ALIIRA
About the Release:
My release includes three tracks. The most interesting and emotional connection I think I have is with the first track, “Emirembe.”
When the war started in my country, I abandoned music altogether, and “Emirembe” ( “Emirembe” is a word from Luganda, one of the Bantu languages spoken in Uganda. It means “peace.”) became my first significant and serious project when I started to recover from what was happening. This track even became a catharsis for me, a sort of prayer to change the situation.
It might sound childishly naive, but this was how I was able to channel my pain and the will of millions of Ukrainians into beautiful music, vocals, and lyrics. By the way, I wrote the lyrics myself. I also found the vocalists from Uganda, rehearsed with them, and showed them what I wanted.
I won’t hide that, musically, Black Coffee was a significant inspiration for me in this track. Perhaps many people will hear similarities with some of his tracks. For me, this was an inspiration, and I don’t consider it plagiarism because I openly acknowledge it. His work resonates with me deeply.
The most challenging part for me was finding the vocalists and creating the melody exactly as I envisioned it. The lyrics came very easily because they were already in my heart. From the moment of conception to the track’s release, an entire year passed.
Connection with Cafe De Anatolia:
I really love the Cafe De Anatolia label. The music they release inspires me greatly. It’s a very soulful blend of beautiful organic, natural sounds with electronic music. Of course, I dreamed of releasing my tracks there.
After all, this is exactly what I love and what resonates with me.
My best friend is a visual artist and isn’t particularly knowledgeable about music labels. But when she found out that my release would be on Cafe De Anatolia, she was very surprised and very happy because, according to her, Cafe De Anatolia is the only playlist she listens to while painting.
Because it is precisely this music that makes her want to create. Isn’t that wonderful?
Tell Us More About Yourself & Your Music Career:
My musical career, along with my acting career, started much like it did for many people—during childhood. We had a piano that my mother and aunt had learned on, and I taught myself how to play it by ear. I loved playing the game “Guess the Melody” with my grandmother. I adored music so much that even though I didn’t understand the lyrics of English songs, I would write them down phonetically in my language as I heard them, and then sing and dance.
I would perform for my friends, take my boombox (a cordless one with a flashlight, who remembers the ’90s?) outside, set up some lights, and we’d dance, even breakdance. That was the best time of my childhood, I believe.
Later, I recorded my favorite tracks from the radio onto a cassette tape. I studied piano in school and then at the university. Music always had a profound effect on me; it would take my breath away, especially certain harmonies and moments that gave me goosebumps. I noticed this magical quality from a very young age. I also danced, and for me, music combined with movement was pure magic.
In university, I started learning DJing while I was studying acting. Later, I realized that these two professions would always be a part of me. Eventually, I began learning music production, which wasn’t easy. I postponed it for a long time, believing that the genius in the electronic music world was too high a bar for me to reach. However, I decided to go for it and have been working through my perfectionism, aiming to release something rather than nothing at all. Perfectionism is the enemy of good, and I’m on my path.
As for when I fell in love with electronic music, I vividly remember the tracks from the ’90s and early 2000s, especially from the group Music Instructor. Even now, talking and writing about it gives me goosebumps. These melodies are etched in my memory forever. By the way, I just had an idea to remix these tracks to give them new life, as I see that none of my friends know this group, but their tracks are amazing.
When I began learning DJing, my partner and I created the project Duo Husky, which turned out to be quite successful. Before the pandemic, we toured extensively—47 countries or so. I traveled with my solo project as well, but we toured a lot as a duo. Of course, after the pandemic and with the war in our country, everything changed. We couldn’t work; it was very difficult for us. Now, I consider this a new chapter in life for both my partner and me. I wouldn’t say it’s starting from scratch, but it’s definitely a new phase in my career.
Where Do You Find Inspiration?
It might sound strange, but I often find inspiration in silence, when nothing is playing or speaking, and I’m alone. The only sounds I might hear are those of nature—the sea, birds, the rustling of the wind. In these moments, it’s important to let your inner child come out and play, allowing yourself complete freedom. This is my inspiration.
Of course, books and the music of other artists also inspire me. Inspiration can come from routine activities, too. Whether I’m washing dishes or cooking, if I don’t burden my mind with unnecessary thoughts and allow it to relax, amazing ideas can emerge.
Different forms of art inspire me as well. Even simple things like playing games with friends, taking a walk with a loved one, or laughing can spark my creativity. Sometimes, just laughing is enough to inspire me.
Who Are Your Musical Influences?
Black Coffee, Zakes Bantwini, Kasango, Phonique, Pablo Fierro, Hugel
What Are Your Latest Releases?
These three tracks are both my latest release and my first. I have also finished two new tracks, and we are currently in negotiations for their release on a label.
Are You Working on Something New?
Yes, I’m currently working on my first remix of a very interesting and somewhat popular song in certain circles—a beautiful mantra that holds personal memories and associations for me. I can’t reveal the exact title yet, as it’s still in progress. But I really hope this remix turns out well. I’m also working on my first collaborations with other artists and preparing to record my first track with my own vocals. It’s very exciting, and I’m thrilled to take on such “creative risks”! Let’s see how it goes!
What’s the Best Piece of Advice Another Musician Ever Gave You?
My friend, the DJ and producer WHITENO1SE, once gave me advice that I’ve always remembered: never rely on an agent, manager, or someone else to discover your talent, help you secure a good job, or invest in your project.
Invest in yourself, do everything on your own, start by yourself, and don’t depend on anyone else. Then, eventually, you’ll be able to hire a manager, assistant, or anyone you need.
I’d add from my own experience: once you start and take action, people, opportunities, and money will come to help you.
Don’t wait for a label to contact you about your tracks. You can send your tracks to them yourself. Choose the label you want and submit your material.
That’s how it happened with Cafe de Anatolia. I really wanted to release my tracks on that label. And it happened.
How Do You Stay Motivated and Inspired to Continue Creating Music, Especially During Times When Inspiration Might Be Elusive?
You know, I have another profession as well—I am an actress. In this profession, I often need inspiration, even just to record auditions or learn lines. In such cases, I look for different techniques, I experiment, I try things, and I trust my intuition. But the main piece of advice I can give is to keep your phone far away. Unless you’re using it to record ideas, that’s fine. But nothing else—no social media. In fact, sometimes I completely delete social media apps from my phone. They are the main addiction in our lives, stealing our time and creativity, and cluttering our minds.
I love social media; they can be very useful. Sometimes they can be. So I don’t quit them entirely. Plus, you can really meet new people and collaborate, which is something I’m currently doing. But you need to know how to use them properly.
So, often for inspiration, I simply don’t believe in the idea that if inspiration isn’t there, you can’t do anything about it. No, you can do something. It’s all in your hands. You can artificially create an atmosphere, find a beautiful place, go out into nature, or work in a co-working space. Create a special atmosphere at home with lighting, candles, cleaning up, and getting rid of clutter. Dress up nicely—specifically, think about what kind of track you want to write or what lyrics you want to compose. Imagine how you would look in that moment and dress accordingly. This can also have an impact.
There is a lot written about this in Julia Cameron’s “The Artist’s Way” and Elizabeth Gilbert’s “Big Magic.” I highly recommend these books to all creative people, and we are all creative. They explain this in detail. For example, I write morning pages every morning. This really helps clear your mind of unnecessary clutter that we often wake up with, especially when the first thing we do is open our phones and read the news, and so on. Plus, it helps you understand what’s happening with you right now. What pressing issue is bothering you? Maybe it just needs to be resolved, which is why you can’t write anything.
But overall, this is a very interesting topic, and I regularly try and practice different things.
EP Title: Emirembe by ALIIRA released by Cafe De Anatolia (Tracks: ALIIRA – Emirembe; ALIIRA – Bambasini; ALIIRA – So Good) Release Date: 19.07.24