What is a good record? For me a good record shouldn’t come with a good message, I think that is too cliche. A good record should evoke a sense of self-sacrifice and personal revelation — whether good or evil. If it is good enough it should cause religious overtones with lyrical mysteries causing listeners to divine unintended message. In a good record, you should find solace. We believe Fattma Mahdi makes a good record. We had a very eye-opening conversation with the singer-songwriter.
SNM: Tell us about your background, how and what made you pursue a career as a musician?
FM: Music has always been a large part of my life, I would say the career chose me. I grew up in Highbury, North London, with my two older brothers who were MCs back in the 90s. They used to go on pirate radio shows and that quickly rubbed off on me. I developed a knack for reciting rap verses and started writing a few of my own. I was about 10 years old when my brother took me to the studio to record for the first time, just for a laugh. During my teens, I was always performing rap songs at talent shows and singing in choirs. Then I went off to University and ended up on a friend’s radio show and decided to do a rap verse for a laugh. Something clicked in me after that and I started to take music more seriously. I ended up releasing two EP’s (The Mahdi and The Mahdi II) and have since been working on my third EP ‘Home” which is due for release this year.
SNM: Passion and inspiration go hand in hand and we know you are very passionate about music, so what would you say inspires you?
FM: I’m inspired by my breath, the fact that I’m alive each day presents me with an opportunity to continue to do what I believe to be my life’s task. The music industry has changed dramatically in the last decade and I’m just passionate about making music that resonates with a clear message.
SNM: How would you vividly best describe your style of music?
FM: This is a difficult one, my style has definitely evolved in the last couple of years. I started off with Hip Hop / Spoken Word and now I would say that my style is more in line with World Music / Electronic.
SNM: Amongst the many renowned musical artists who would you say has influenced you the most?
FM: This is a tough one. It’s hard to narrow it down to just one artist, but if I had to, I would say Kendrick Lamar. I listened to a lot of Black Hippy when I was studying at University and he really stood out to me.
SNM: How do you connect with a person or persons with your music and how will you describe your sound?
FM: For me, it’s important that the music I create has a clear message that provokes thought. My sound is always evolving. For example, ‘What You Want” is a very hype Hip Hop track, whereas, my latest single “Mama” is more spoken word and world music vibes.
SNM: Every project or work has its rewards, what would you say yours is being a musician?
FM: The greatest reward for me is making music others can relate to and inspiring them to be the best version of themselves.
SNM: Lastly, where do you see yourself in the future with your music?
FM: I’m currently working on my new EP called “HOME” which features a number of African artists. I’m half-Nigerian and half-Somalian so I have a burning desire to reconnect with my roots and work more closely with artists from Africa in the years to come.
By Anderson Azugbene
