Krip-Hop Nation (KHN) color:black"> – Lachi, wow, just found your music and story and I love it! Lets go back to your roots in Nigeria, Africa. Tell us, what is it like for women and Blind people/musicians in Nigeria and why your family moved to the US? Have you gone back?
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Lachi: My parents came to the U.S. in the late seventies for educational opportunities. I was born here in Maryland, though my older sisters were born in Nigeria. I have gone back on several occasions allowing me to see just how much I take for granted every time. Women and people with disability are not given nearly the same opportunities as they are here in the U.S, but there is a sense of contented happiness and zest for life back in the home land that we who continue to want more and more can only dream to have.
KHN: Anybody in your family into music and if no how did they support your talents?
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Lachi: I along with my mother participated in the church choir, my two brothers explored the drums and guitar, and my four sisters had a small dance troop when they were much younger. I, however, was the only one who took it not only to an academic level at UNC and NYU, but also to full-fledged performance and recording. My family has always been supportive and has done a great job at keeping me grounded.
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KHN: Now you’re living in New York. Tell us your experiences in NY as a woman/a blind woman from a different country striving with your music.
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Lachi: The driving force of the Faits brought me to NYC, and upon moving here from North Carolina, it’s been a crazy, intense, but overall great decision to come to the big city. There is a constant life-pulse, a moving wave of the type of genuine authenticity many people are not and may never be ready to delve into. A place where you move to in order to experience the struggle, as success in NYC lies within the struggle and the constant push. Being a blind female that was not coddled growing up and encouraged to be independent, NYC is perfect for me. A place where a place where a cop, a Crazy, a businessman and the governor can sit next to each other on the subway….all just trying to get home from a hard days work.
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KHN: Throughout my years of researching disabled/blind musicians from Blues to Hip-Hop I always come across a lack of disabled/blind musicians who are women. Tell us about your group and your work with Visionary Media.
Lachi: Being a blind female isn’t easy…but I’m sure that everyone has their “thing” that makes life difficult in some ways for them. Part of the problem for blind female musicians is the self-motivation and drive needed in todays (non record label coddling / DIY) market. Today you have to be a business woman, tour manager, booking agent, producer, songwriter, publicist, social media guru, and investor for your own project. That’s hard enough for someone with no odds against him or her. But with set backs such as, not being able to drive, not being able to read physical social cues, it being hard for females, blacks and disabled people in general to land a job, let alone someone with all three…it makes for not the easiest of winding roads. However, again the struggle is always worth it. When I get off the stage of a big successful show we put together, and someone in the audience says to me, “wow what a great show!” It makes the entire struggle worth it, and makes for a much greater personal reward, knowing the odds I had that were stacked against me.
KHN: I LOVE your storytelling that your songs provide. I’ve been waiting for a storytelling song about the hidden history of blind women in music. Hint hint but how do you write your lyrics? Is it a story first then a song or other way around?
Lachi: The way I write songs differ per song. I’ve heard two Asians speaking in their melodic language on the subway, and borrowed a melody from them. Or I’ll hear a series of car horns go off in a barrage of interesting intervals and turn that into a repeating guitar riff. In terms of lyrics, sometimes I will borrow from my existential musings on life and personal experiences or unanswered questions. For example, I’d recently wondered…Why is it that we laugh? Is it just because something is funny? Upon my quest to find a true resonating solution, I wrote a song to help me shape the question and find the answer called, “Sweet Agony,” because after all, laughter is a good-natured defense mechanism. When going through hardships, I often find myself confiding in my piano or gossiping to my guitar….and voila! Another song is born.
KHN: It seems from your albums you straddle various types of music. What was the inspiration behind the Jazzy song, Jazz Trip,?
Lachi: Jazz Trip is just that…a trip down Jazzy lane ripe with full paragraphs of idioms in the language of scat, and fun jazz chord progressions. My girls Lady Day, Ella, Eta, Nina and my boy Louis, have always influenced me. Part of me secretly wants to keep jazz (especially the awesome element of scatting) alive, so more often than not, you will find small slivers of scats even in my rock and pop songs, i.e. in the introduces of my rock tunes “Dear Happiness” and “Ugly Beautiful.”
KHN: What flavor is the new CD?
Lachi: The new CD is an accessible mix of Rock and Pop with elements of Urban and Dance. For me it’s always about the melody and lyrics and being able to make music that moves on a subconscious level…that celebrates truth and realness….positivity and inner strength regardless of genre.
KHN: Your band is off the hook. Tell us about the members and how you all meet and explain the name of the band.
Lachi: Lachi is my middle name, short for Ulachi. Ulachi in Igbo (one of many Nigerian languages) means Ring of God. My mom named me that as my second middle name, since because I was legally blind, she had to carry me everywhere with her when I was a baby, like a ring. But I feel, we are all rings of God since all being, and everything in existence far beyond what we can see in this universe combines to form It that is God. And because we are all just infinitely small rings of God, we should celebrate who and what we truly are inside, and try our best to be real, honest with ourselves and those around us, and to encourage others to do the same. The best way I can do that is through music. I currently play with a group of guys that are super talented and amazing! We’re great friends along with being band mates. Even long hours of rehearsal are a great time!
KHN: I saw on YouTube that you did a song for President Obama. Tell us why you did that song and do you like writing political songs and if so can you share a chorus?
Lachi: During Obama’s first run for presidency, I was very active in trying to get the word out for people to vote for O! This included the fun little song I’d put together. I am, however, not into writing political songs, at least not for the sake of politics. I am more into sociopolitical songs…songs that don’t necessarily sing to how the government needs to change, but to how we as individuals need to be the change we want to see…need to stop pointing out others flaws and start changing people by living better and having others see that and want to change. There is one universal issue that all humans relate to (not break ups, not problems with the government, not longing), and it’s dealing with insecurity. That’s what I tend to write about. Here’s a verse from a song “Make Who You Are” that will be coming out on the new album, “Make Some Noise,” in early 2013
“See we all have big big dreams to be astronauts and use big machines
But we fall off track torn at the seams with responsibility.
And then we get all grown up, and we’ve had enough
And it gets real hard to trust, and it gets real hard to love, and easy to give up.
But you are the only one with your face
And no one in the world can take…..your place.”
KHN: Can you explain the song, Ugly Beautiful,?
Lachi: Sometimes it is the things we (or society) feels is the most ugly thing about us that makes us beautiful. I often would wonder what life would be like if I were not legally bling, if I were this or if I were that. Would I have embraced and honed my musical talents? Would I have moved to the city? Would I find so much internal pride in my successes? I don’t believe so. I have also often found that people who go through very difficult hardships, or bullies who learn there errs of their ways in a grand fashion, or someone who’s experienced deep loss, they end up being some of the most beautiful people you will ever meet, despite the past ugliness…in fact, because of the past ugliness.
KHN: I saw a YouTube video that you were doing a song with somebody who was rapping. Would you ever collaborate or do your own Hip-Hop song?
Lachi: YES! Stay tuned for the upcoming album. There are some awesome hip-hop collabs that I won’t give away yet. But the short answer is a resounding yes. I’ve always been a fan of the marriage of angst rock and hip hop i.e. Linkin Park / Jay Z or even pop and urban like BOB and Haley Williams.
KHN: What do you think about all of these music contest television shows like the Voice & the X Factor etc.?
Lachi: I think they are entertaining for those who like reality contest shows, and I also feel they can be a good stepping stone for artists who do not have the faculty to be their own machine since it is very difficult these days. I don’t believe in the concept of corporate sell out, as selling out is something that happens inside your heart. You can still be true to yourself and your goals even if you perform on those shows, so more power to ‘em.
KHN: What is in your future?
Lachi: No matter what happens, I plan to continue to write, produce and perform music. I do have a good ol’ fallback day gig, but I am a musician and always will be, no matter what.
KHN: As a poet, some of your songs fit into like an open mic. Have you ever worked with poets?
Lachi: I have not yet, but it’s not something I’m opposed to…could be an interesting foray.
KHN: As we all know there are so much isms in the music industry, as a blind woman of color what can you say about that and advice to other disabled/blind women of color who wants to break in music?
Lachi: Try your best to know how to do everything on your own, this way it’s hard for you to get cheated. Music is a business, so be the CEO! Be confident, alert and knowledgeable, and always continue to hone your craft. But most importantly…be good to people. If someone hurts you, even if on purpose, be the bigger person…it will get you a very long way.
KHN: Will you and your band do a tour anytime soon?
Lachi: We are working on putting together 2013 dates now. Stay tuned to www.lachimusic.com, twitter and Facebook to see upcoming dates!
KHN: Is it hard to be the front person in a band as a woman and will you ever do a solo album?
Lachi: Maintaining a band has its ups and downs, but the energy is always great, especially when you play with a group of people you love and respect. I have been throwing around the idea of a solo album…though it wouldn’t be solo at all…it would be a duet between me and a piano. It will happen.
KHN: Any last words and how can people reach you and your band?
Lachi: People can find out more about all things Lachi at www.lachimusic.com, where you can join the mailing list and receive a free track! Twitter.com/ulachi and facebook.com/lachimusic, as well as YouTube, soundcloud, iTunes…all the usual online portals. Stay tuned for the upcoming album in first quarter 2013! And, of course, thanks much to Krip-Hop Nation for such an insightful and fun discussion.