by: Shorntay Allen