We are beyond excited to announce this month’s BOTM is none other than NYC’s funk and soul duo LION BABE! We’ve been huge fans of these guys since their early days and so we are extremely hyped that they agreed to chat to us about their latest single, collaborating with Childish Gambino and oh so much more!
Big love to Nakisha Kiely for this killer illustration also ❤️
Hey its only bloody LION BABE! How are you guys?
Hey! We are well! Happy to be slowly returning to the outside world. We thrive in the summer time, so things are looking up!
Please introduce yourself to our lovely readers:
We are LION BABE Jillian and Lucas an NY duo and band. We spend our days making music and creating art.
How have you been coping with these continuously mad times? Are you still based in New York?
Still in NY, staying creative. Like many artists, creating helps us cope with our personal and external worlds. We really have been pouring our time into writing new music and adding details to our studio which has been a long time coming. Usually we are on the road or traveling more, so this time has given us an opportunity to make our space at home more functional and clean.
We’ve been pretty obsessed with you since the release of your debut album ‘Begin’ way back in 2016 and we’re so chuffed with how far you’ve come since then! How do you think your sound has progressed since the ’Treat Me Like Fire’ days?
Thank you! It is really unbelievable how fast time flies. We hold a special place in our hearts for the people who have been with us since the beginning. Like most growth, it has been a non linear journey. Sonically we have explored many sides of ourselves and influences, but we do feel the essence of LION BABE has remained the same. We never aim to chase our beginning, but throughout all of these years we are still drawn to the rawness of slapping drums, nods to soul music and telling stories and creating frequencies that uplift people. Our skill set and focus is probably the most evolved aspect of our sound now though. We trust ourselves more and have more efficiency when it comes to executing an idea.
Your latest single ‘Frida Kahlo’ is a total vibe as well, can you tell our readers a bit about the song?
Thank you! That song came together during the height of the pandemic and like many others, we used that time to revisit, reflect and find comfort in things in the world that inspired us and could help us cope with it all. Frida has been a long time influence and beloved artist of ours. She lived with and through so much pain, adversity and limitations, but left a powerful mark on the world. It felt like her energy needed a resurgence, the reality that she created in her work and the life she led was so ahead of her time, we wanted to lead people towards her legacy and also to encourage people to create their dreams in whatever way they identified with, moving forward in this world we all have to relentlessly imagine and take action in doing it all differently.
You’ve previously collaborated with the likes of living legend Childish Gambino and electronic powerhouses Disclosure – how did that come about?
We have been blessed to collaborate with legends for sure. ‘Treat Me Like Fire’ really was the spark that got both of those artists interested, we met Donald at our first SXSW in Austin, Texas back in 2014. We had our first show booked down there and he contacted us about opening up for his show there as well. We of course said yes, and then hung out after the show, where he told us how much he loved ‘Treat Me Like Fire’, we stayed in touch and the next time he was in NY, he came by our spot and we played him a demo of our record ‘Jump Hi‘. He casually said to let us know when that record was out and we just asked, would you like to be a part of it and the rest is history.
As far as Disclosure goes, they reached out super early when ‘Treat Me Like Fire’ was just starting to spread asking if they could remix the track. We were so young and overwhelmed by the emails we were getting at the time that we were hesitant to do anything with anyone. They stayed supporting us though and actually highlighted the record when they were on with Annie Mac on Radio 1. When we finally made it over to London and signed with Polydor we finally got to meet and they wanted me to come in and write a song for their album. It was such a great experience and we all became fast friends that we ended up touring with them for the Caracal tour. We learned so much during our time with them and that experience still remains a highlight. Endless love to the Disclosure family.
What do you miss the most about live music?
We really love performing, and as much as studio life is always fun too, there is nothing like the energy you give and receive surrounded by other humans. It’s where the rock and roll comes in, it’s a party, and freedom, it’s just so fun.
What’s your songwriting process like?
Songwriting is always difficult to define because it is always evolving for us, but it a combination of things usually it is a response to the beat playing that Astro Raw (Lucas) is creating. The sound always has a story, it’s my job to dig it up and find the words that match. I use journal entries, samples, art, life experience from myself, friends, family and nature to create a world, feeling or memory.
Describe your sound in five words:
Beautiful, New York, Soulful, Sensual, and Colorful.
Who would you say are your biggest influences?
Dilla, Badu, A Tribe Called Quest, Outkast, and the future.
What advice would you give artists starting out in the music industry?
Wishing you luck, energy, focus, confidence and honesty. Make sure you love yourself and know your worth, never give up the feeling of freedom, be daring and fulfilled in the process. Success is different for everyone. The work never stops, but neither does the growth.
Are there any emerging artists you’d recommend?
We are big fans of some up and coming artists we have crossed paths with, check out Young Bull Music and Melanie Charles for your US search and also feeling Green Tea Peng from the UK!
Yess love GTP! What are your plans for the rest of 2021?
Our brand new single ‘Signs’ is out featuring an artist and friend Siimbiie Lakew so be sure to check it out. We are fully in album mode, the full album ‘Rainbow Child’ comes out this summer so we will be busy sharing our creations with you all and hoping to have a few live shows here and there. Lot’s to look forward to; new visuals and grown things. This next decade is going to be a lot of new music! Get ready!
’Signs’ is a lo-fi banger and we’re already obsessed. What’s the story behind it?
Thank you, that’s definitely a sign that we are doing something right. There really is no big story behind it, it really just happened when we all got into the studio together and jammed. Some of the best songs come out of just going for it without overthinking it too much. We all consider ourselves to be self aware and open to the messages we get from the universe as well though, so having a turn up song with that theme in mind felt refreshing.
On the single you’ve collaborated with Ethiopian raised, Brooklyn NY artist Siimbiie Lakew, how did this collaboration come about?
Siimbiie is family, we initially met him through friends and fellow collaborators. We have worked with his brother Haile Supreme who sang on our cover of Umi Says, and also his dear friend Kamauu who opened for us a few years back on our Sun Joint tour. We always feel so lucky to have so much talent around us near the studio in BK. He stops by the studio every now and then to vibe and we share music and jam. He’s definitely got some bangers up his sleeve.
EXCITING! Please tell us you have plans to come over to the UK soon once this shit show is over?
Currently dreams not plans but as soon as it seems possible we are going to work it out! We love the UK and yes, it’s been too long!
Any final pearls of wisdom?
There is wisdom in every moment, stay present and you shall be gifted.
Thanks so much LION BABE! We love you guys, this has been a dream xxx