Five Things With Alphamama

1.Growing Up

Indonesian folk songs and Paul Simon. Stealing my older brother’s rap and new jack swing cassettes. Saving up to buy my first album: CrazySexyCool.

2.Inspirations

Michael Jackson needs no explanation. Chaka Khan, because her phrasing is always on point. Curtis Mayfield, because he paints a sonic landscape and makes me melt. For me, life is pretty damn inspiring. Human beings and relationships fascinate me. Recently, my travels around the world opened up my mind to amazing things.

3.Your Band

It’s just me, Alphamama. My music is a way of communicating my philosophy, which is to live within your own integrity and be your best self. I work with lots of musicians and producers, but most recently a guy in LA named Kevin Skaggs, who produced my next two singles. Usually at my live shows I have an all-girl lineup but this time I’m all exposed on the piano!

4.The Music You Make

My last record was like a tribute to all my influences: TLC, Erykah Badu, Boyz II Men, Janet Jackson, Tania Maria, Bob Marley… but I think I’m finally sounding like myself now. I can’t even describe my new stuff, ’cause it just sounds like me and I love that. Lots of vocal layers and dissonant harmonies. A lot of space in the music and stories that really changed me. I’m very interested in the physics of music so I’m studying the mental and physical reactions of musical frequencies/vibrations. I want to create music that transforms and heals people on an energetic and cellular level.

5.Music, Right Here,Right Now

To be completely honest I think it’s all quite superficial and self-centred. Even I’m guilty of that! Mainstream music has become a big, expensive distraction from what’s actually happening in the world. We are all contributing to wars we don’t believe in but we feel we can’t do anything about. The Oz music scene is great but we have a hard time getting our stuff into the world, and that’s ridiculous in 2014. I think it’s because everyone is trying to make it alone, and it’s a shame because no revolution was ever achieved by one person. We need to build community and support each other’s art. Artists I love currently are Kirkis, MKO, Jordan Rakei, Billie McCarthy, Ngaiire, Rosie, Mariam Sawires and The Venusians.