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Interview with NDIDI’O in Paris
©DR
NDIDI’O, why are you being in Paris right now?
Well, I am in Paris because I made a record in France; it’s my newest record called ‘The Escape’. So it was easiest for me to be based in Paris. But now, I have more reasons to be based in Paris – love.
How long have you been living in France?
I’ve been travelling between France and Canada for two years, or two and a half years. So, I’d go back and forth, back and forth. But now I plan on staying here for a little while.
You produced your album ‘The Escape’ when you came to France. What did you want to escape from?
Well, there are a lot of things I would like to escape from. But the reason why I entitled that record ‘The Escape’ was because for me, these songs were like… I wrote them from my heart, based on situations I saw, other people’s stories, a bit of my own stories. But they all came from my heart. So, when I’m singing or playing or writing from my heart, I’m free from judgment, and from all of those negative qualities I possess. And I’m free from seeing the negative things in the world. And that is what I want to escape from - the idea of negative perception and a lack of hope; so that is what I want to escape from – from a negative me to a more positive me.
©VoltaireOnline.eu
Your songs - you write them yourself. You generally want to tell a story when you write a song. What topics do you write about, what stories do you want to tell?
Well, on this record, the topics vary. I have some songs that I wrote about the state of the world and the fact that we spend a lot of time working against each other, instead of working with each other. And that causes problems. I thought a lot about change, about movement, because I was moving around a lot, and I started to notice that people around me were moving around a lot. And then I started to notice that the world was actually quite fast-moving and still is. And thus - I guess - all these stories were actually based on change and on the idea of perception and opening yourself up to moving.
Well, your life is actually much about change. And you have different origins as well. Can you tell me a bit more about that?
Sure. Well, I was born in Canada. I was born in British Columbia (BC), and I grew up in the Northern part of BC and the Southern part of BC. But my parents are from Germany and Nigeria. This is really interesting, because they actually met in Vancouver. They came; they emigrated from two different places, and met in Vancouver. They met and found love … and they had me. So I’m a multicultural individual.
©VoltaireOnline.eu
And you have a Nigerian name…
Yes, my father picked my name. My mother gave me my two middle names, but my father got my first and last. But my middle names are very English: Stephanie and Mary. Well, and so I have this Nigerian name, which is very interesting because people often assume that I’m from Africa or that I know things that I absolutely don’t. I was born and raised in Canada; English is my first and primary language. I struggle with French, I did study Spanish and in German I can say for instance ‘Schatzilein’, and that’s pretty much it. I’m very much North American, Canadian. But it’s interesting because my name might give the illusion that I might know more about exotic places than I do, which is okay for me.
And have you ever been to Nigeria?
No. I’ve been to South Africa. But I’ve never been to Nigeria, no.
So, do you feel Canadian, or do you feel like a traveler… or what is your feeling about where you belong to?
I’m Canadian. I’m very, very Canadian. I love hockey, and beer, and nature. Well, that’s stereotypes. But honestly, I’m very Canadian. This is where I’m from, that’s my home. But I’m a traveler, so I’m a traveling Canadian... Citizen of the world.
And what about your French. Are you learning French?
Oui ! Slowly but surely. Je parle un peu maintenant, mais j’essaie, tout le temps, tout le temps.
©VoltaireOnline.eu
But you understand it?
Oui, je comprends. Mais je parle très peu.
Well, back to your music. Can you tell me a bit more about the people around you, the musicians?
Sure. On the record, I played with musicians from the States and from Canada. So that’s the record portion. But when I play live, I play with, well, in Europe I play with musicians from Europe. So, the bass player, she is from Italy, my guitar player is from France, and my drummer is French-Italian. And me, I play piano and guitar.
You started playing the instruments a bit later, right? You started with singing…
Yes, I did. I started with voice. But I was always composing with the piano, because I can read music, I understand music. But I just was voice. And later on, I taught myself to play guitar and piano. Some ‘self-taught.’
When did you start your musical career?
Well, I started a long journey when I was 19 or 20. And now, I’m somewhere in… ‘the early part of my thirties’. So, I started then, I did just a lot of singing, and it wasn’t until the last 5 or 6 years that I was making my own music. I played in a lot of bands, I did a lot of stuff – singing on records, everything.
©Jean-Charles Belmont
And what is your own favorite song. Do you have one right now?
Well, for me, music is constantly changing. But right now, what am I listening to the most? It is ‘Golden Empire’ for example.
You have a lot of different styles that you bring together. Are there any musicians that inspire you particularly for that?
There are a lot of amazing musicians that have existed throughout the ages. I don’t know if I’m necessarily influenced by them in terms of the fact that I combine so many sounds… Well, many of the musicians I like are very specific, very blues artists. But then, I also like some classic rock. And there is some pop music that I like. And I like some Beatles’ – well not so many, but some. I like jazz, I like R’n’B. I like so many different things, but all of the artists I like are very specific; they do not mix things up. That’s more of a modern thing. Well, I’m heavily influenced by novels and by films, because, well, novels for writing, for stories, and films also for the visual aspect, because when I write, I often see pictures and colors. So, I’m really influenced by moods and books and films.
©Jean-Charles Belmont
What are your future plans?
Oh, I have a lot of plans. I plan a tour. I just gave a concert in the Café de la Danse in Paris. It was so much fun!
And as one could see there, you like dancing….
I love dancing! Yes, it’s very important. Well, we had this show, and now, we’re planning some shows in France and in Switzerland for this summer. Then we’ll start touring throughout France, Germany, Belgium and Switzerland, and hopefully Italy and Spain in the fall. I’ll be play again in Paris in October. I just keep on playing and on writing. And then I’m also getting married. That is future plans!! And then, well, just have time to write and play; take some time to write some new stuff.
BIOGRAPHIE par Stefan Ferney
©Richard Dumas
Ndidi ou la patience :
Ndidi signifie « Patience ». Ndidi O a dû en effet, s'armer de patience pour refuser d'être mise dans un bocal étiquetté "Blues" ou " R & B" ou "Hip Hop". Ndidi O décline les propositions d'encartage et la facilité... Cette voie lui vaudra d'être confronté à des difficultés financières au début de sa carrière. Ces moments difficiles, cette force de caractère, cette conviction artistique ne lui ont pas ôté cette bonne humeur et cette ouverture authentique aux autres. A en croire, Ndidi, Patience est « Tout le contraire de qui je suis dans la vie ». Un regard direct , un large sourire et une vraie complicité avec ses musiciens talentueux qui ont conquis le public et l'équipe de rédaction. Onukwulu ( O est le diminutif d'Onukwulu ) peut se traduire par « douce voix » en inuit, l’une des premières nations du pays où elle a grandi, le Canada, mais aussi par « celui qui raconte des histoires » en ibo, l’ethnie de son père. Son père originaire du Nigeria, batteur de jazz et autres afro beats, Ndidi O l’a peu connu. Sa mère quitte l'Allemagne pour le Canada à Burns Lake en Colombie Britannique (British Columbia). Cette province est la plus occidentale des provinces canadiennes.
©Richard Dumas
De NYC à Paris :
La trompette a été un instrument qu'elle a appris à jouer pendant six années avant d'écrire et de chanter. Ndidi n'avait pas conscience de ses qualités de chanteuse jusqu'à le réaction de ses amis. En effet, son centre d'intérêt est lié "aux mots": « J’étais dans les livres, dans le théâtre, dans les histoires du cinéma. J’étais plus happée par les mots que les notes. » . Ainsi, à l'université, ses amis lui révèlent son talent : « J’ai chanté l’un de mes poèmes devant avec quelques amis de la fac et ils en sont restés scotchés ! ». Ndidi O déménage pour New York City où celle-ci chante dans des bars. Pendant ce séjour à New York, celle-ci rencontre plusieurs musiciens de hip-hop et de blues qui agrège son style atypique. Ensuite, Ndidi O déménage à Toronto et devient membre d'un groupe de rock. Ensuite, celle-ci intégre un groupe électronique "Stop Die Resuscitate". Ndidi O se rapproche du blues et commence à se produire dans des lieux connus , comme le Massey Hall à Toronto. En Janvier 2006, celle-ci sort son premiier album "No, I Never". Cette album est suivi par une série de concerts qui la révèle au public grâce au buzz de la communauté canadienne du blues.
©Richard Dumas
Création, Amour et Normandie :
Lors de notre interview, Ndidi O se veut résolument tourner vers un cheminement créatif positif, voilà pourquoi l'album s'appelle "The Escape". « C’est sans fin de s’échapper. Il faut l’entendre comme quelque chose de positif, comme un point de départ et non une fin. Je laisse derrière moi mon passé, les mauvais côtés de ma personnalité, la dureté de la réalité, pour toucher quelque chose de plus vrai. ». Comme nous le dit Ndidio O , mariée depuis mai 2011, l'amour a été rencontré à Paris et l'a amené sur les plages normandes -où l'esprit de Marcel Proust et du Jazz souffle toujours à Cabourg -.« J’ai besoin de me retirer pour écrire. En revanche, pour composer, je peux le faire au milieu du bruit, même si la plupart des mélodies et structures remplissent ma tête lorsque je suis dans le silence le plus complet. Ensuite je prends ma guitare ou je joue du piano jusqu’à ce que je les fasse exister hors de ma tête. ». Dans cet album ou sur scène, Ndidi O joue de la guitare et du piano. Pour "The Escape" , Ndidi O signe l’essentiel des arrangements et du répertoire, paroles et musique. « En écrivant, je pensais à un cheminement dans le son, dans les histoires qui se suivent et se répondent. Toutes Ces chansons sont nées alors que j’étais en mouvement quelque part : dans un train, entre deux avions, en voiture, dans le train… Et toutes parlent du changement, du mouvement. » « Ma tête hurle tout le temps, et mon coeur lui répond. Mais l’âme et l’instinct demeurent silencieux. Ce sont pourtant eux qui nous guident sur le bon chemin. Pour y parvenir, il faut savoir les écouter. »
©Jean-Charles Belmont
Quelque chose de spécial:
« Quelque chose de spécial, à la fois simple et honnête, mais suffisamment sophistiqué pour qu’on sente le mouvement permanent, la variété des ambiances. ». Cet album est enregistré en six jours au studio Black Box; « Un studio du côté d’Angers qui a permis de vivre et vibrer tous ensemble ». Craig Street participe à cet album: « Il a tout de suite été enthousiaste sur le projet. En étant à l’écoute de mes désirs, il m’a aidé à explorer toutes mes capacités. ». C'est avec ce producteur qui a fait le bonheur d’autres voix, de Cassandra Wilson à Norah Jones, que Ndidi va composer le casting à la hauteur de ses ambitions, des équipiers aux CV qui en disent long. Le bassiste et guitariste Chris Bruce (Jeff Beck, Robbie Williams, Me’Shell Ndegéocello, Aimee Mann, Lizz Wright, Bob Dylan, Seal…), le guitariste (mandoline et piano) Kevin Breit (Norah Jones, k.d. lang, Cassandra Wilson, Molly Johnson, Lou Reed, Ani DeFranco…), le batteur et percussionniste Earl Harvin (Air, Jeff Beck, Robbie Williams ,Seal, Tindersticks..), en constituent la base.
Ndidi O- The Whisper par VoltaireOnline.eu-

Delicate dancers soft wilds
the night whisper
holding fats to comment high
my moon linger
been the lingers when sun rise
want something
want something that doesn't live here
want something that cannot live here
I hear a whisper move on
I hear a whisper move on
move slow but don't you stop at all
move on move one
stake its skin eats the worse
becomes the bones
hundred pears don't want it anymore
let the rain wash out of this face
remove the lingering taste to pass my mistakes
I hear a whisper move on
I hear a whisper move on
move slow but don't you stop at all
move on move one
saw a spell from this eyes once again
fading memories little lies once again
it will have some .. with past in the end
it will start again it will start again
I hear a whisper move on
I hear a whisper move on
move slow but don't you stop at all
move on move one
Ndidi O- On the Metro par VoltaireOnline.eu-