Elizabeth Rodriguez humor, pleased it’s not a video clip interviews. 1 / 2 of your own Afro-Cuban, genre-agnostic, and Juno prize-effective duo OKAN, she humor that they are perhaps not constantly right up so it very early. Enjoying on her behalf very own, the dynamic transform whenever the girl companion (throughout definitions of keyword) Magdelys Savigne satisfies. Both women riff for each other without difficulty, picking right on up for each other people’s sentences and you will creeping during the nothing laughs and you can smirks.
Magdelys arises from Santiago de Cuba, whenever you are E grew up in the capital area, Havana. Each other municipalities have other answers to musical, which have Santiago getting more traditional. Likewise, they’re both classically coached, which brings in certain Western european taste. Today one another situated in Canada, they will have fused the isle community and you will Eu process on sonic hot-pot that’s Toronto’s tunes world.
The new title tune and you may opener to your record guides having an enthusiastic Afro-Cuban chant. They broadly usually means the storyline regarding a goddess to arrive from inside the an alternative homes and carrying out a special lifetime. The parallel is clear. But more that it facilities their customs, that’s inseparable out of OKAN.
From that point, Espiral bleeds to your many types – cha-cha-cha, pilon and you may bolero, while also incorporating the brand new appearances throughout the participants as much as them… Anything from Brazilian shifts, so you’re able to Turkish rhythms. This is basically the definition at the rear of Espiral. The brand new voice spirals, it is as much as Cuba and you may greater, picking right on up some other styles.
Even after one another are created during the Cuba, they really satisfied in the Canada. Elizabeth had heard of Magdelys within the Cuba… it actually was hopeless on her to not.
Despite a definite reverence to have Cuba, its link to new area is complicated – to utilize her term
The ladies fulfilled whenever Elizabeth auditioned having Magdelys’ ring. “We requisite a singer so you’re able to concert tour with us, also it are finest whenever they can take advantage of something. She came into the new fold instantly. She you’ll sing wonderfully and you will have fun with the violin. She you are going to do everything,” Magdelys gushes. The 2 hit it well quickly, “Things led to another, with time…,” she le with the rehearsal.”
“Magazines recommended me to develop my personal musical. We felt that I wasn’t ready to establish sounds and get a composer, and you may she is the person who determined me personally,” Elizabeth waxes.
“It is (OKAN) the baby. Our very own very first child that individuals created with her and you will what we perform having OKAN was pouring our very own minds engrossed.”
That it like was central to help you OKAN, and this in itself means center throughout the Afro-Cuban dialect
It’s easier getting Magdelys. Such as E, she misses her friends, “My mom – We have not seen her for the very long. That is basically the thing i miss.” She explains. “Anyplace having a sea, I will wade. There are a lot Cubans internationally…basically miss Cubans, I’m able to go truth be told there.” She continues on in order to liken they so you can a bad ex boyfriend. “You look as well as you simply remember the difficult minutes out of the connection in fact it is sort of sad.”
But that is before, now they truly are one another excited to have what exactly is 2nd, particularly live shows, which escort girl Richmond have put out Espiral while in the good pandemic. “OKAN is an entire different feel live!” Rodriguez beams. Once you listen to the brand new record album you become like you are in the a show. You can pick out for every single device which have good clarity – your guitar, Elizabeth’s violin, Magdelys’ percussions, castanets, an such like.
Their tune Baila Canada try a talked about which will be about taking anyone swinging. It’s overly busy featuring one another lady towards voice, and you can an exceptionally alive violin unicamente off E. It’s an inside-laugh… Inside their almost a decade in the Canada, they usually have learned that the folks try not to moving. It generated the latest tune so you can chill out them up. OKAN isn’t concerned about you to more shortly after getting cooped up to have such a long time, they truly are yes everybody’s itching to go…. plus they are prepared to enjoy.