On Friday, October 16th, 2020 Girls Who Listen went live on Instagram with Netherlands-based Sudanese singer and songwriter Gaidaa. During the conversation, she shared more about herself as an artist, while speaking on life before and during COVID-19.
Hosted by Miabelle of New York’s Hot 97 and Philly’s Hip-Hop 103.9, Gaidaa wooed everyone with her authenticity, while effortlessly performing “Ride My Way” and “Falling Higher,” two tracks off of her latest project “Overture.” The next time you state “the future is female,” make sure to include Gaidaa in that conversation. In case you missed it, here is a transcribed version of the interview.
How have you been in the house or in quarantine?
I live in the Netherlands, so it is kinda weird that we haven’t had strict rules or lockdown really. Until literally a couple of days ago, it felt like we were in a bubble, it’s been weird.
You open your phone and there’s just so many things going on.
So you just dropped the project in July, what has the feedback been between you and your fans?
I mean at first, my family didn’t believe it would come out in the first place. I kept saying soon for 2 yrs, and then it finally came out, it came out in strange circumstances, but the response has been really grateful that people are actually listening and good that people who care and message me about it, but it feels good to finally get something off my chest.
What space were you in when you created this music?
Honestly, when I created Overture I was in a very different space than I am in now, it was a lot of exploring with time, and going with the flow, and figuring it out, you know. Just taking life as it comes, in the chaos, is surprisingly like a calm conclusion. You know in these times, it’s hard for me to make music usually. Sometimes, the only thing that I want is to make music. Apparently, that’s what I want to do and that’s why I think I’m in this world to make music, cuz that’s all you have to feed me, but then it’s hard sometimes when your creativity is clogged by life.
I know you have a musical background and wasn’t your father part of a Sudanese band?
Yeah, my father was, he’s a singer still, he was a part of a Sudanese band. He had a political “One Direction”, but he had instrumentalists, so it doesn’t count. He did a lot of protest music and my song ‘Morning Blues’ was a full-circle moment in relation to my dad.
When your father hears your music, what does he think?
Well, my parents, they humble me and they are really hard to impress, but they help me raise my standards.
Talk to me about ‘Ride My Way’! What creative zone were you in? What were you feeling?
‘Ride My Way’ was created in the same session as ‘Out of Trouble’. It was just me and my guitarist, Maria, she was playing and I was freestyling. I wrote it and then I performed it acoustically for a really long time. It turned into, in the end, a letter from me, when I’m in a good headspace, to me when I am not basically. Especially these days, I can connect to this song because I need a reminder, and this song is a reminder to look around and don’t stress about the little things and ride my own kind of way of just enjoying life. Not making it complicated for myself in the head. The project is a lot of internal stuff being processed out loud.
So tell me about ‘Falling Higher’, what made you choose this title?
So yeah it’s about how I felt at the time, and it’s about when I was in New York my mom who is a psychiatrist, was there for work, and I begged her for me to come. I was like okay when I get to New York you better do music! Fast forward two years, I get there and meet my management, go to sessions, and go to meetings and was like what the heck is going on around me right now? Are my dreams coming true in front of me? What’s happening? It felt super bizarre, I was just being thrown all over the place and just had to go with it, but it was taking me exactly where I wanted to go. Even to make it kind of crazier, I was supposed to leave New York when the trip was over, but in my gut, I wanted to stay. I wanted to record a song properly, but something by the Grace of God the universe said, “I got you”. I got a call from The COLORS people, got to stay, and do my first U.S show, recorded ‘Falling Higher’. I was super hazy, high on life, like what is going on?
How did you get to the starting point of you doing this full time and taking it seriously?
It was a series of events. When I was 16, I moved to the UK, and I had my first studio experience for people’s projects, not releasing anything just trying out stuff. Then, I moved to the Netherlands. Before I moved to the UK I linked up with Full Crates (the first person I created music with), he wanted to link up to create music. At this point, I have never been to the studio before, but my mom wouldn’t let me go to the session, so I canceled. So I spammed him for a period of time, sending him singing videos, then when I moved back, I said again, “Hey when are we going to do a session?” A ‘Storm on a Summers Day’ happened, and then my management happened, organically as well. The project is a pretty good representation of a collection of things that I have been through.
Who influences you and your sound?
Definitely Amy Winehouse, Jazmine Sullivan, Hiatus Kaiyote, Lauren Hill, Erykah Badu. I am subconsciously influenced by a lot of things because I listen to a lot of music. Sometimes people compare me to Lauryn Hill, and I’m like Yo, you cannot say that you know. It kind of humbles me. Especially when writing, I just do my own thing, kind of get my own influences from my Sudanese side.
Who are some of your dream collabs?
Pharrell, Hiatus Kaiyote, Frank Ocean.
How has your culture influenced your sound?
My culture specifically as Gaidaa has been very interesting. Of course, I am Sudanese, but I grew up in the Netherlands, and grew up not necessarily a Dutch kid but as an international student. No one thinks I’m Dutch when I am here, because I speak English sometimes and Dutch while I’m here too. The love for rhythm and offside melodies comes from my Sudanese side and being an African.
What are your plans when live performances happen again?
I don’t know how to do long term plans. Honestly, this whole pandemic has made me traumatized to make long-term plans. I would like to travel, come to the U.S. and Sudan, I usually go out there every year and be normal.
What are some of your favorite songs on the project?
‘Say Yes’ is my favorite. It was recorded a week before the project, it wasn’t supposed to be on there. My friends and I were making music by accident, and we called my management at 5 AM and said, “Yo, I think we made something,”. My management said, “Finish in the next two days it’s going on the EP”. I was like, “Ok!”.
Do you let some of your friends hear your music before it’s released?
Yes. My best friend is my art director, she helps me with my videos, and Joshua, who was on ‘Say Yes’. I am actually pretty lucky. This project has been me meeting people and being organic, I’ve finally just found my people.
Know someone else we should interview? Send it our way at info@girlswholisten.org.
