Nem Interview by Supah Frans
(Click aquí para la versión en Castellano)
Yaman! Irie Supahs:
Here I come again with a new interview. This time I had the pleasure to ask some questions to Nem. This versatile Scottish artist surprised me with her song ‘Purest Force’in collaboration with Mighty Oak, produced by Jofis, and remixed by Mungos Hi-FI.Are you interested in knowing more about her? Let’s go!
1- What or who has motivated you to start to sing?
Nem: It is something that I’ve always wanted to do, but never pushed myself or had the courage to. For years I have expressed my internal world with painting pictures. I went through a period of time in my life when I stopped painting. I lost inspiration and from nowhere, I just began writing! This is where the process started.
2- Does your name NEM have any special meaning?
Nem: Ha! well… yes….Nem is a nickname given to me at school. My real name is Naomi. Only my dad calls me that though! Nem has stuck, so I use that as my singer and selector name. I figured if people saw that on a poster they would know it’s me! Ha ha not many people are called Nem. Nem actually means ‘Spring roll’ in french, that always makes me laugh. In Hungarian it means ‘not possible’ ha ha. And I think in Kurdish, someone told me once, it means ‘humid’!?
3- How did the recording of Purest force with Jofis – Mighty Oak?
Nem: Me and Jofis met at a festival and we hung out. We became good friends. I had no idea what sort of music he made when I first met him. I said to him I had some lyrics and wanted to make a song. He sent me some tracks and that one sprang out at me, so we recorded it! It was a very beautiful time. It came from a mutual understanding about the earth and mother nature. It was recorded in the back of a truck I was living in at the time. The acoustics where great inside the truck!
4- Scotch Bonnet included the remix of your song on their Puffers Choice compilation album last 2018. How did you feel when you received the news?
Nem: I was really happy and very excited. It all happened the same time me and three of my friends bought the sound system……
There was a lovely man called Kenny in Glasgow who ran a sound system called Bass Warrior. He very sadly died, and it was at his funeral that I sat having a pint afterwards with Craig from Mungo’s Hi-fi. He asked me if he could remix the tune. Of course I said yes, as I love Mungos Hi-Fi and the tunes that Craig and Tom produce. Craig made a beautiful version that comes from somewhere else that I never would have expected or imagined. He is a great inspiration to me.
5- Can you tell us about your facet as selector an soundsystem operator?
Nem: It all started when I used to sneak into my older sister’s bedroom while she was out and play her records. She was 8 years older than me and had ALLOT of dub vinyl. I had never heard anything like that before and it fascinated me.
I have been collecting records and selecting them since I was 18, so….. 20 years now! I used to put on and organize nights at university and in Essex where I am from. I started as a hip-hop selector. My style has changed and moved around over the years. Reggae, especially roots, is my passion, but I am known to play a mixture of genres as well. There is nothing like being nervous before a crowd of people and then getting that feeling you are helping them dance and let go of the worries of life. I think when it’s your own productions you are playing as a DJ, that must be even more intense.
So, I am now part of North Fire Sound. We are a collective of four people. It was on the same day, Kenny’s funeral, that we bought the soundsystem from Jerome. Jerome built and engineers the Mungo’s Hi-Fi rig and built his own one after, called ‘Bass Alliance’. We then bought this from him collectively in 2017. It is quite beautiful that it all happen on that day. Kenny would have liked that!
It is something we have all wanted to do individually for some time. We have been friends for years and it all came about at the right time when Jerome was thinking of selling it.
We took the sound system to Reggae Sun Ska festival in Bordeaux that same summer. Jerome asked if we would link it with the Mungo’s rig for the stage with Legal Shot. This was a massive opportunity and one we will all never forget. Legal shot were so welcoming and fun to be around. We had an amazing time!
Jerome and the Mungo’s family have been very kind to us and supported us with our dream of running a sound system. It has been amazing to meet a collective like them. They have similar values to us and to see them so successful in the scene, is a real inspiration.
6- Do you plan to release more songs soon?
Nem: Yes I do. I have a few projects on the go at the moment and will have more coming soon.
7- What are your expectations as a Singer?
Nem: I want to carry on writing and singing. I want to host more on the mic with the sound system too. It’s intimidating sometimes but, it’s very important to me that I remain myself, I sing and speak my truth. I also like the recording process where there isn’t as much pressure to perform. I have started to sing while I am selecting and that is a challenge! but one that I am embracing as often as possible!
Keep U IRIE!
Autor: Supah Frans ( supahfrans@gmail.com).
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