Interviews

What happens when you take a little bit of Public Enemy, a little bit of Radiohead, add a splash of soul, a blast of tuba, and put it through a hard rock blender? The result is the joyful sonic explosion that is Saidah Baba Talibah. Daughter of Salome Bey, Canada's First lady of Blues, Saidah has had no trouble striking out and proving herself as powerful and innovative as her progenetors. Since her debut album (S)cream dropped last year, Saidah has attracted a seriously impressive amount of critical acclaim, both as a talented musician and a wildly entertaining performer.

We on the Make Some Noise crew were thrilled when Saidah took a minute to answer a few questions for us.

What’s your most memorable Toronto concert experience?
One? Here's a few that made a huge impact on me:  Living Color at Lee's Palace.  Skunk Anansie at Lee's Palace.  King's X at Reverb.  Fishbone at Masonic Temple.  Royal Canoe at Rivoli. Nikka Costa at El Mocambo.
 

What Greater Toronto Area musician/band’s album do you think everyone should be listening to?
Here again are a few:  Donna Grantis Electric Band – Suites.  Hill & The Sky Heroes – 11:11 Emma-Lee – Backseat Heroine.  Zaki Ibrahim – Eclectica (Episodes in Purple).

What advice would you give someone trying to break into the Toronto music scene?
First, love what you do.  Like REALLY love what you do, unconditionally.  This  being an artist is a serious relationship, because there are major ups and downs and tests that can be potentially beautiful lessons.  And those lessons lead you to who you truly, essentially are.  And that would be my only other piece of advice, be authentic.  Be you without exceptions.  Be bold.  Dream big.  Throw doubt out, you're an artist, your job is to create whatever YOU want.

You’re a member of the cast for b current and Theatre Archipelago’s production Obeah Opera. How does the experience of treading the boards as an actor compare to rocking a stage as a musician?
Well, I approach singing and acting the same way by asking myself what is my intention?  Because in both scenarios I am the storyteller, right?  Rocking the stage as a musician, I'm in my stage outfit with my band, singing songs that either I wrote or songs that I am connected to and telling that story versus being an actor onstage in costume with a cast, singing songs that I have to find my character's connection to in order for it to be believable — making it personal and my own.  The foundation and common thread of both of those settings for me remain, intention.

If you could sing a duet with any Canadian musician (living or dead), who would you choose to sing with, and what song would you perform?
Mark Sultan (King Khan & The BBQ Show) and/or Dallas Green (City & Colour/Alexisonfire)
Hmmm… song?  Mark, Dallas and I haven't written the songs yet.

Photo Credits: megaphone, Katherine Fleitas: b/w, Anna Keenan

What happens when you take a little bit of Public Enemy, a little bit of Radiohead, add a splash of soul, a blast of tuba, and put it through a hard rock blender? The result is the joyful sonic explosion that is Saidah Baba Talibah. Daughter of Salome Bey, Canada's First lady of Blues, Saidah has had no trouble striking out and proving herself as powerful and innovative as her progenetors. Since her debut album (S)cream dropped last year, Saidah has attracted a seriously impressive amount of critical acclaim, both as a talented musician and a wildly entertaining performer.

We on the Make Some Noise crew were thrilled when Saidah took a minute to answer a few questions for us.

What’s your most memorable Toronto concert experience?
One? Here's a few that made a huge impact on me:  Living Color at Lee's Palace.  Skunk Anansie at Lee's Palace.  King's X at Reverb.  Fishbone at Masonic Temple.  Royal Canoe at Rivoli. Nikka Costa at El Mocambo.
 

What Greater Toronto Area musician/band’s album do you think everyone should be listening to?
Here again are a few:  Donna Grantis Electric Band – Suites.  Hill & The Sky Heroes – 11:11 Emma-Lee – Backseat Heroine.  Zaki Ibrahim – Eclectica (Episodes in Purple).

What advice would you give someone trying to break into the Toronto music scene?
First, love what you do.  Like REALLY love what you do, unconditionally.  This  being an artist is a serious relationship, because there are major ups and downs and tests that can be potentially beautiful lessons.  And those lessons lead you to who you truly, essentially are.  And that would be my only other piece of advice, be authentic.  Be you without exceptions.  Be bold.  Dream big.  Throw doubt out, you're an artist, your job is to create whatever YOU want.

You’re a member of the cast for b current and Theatre Archipelago’s production Obeah Opera. How does the experience of treading the boards as an actor compare to rocking a stage as a musician?
Well, I approach singing and acting the same way by asking myself what is my intention?  Because in both scenarios I am the storyteller, right?  Rocking the stage as a musician, I'm in my stage outfit with my band, singing songs that either I wrote or songs that I am connected to and telling that story versus being an actor onstage in costume with a cast, singing songs that I have to find my character's connection to in order for it to be believable — making it personal and my own.  The foundation and common thread of both of those settings for me remain, intention.

If you could sing a duet with any Canadian musician (living or dead), who would you choose to sing with, and what song would you perform?
Mark Sultan (King Khan & The BBQ Show) and/or Dallas Green (City & Colour/Alexisonfire)
Hmmm… song?  Mark, Dallas and I haven't written the songs yet.

Photo Credits: megaphone, Katherine Fleitas: b/w, Anna Keenan