NYM

Name, where are you from?

NYM - London.

Describe your style in three words?

Trippy jumble sale.

What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?

I think I was most blown away when I saw Leonard Cohen at radio city music hall in New York. He played for three hours, it was insane. Him and his band were incredible and they were from all over the world. It was an overwhelming experience, beyond kinda vibes.

If you could be on the line up with any two artists in history?

Bob Marley, he was the first artist that made me realise music was powerful. My mum used to play Bob Marley songs to me on the guitar when I was a toddler and I’d sit on her lap and we’d sing together.

Ok, the second one...so hard...

Maybe, Missy Elliot. I would always sing and dance to her music non stop growing up and I felt like a queen. Her music is banging and I feel like she encouraged a lot of young people to be unapologetically themselves. She exudes strength and power and I always found that so inspiring.

Which subcultures have influenced you?

I feel like I have been influenced by quite a few subcultures both consciously and subconsciously. I went to primary school in Southampton which had so many different subcultures happening at the same time. It was amazing to see and be immersed in. There was a West Indian club that had amazing parties and played the best music and I remember being there as a kid in the 90s and just loving every second. People of all ages just getting together because we loved reggae and dancing. It was about unity and celebration and that’s what I try to create in my live shows. The idea of people coming together to have a good time is so important to me. I feel like how I like to dress was also a product of this time, I always remember thinking everyone was so expressive in what they wore. As I got older and became aware of the club kids and Boy George and Leigh Bowery I was so inspired I started to experiment with clothes more and more. I’ve also been massively influenced by Japanese street fashion.

If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?

Eeeee tough, there are so many people who I’d love to have that moment with. I would say Mary Seacole would be one of them. She was a nurse from Jamaica in the Crimean war who saved the lives of many British soldiers but was never properly recognised for it. When I was about 11 I played her as a child in a short film and I really felt connected to her and was so amazed by everything she had done and so saddened by everything she had been through. Speaking with her would be life-changing.

Of all the venues you’ve been to or played, which is your favourite?

I don’t know if I could say. My faves are always the smaller venues when everyone is really close together and you can see everything and when you’re on stage you can see everyone and you can feel the energy of all the artists who have played there before you. I kinda love the stinky and sticky more rocky venues when everyone’s raving and sweating. Haha. You also can meet some amazing people who work at venues with mad stories about the places that have been going for ages and have had lots of people come through the doors. Camden and Soho have lots of these kinds of spots but unfortunately many are closing down. It’s so sad.

Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?

Nina Simone, I mean one of the most incredible musicians. An absolute artist. Listening to her is kind of like having an out of body experience. Just magic vibes through and through.