Just how a couple of Cuban feamales in Canada molded the fresh new prize-successful band, OKAN
Age Rodriguez jokes, thankful it is not a video clip interview. 1 / 2 of the Afro-Cuban, genre-agnostic, and you will Juno prize-effective duo OKAN, she laughs that they are not always right up that it very early. Enjoying on her individual, the new vibrant changes whenever their partner (in all meanings of one’s term) Magdelys Savigne meets. The two lady riff on every other with ease, picking up for each and every other people’s sentences and you may creeping from inside the nothing laughs and smirks.
Magdelys comes from Santiago de- Cuba, if you’re Elizabeth grew up in the administrative centre area, Havana. One another municipalities keeps some other approaches to tunes, having Santiago becoming more conventional. Concurrently, they’re both classically coached, and therefore brings in specific Eu flavor. Now one another based in Canada, they’ve bonded the area community and you will European processes on the sonic hot-pot which is Toronto’s tunes scene.
Brand new name song and you will opener on the record album leads which have an enthusiastic Afro-Cuban chant. They broadly results in the story out of a great deity coming in in the an alternative belongings and you will performing a special existence. New synchronous is clear. But more that it facilities its culture, that is indivisible from OKAN.
Following that, Espiral bleeds towards so many different types – cha cha cha, pilon and you may bolero, whilst adding the new appearances on professionals around him or her… Everything from Brazilian shifts, in order to Turkish rhythms. This is the definition at the rear of Espiral. The fresh sound spirals, it is to Cuba and you will wide, picking up some other styles.
Even with one another getting created when you look at the Cuba, they actually satisfied from inside the Canada. Elizabeth got observed Magdelys during the Cuba… it absolutely was hopeless on her to not ever.
Even after a definite reverence having Cuba, the link to the click here to read fresh area try challenging – to utilize their unique keyword
The women fulfilled when E auditioned to possess Magdelys’ band. “I requisite an artist so you’re able to journey with us, also it was most readily useful once they can play an instrument. She arrived to the newest bend quickly. She you’ll play fantastically and you may have fun with the violin. She you can expect to do everything,” Magdelys gushes. The two strike it off instantly, “Anything triggered another, in accordance with go out…,” she ce for the rehearsal.”
“Magazines recommended us to produce my own personal sounds. I felt that I was not ready to build music and get an author, and you may she is actually the person who inspired myself,” Elizabeth waxes.
“It is (OKAN) our kids. The very first baby we created along with her and you will everything we create to own OKAN was pouring our very own minds into it.”
It love is actually central to OKAN, and therefore alone means center about Afro-Cuban dialect
It’s easier to own Magdelys. For example Age, she misses the woman household members, “My mommy – We haven’t viewed their inside a long time. That’s generally the things i skip.” She explains. “Everywhere with an ocean, I can wade. There are a lot Cubans international…basically miss Cubans, I will go here.” She continues so you’re able to liken they in order to a detrimental ex boyfriend. “You look back and you just remember the tough moments regarding the partnership that will be sorts of sad.”
But that’s prior to now, now these are generally one another thrilled to have what is actually 2nd, specifically live shows, which have put out Espiral through the an effective pandemic. “OKAN is actually a complete more experience real time!” Rodriguez beams. After you listen to the latest record you feel instance you happen to be at a concert. You can pick out per device that have good clearness – your guitar, Elizabeth’s violin, Magdelys’ percussions, castanets, an such like.
The track Baila Canada is actually a talked about and is all about providing some one moving. It’s fast paced featuring both people into voice, and you can an exceptionally alive violin solamente out of Age. It is an interior-laugh… In their nearly a decade from inside the Canada, they have learned that the folks cannot moving. They produced the fresh song in order to loosen him or her upwards. OKAN isn’t really worried about one to more just after becoming cooped right up to possess a long time, they might be yes every person’s irritation to maneuver…. and they’re happy to play.