Erika Fedele recently participated in the exchange and flew to London with Tkay Maidza and 5 other participants to collaborate and learn from the the Nando’s Music Exchange mentors to learn and exchange ideas on music.  We caught up with Erika to talk about her music influences. 

1. Joni Mitchell 

Every time I listen too Blue I feel vulnerable, raw and connected, her lyrics are like poetry set to music. She is an honest writer, expressing autobiographical emotions of love and heartbreak. You can almost feel her pain through her ethereal, expressive vocals. I’ve Cried way too many times to Both Sides now. A timeless masterpiece.

 

2. Lauryn Hill -The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill/MTV Unplugged No.2.0 was my introduction too hip-hop. It’s a philosophical statement to herself, her spirituality, her relationships with men, and her connection to culture as a young black woman. Its fearless, poetic, empowering and cheeky. Mr International made me feel connected to myself and to trust in God.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pb7KjMTgK-Q&app=desktop

 

3. Regina Specktor

Begin to hope is my favourite album; Regina is a quirky, eccentric singer songwriter who challengers her listens with creativity anchored by her classical piano playing. Her music plays on themes of love, humour and childhood imagination. I can feel magical, silly, melancholic, and she reminds me to feel connected to my heritage and take risks as a songwriter. Samson is a tear jerker so sweet yet, so sad…I just think of the fragility of love.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=p62rfWxs6a8&app=desktop

 

4. Grimes-  Grimes does everything herself, writes, produces, mixes her tracks, directs her films clips, and creates the artwork for her albums – this is very inspiring for women in music industry. I loved her album Art

Angles, it’s an energetic, eclectic reinvention of pop music. She experiments with orchestral electronics, high pitched sassy vocals and screams and driving booming rhythms. She is intelligent, a fashion icon with a cool creative pastiche; the film clip for Venus fly with Janelle Monae is incredible.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTLTXDHrgtw&app=desktop

 

5. Kate Bush-  Wuthering Heights is one of my favourite songs/film clips. As a child I remember dancing around the living room with my father watching the dust particles in the air as the sun shone through the window and my father telling me that she was the most beautiful woman in the world. I wanted to be like her, I thought she was graceful, yet held a strong presence. Kate takes on the character Cathy from the novel Wuthering Heights and calls for the soul of Heathcliff. Her voice is eerie and unique, singing in a high pitched whaling that is ghostly. I feel almost supernatural when I hear this song.

 

 

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