“If there was only one left”
Dajla, France’s most beautiful soul voice, and recently spotted with hip hop national stars Hocus Pocus, is bringing us “the Meaning of Life”, a luminous and delightful album.
If there was only one left…
One record?
Any record by Fela Kuti. His songs take me on a journey. They blow the wind of freedom and leave space for imagination…His music gives me wings. I never get bored of Fela. It is an incredible energy and a source of hope for generations.
One collaboration that you dream of?
After having made my first dream come true, which is to collaborate with Angelo Moore, from Fishbone, and perform live with him, I believe anything is possible. My new dream, because one always have to have a dream, would be to pay Prince a visit and write a hit song with him in Paisley Park! This guy is a genius and he has never locked himself in a genre or style. He defies time. He’s an alchemist!
One encounter?
Meeting Benji Blow (my producer), in 2004. It was written. I’ve no doubt about it. At the time I was performing with a soul singer called Yasmine Kyd and her band, “Novela”. Benji came to see us. That night, we were booked in the middle of a rock metal show, it was quite absurd! After the show, Benji was outside, leaning against a tree. When our eyes met, it felt like an electroshock. It was very short, but with the sensation of catching up with destiny, like a premonition of something bigger than us. My vision got shaken too. It’s hard to explain, it only lasted a split second.
Like an earthquake. One year later we got booked at the Transmusicales international festival. And today, we’ve only just released our second album. In my life, there is a “before” and “After” Benji. I have learnt so much by his side. He is a master.
A title?
“Spanish Joint” by D’Angelo. (from his album Voodoo). I could listen to this track a thousand times without getting tired of it. This is such a perfect song. D’Angelo, is a master too. His album “Brown Sugar” is a strong reminder of the years I spent in London in the early 9os. Everyone went wild at the time when his album came out. So many memories…And what memories…
A voice?
The voice of Jimi Hendrix, my first musical love. In my teenage years, age 16, I had “Band of Gypsies”in my walkman 24/7. I would fall asleep and wake up with him. In high school we were a clique of die hard fans. I was reading “Actuel” magazine and experimenting. Jimi Hendrix changed my life for sure…It’s funny because I have started a collaboration with a singer called Yinka Oyewole in London, and he reminds me of Jimi a lot. He’s a rockstar! His songs are classics…
www.dajla.com // The Meaning of Life
