Emerging Fervour

Happy Friday everyone! I’ve got the perfect thing for your afternoon: A bit of piece of loveliness, sit back and enjoy!

Eco-aware fashion label, Beautiful Soul, teamed up with photographer Oliver Prout, illustrator Zarina Liew and recording artist Gabby Young, to create a short film to celebrate their Spring/Summer 2011 Collection, ‘Believe’.

What a great way to showcase the talents of so many people! The graphics and sound are perfect for the collection.

Inspired by the recent Grace Kelly exhibition at Victoria and Albert Museum, the new collection focuses on the feminine 1950’s silhouette with a twist of the Orient.

And there is something for the boys too. The all new menswear collection will include a capsule range of casual blazers and tailored suits, upcycled from both vintage kimonos and the retro bird print.

www.beautiful-soul.co.uk

What have they done I hear you wonder? What they always do, blown away the audience!

Rob, our photographer has never seen them but we think, they’ve converted him as in his own words he described them as:

“Well Gabby was unbelievably charismatic… A real performer. Playing and entertaining at the same time.  The other animals were very good, they were tight and most of all they were all having lots of fun.

The venue, the Jazz Cafe, is so intimate that they easily fill it whiled connecting with everyone there. they took us on a journey, it was first class travel and we all felt refreshed when we got to our destination ”

From the gigs we went to, this sounds exactly how we felt! Rob, of course, has not only listened but snapped away on his fancy camera!! (If you want to see all images, make sure you check them out on Flickr)

www.gabbyyoungandotheranimals.com

All photography by Rob Mann (www.robmann.co.uk) – we love to share but make sure you credit him and us if you do.

Gabby Young and her eight piece band Other Animals are ranging from gypsy folk, pop, rock, jazz to cabaret and swing music. Their shows are something between a circus, a burlesque cabaret and a ballroom event. They recently released their debut album “We are all in this together” on their own label Gift of the Gab Records and will be touring Europe and Australia this year. So, time to ask Gabby a few questions about her music, her fashion and of course, her upcoming plans.

Your style is unique and quite flamboyant, your music is a mix of swing, folk, jazz and pop, you entitled it “Circus Swing”. It’s obvious that you’re here to entertain and your intention is to bring an atmosphere to your audience, not only a gig. But who is this Gabby Young? Are these your true colors onstage or are you any different backstage?
I have never sat down and planned a persona for the stage Gabby Young, I just try and be myself. I definitely get possessed by confidence when I step out on stage and the audience seems excited to see what I’m about to do. It’s a powerful feeling and one that makes me feel like I can do anything. When I am home or walking the dog I don’t have the energy of the audience to keep me as confident but I am always as positive as I can be and try and spread happiness! It is important for me to put on a show and keep the people that came to see me as interested and involved as possible- that’s why I put on events- not just gigs- so they can join in and become part of the show. I think I have always done this throughout all parts of my life though –collaborated with other people to create wonderful, exciting things!

Dare I say you’re an authentic person, you don’t seem to be phoney or fake. How hard is it to remain true to yourself even if people sometimes don’t appreciate what you’re doing?
Thankyou! I am predominantly a musician and a hard worker – I never try to pretend to be anything else. I am a firm believer that we are all equals- I have never understood a ‘diva’ sensibility – ‘We Are All In This Together’ after all- cheesy I know but I mean it most sincerely. If people don’t ‘get’ what I’m doing I try not to let it get to me – I am lucky enough to have a lot of amazing people who differ to them and I am so thankful for their support – it allows me to just do what I do and not let anything change that.

I am back in London for the next three weeks, don’t worry I didn’t expect you to realise I was gone. In these modern times where everything is digital, were we’re living in an augmented reality and become friends via facebook on our iPhone, it’s all the more important to seize this short time and do something extraordinary and exciting (I’m not really sure, if these two words mean the same, but who cares, it’s all about rock and roll, hell ya!).

And I hope that you lovely people would like to join here and there. There are infinite opportunities, so here we go:

On wednesday the 7th you should take a look at the Dingwalls in Camden. For only 15£ you will live to see Gabby Young (usually with The Other Animals, but I think she’s playing a solo set) a singer with a voice as remarkable as her style. To describe her music I will just quote a quotation from her myspace site: “if Ani DiFranco had sex with Jeff Buckley in 1920 while on acid listening to Ella Fitzgerald…that would be the wonderful music of Gabby Young…” I agree.

And then there is Vieux Farke Touré a singer and guitar player from Mali, South Africa. He’s the son of Ali Farke Touré, also a guitar player and singer, highly respected in his home country and worldwide. He was often called the African John Lee Hooker, because he merged traditional African styles and the African language with American Blues elements. But for all that, he didn’t want his son to be a musician as well. Because he had suffered so much within the music industry he decided his son should become a soldier instead. Vieux Farke Touré defied his father’s wishes, studied guitar and released his debut album Fondo in 2007 (a year after his father died). And like his father he embraces all cultural influences from rock to blues to reggae always combined with his African roots. Pretty interesting.