INTERVIEW WITH NANCI CORREIA

How did you become an artist?
By being born! I mean I just think it's something you feel, in a way we are all artists wether your a mother or a CEO living this complicated dream we call life. Everyone has an outlet for expression, some people keep their emotions deep down inside and others use their emotions to express themselves. I just feel there are certain outlets of expression that are slightly more socially accepted and therefore easier to share with the world to allow yourself to indulge in creativity. This was just my blessed way of expressing myself.

Who/what inspired you to become a musician?
Lauryn Hill inspired me to learn more in singing and in life. Also to accept music as a career choice. I think for me, I've always struggled making music something I survive off because that adds a whole other level of pressure to an emotion that you can't really help. I don't want to make an excuse for how I feel, I just want to feel.

Do you feel any impact of your birthplace on your music?
I know I have influence of Portuguese Fado music in my voice despite not listening to it much because it is a very emotional genre and melodically uses quite arabic/flamenco sounding scales which is probably my absolute favourite way to sing.
Where I am from of course inspires my music but so does everywhere I've lived and been including South America and the atmosphere that I admire and love and am inspired by all the time and then everything in between that I've witness here in South London.

How does art manifest itself in your life?
In every single thing I do and moment I breath, from travelling to sitting at home alone with my thoughts. When I was younger, thinking was such a inspiring pass time for me, I loved to think. Sitting on a coach or in a car, listening to music and thinking as deeply as possible about every aspect of life was heaven to me. Then as an adult I think responsibility and the seriousness of your decisions start to kick in and of course the added pressure of paying bills and what not, so that quiet time stops being so quiet which is what I miss about being a child and can never forget. So, I feel time and experience manifest themselves before us, making us and our minds 100% different from each other, which to me, is beautiful and art in itself. What we do with it is up to us..

What does creativity mean to you?
Having no rules and no boundaries. Using the tool of the human body to create something only a human could create. With the added luxury of letting go and looking at yourself from the outside in.

What is the power of music?
The understanding it brings and how fast it travels. The differences in sounds and flavour. Just like us, all unique and appreciated in different ways by different amounts of people and opinions. The opportunity to say what you gotta say. I love that.

Do you think female artists are treated differently to male artists?
Honestly, no. I refuse as a woman to be classified as less or more than anything, I am me, Nanci, male or female, take me as I am and expect nothing less. I always felt being a woman was my strength to be honest, I understand the harm derogatory opinions do to that state of mind but as human beings, we all have differences and that is what makes us curious and beautiful. Those differences can vary from size and shape or anything and I know humans will always find a reason to discriminate against each other because we are ying and yang and there is no perfect middle.
I am here to be nor one or the other, I have had my fair share of discrimination and it empowers me and reminds me that you do not define me with your opinions, I do. How I react to them is everything. We all have the right to learn.

What message do you have for girls and women who are trying to find the courage to make music?
DONT STOP! Let no HUMAN tell you otherwise! Find your strengths and own them, visualise your most powerful self and work towards that. Let no man or woman tell you otherwise and if you believe their lies then your the fool. Don't be the fool.
Empower each other, not just women, each and every person you come across.

LOVE LOVE LOVE

Nãnci Correia