Natascha Eleonore

How is 2008 going for you so far? You’re probably weighing up this year with the last and considering how they compare. I was thinking mine was going quite well – some stunning sample sale bargains in my wardrobe; a few more shops near me that sell giant caperberries; a couple of letters to Mr Brown regarding the lack of involvement in Darfur and the extent of involvement elsewhere and only a couple of non-Easyjet flights under my carbon-belt seemed pretty good going. But then I wasn’t responsible for rocking the audiences of Glastonbury, Abbey Road Studios and The Royal Festival Hall in 2007. However, I do know someone who was.

Natascha Eleonore presented her persistently socio-politically aware lyrics with a smooth soul voice to these often hard-to-please audiences and got a reaction that some rock royalty could only humbly hope to achieve.
With 2008 promising even bigger and better things for this astoundingly talented young lady, she has changed her singing name to Aruba Red (‘I wanted to get as far away as possible from any stereotypes people have about being female, a band, a solo artist – from my name I could be anything’) but hasn’t altered the pace of her sprint to the top.

After an evening of entertainment at EAR Presents – which was enthused with tucked-away talent so good my ears felt like they had been on tour with Apollo, I cornered this ballsy beauty and pried into the life of a UK superstar-in-waiting.

Such hard-hitting lyrics as Aruba Red’s (‘Mr Blair can you feel the fiiire’ being one such example, along with songs entitled Rebel Soldiers, Emancipated and More Fire) don’t prepare you for the sweet, unassuming manner of North London’s Natascha.
So what, if anything, prepared her for the musical world she will so very surely conquer?

‘My family’s very musical. My dad, Jack Bruce, was in Cream (Eric Clapton’s band) so music was always so much a part of my life. But it wasn’t something I necessarily thought of doing as a career. I went to uni and studied Philosophy, worked for Westminster Council and started singing at 21 – which is relatively late.’

Aaah, a Philosophy student. Perhaps that goes some way in explaining Aruba Red’s consistent emphasis on the ways and woes of the world in her songs – something that is admirable in the days of so much mindless machine-made ‘star’ material. I wanted to know what her hot topic was at the moment.

"The same ones are always there! Certain things don’t change they just have a different name. Generally the system – how people are kept down because of where they happen to be born, the colour of their skin etc and injustice in general always makes me boil.
I mean, it can be the littlest thing anywhere. I was on the bus coming from Finsbury Park and this eleven-year-old boy got on the bus and had lost his Under 15 pass. The driver wouldn’t let him on and I thought ‘is this what we’ve come to?’ I don’t like it when we’re part of a society that looks upon each other so coldly – from that simple example all the way to ‘the war on terror’. All of our issues intertwine and everything is linked. What we buy effects someone on the other side of the world, from the environment to money matters to social problems."

At a time when the world is gradually gaining a greater consciousness about these issues, it seems Natascha could be the one to inspire a new UK generation to question things that have for too long been ignored by too many in popular culture. She clearly has a message, yet her songs are accessible and easy to listen to – funky, soulful yet often forcing a recognition of the fragility of the social formations we have created.
Does she recognise that although many fans may love her sound, they may not want to give up their standard of living to help a cause that seems out of their control?

"Well, that’s what motivates a lot of my music. It’s so hard to find the right way to live, that people end up not caring. They think it’s such an obstacle to make a difference that there’s no point in trying. Even if a song makes people aware of that in themselves, it has to be a good thing. It comes back to rectifying the system and then a lot of other things will follow on from that."

So what about the music system? Has she found it easy being an out-spoken female not willing to be worn down by a male-dominated, aesthetics-obsessed industry?

"It is still a very male-dominated industry, from producers to managers – all the way down to musicians. I mean, my band is all guys for example. That’s not something I set out for – but musicians I come across are generally guys. While that’s a shame in a way, I have had the opportunity to work with some amazing female artists on my forthcoming album, such as Nila Raja and Ayanna Witter-Johnson."

And what about male artists?

"I’ve been working with an amazing production duo Bacon & Quarmby (Finley Quaye, Ziggy Marley, The Pretenders) on my debut album which has been exciting. The collaboration that I’m most proud of is the song I’ve written with Nitin Sawhney for his new album, London Undersound. He’s an amazing musician across the generations - from his film and videogame music he does to his own solo stuff. To be asked to work with him it’s y’know, the point where I felt I’d taken a step up in my own career. Paul McCartney, Natty and Imogen Heaps are just some of the other artists featuring on the album, so the process was good for me. It gave me a musical boost as well as the confidence to see yourself as a professional artist rather than someone who is aspiring to be."

Sawhney is widely renowned for his focus on education and community building – and for often giving a political angle to his acclaimed music. Aruba Red also seems to possess all these traits, wrapped up in an electrifying blanket of passion, professionalism, heart-felt harmonies and down-to-earth determination. I hold no doubt that she will go on to be as much of an influence to others as artists such as Sawnhey are to her.

"Anybody just telling the truth seems to be controversial – or just labelled as such. The controversy that’s okay is getting out of it on drugs and drink – but it’s not okay to talk about the government and what’s happening every day."

Well, I’m telling the truth when I say this intelligent and articulate singer/songwriter is set to make her musical mark with her deeply unique London sound by the time 2008 comes to a close. And if you think that’s controversial, you better get some earplugs, ‘cos this lady has a whole lot more to say.

Go to www.myspace.com/organicurban to listen to Aruba Red and get up to date gig listings and album news.

Sabrina Mahfouz

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