Mixing a diversity of cultures and different musical influences, young singer Mariama returns with her new album Love, Sweat and Tears. After Raindrops, his new excerpt Grains of Wisdom testifies to the direction of this disc produced in collaboration with Manuel Schlindwein. The clip Grains of Wisdom, dedicated to his little sister and all the women, is colorful and fun, sublimated by the collages of the German artist Denyse Kynd. They symbolize all the fragments of wisdom, greatness and divinity that each one carries within himself. Check out Mariama’s exclusive interview down below.
KODD MAGAZINE: Hello Mariama, could you tell us a little about yourself and your career ?
MARIAMA: Olà! I am Mariama, singer, and songwriter who lives between Cologne and Paris.I just released my album LOVE, SWEAT AND TEARS on October 19th, after touring with the Compagnie du Hanneton in La Grenouille avait raison, by James Thiérrée. Before that I released the ep Moments Like These and the album The Easy Way Out. My songs are an eternal search. I often dream them. My job is to stay true to the inspiration that comes my way.
KM: How was your new album “Love, Sweat and Tears” born ?
M: LOVE, SWEAT AND TEARS and an album for which I took all the time I needed to produce it. I did it with Manu Schlindwein as a co-director who is a longtime friend and an excellent sound engineer and musician. We are very much in agreement with the questions of style and sound. He quickly understood my vision and helped me to give it reality by accompanying the process of the first models until mixing.
KM: In your first album “Moments Like This” you seemed more intimate while in “Love, Sweat and Tears” you look more fulfilled ?
M: Certainly. I’m still evolving, and with this album, I dared to put myself to the realization. It looks like me even more than anything I’ve done before. In fact, my very first album was The Easy Way Out. The Ep Moments Like These was supposed to be a small breath between two studio albums. We did it in live conditions. It was not a true album production, but recorded musical moments.
KM: A few words on the single “Grains of Wisdom » ?
M: It’s a dedication. First to my little sister and then to all the women. It is an encouragement to trust, to believe in wisdom and to explore this vast potential within us, not to compromise, not to be put down for fear that the person we really are may displease.
KM: Besides, what secret is hidden behind this clip ?
M: If you reveal a secret it’s no longer a secret. This is the first clip of which I also made the artistic direction. It was a good experience. We did it with Peoplegrapher from Düsseldorf in Germany, the rest of the team are very good friends: the collages come from Denise Kynd who also helped develop the whole concept with Mara Infatado (Make-up, da) and me. CHANG13 ° helped us with the styling and introduced us to the dancer Nora Henes. It was a family story and very fluid collaborations.
KM: What are your musical influences ?
M: A bit of everything you hear in my music. Folk, soul, pop, reggae, but the list does not stop there. I listen to music by heart and not by genre. When I write I do not think about influences, I think of the authentic expression of a thought, an experience or a feeling.
KM: What is the continuation of your adventure ?
M: The scene. I can not wait to do group concerts. We will play at the Café de la danse on November 21st. Before that, I play in Germany and Brazil. I have lots of plans and ideas for next year, but above all I want to go beyond what the album says with the concerts we will do.
KM: One last word ? Thanks for the answers !
M: A last word for those who wonder why I chose this title. Well first I did not choose, he chose me. And then I understood it. Love should start with the relationship we have with ourselves. This is the basis. But sometimes, establishing a healthy foundation requires a lot of work and some painful achievements … sweat and tears. I’ll tell you a lot more on stage. Thank you for the interview.
Interviewed by Angela Anz
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