AUNT.T
AUNT.T is Fausat Abioye. Born and raised in South East London from Jamaican and Nigerian heritage. I began playing guitar in my early twenties, inspired by Jimi Hendrix and Neil Young. Vocal influences are Luther Vandross and backing singers who I feel are the unsung heroes in music some examples The I Three - Bob Marley’s backing singers and Merry Clayton backing singer on the Rolling Stones Gimme Shelter.
Joy is where
Eine vergangene Beziehung und Beziehungen rund um sie selbst waren ihre Inspiration für "Joy is where". Ungewöhnliche, fast schon avantgardistische Klänge zu Beginn würden einen vermuten lassen, dass es Richtung 90er Jahre geht, dann aber akustischer Gitarrensound und der Einsatz der Vocals, kräftige Vocals, manchmal mit leicht jazzigem Touch, der gut zum Gesamtbild des Songs passt. Das Singer-Songwriter Genre trifft hier auf leicht jazzige Avantgarde und klingt dennoch nach Pop. Nach "Weekends are made for two", ihrem Debütsong, auf alle Fälle der nächste Beweis ihres Talents.
The Interview
Who inspired you to make music?
My auntie’s old piano, I became obsessed with that thing, on every visit to her house I would go straight to it and play like I was possessed, I just thought it was magical
What or who inspired you to "Joy is where"?
The song was inspired by a past relationship and from observing the relationships around me. I used to think having a partner would fulfil me 100% but it didn’t and actually brought more problems so I discovered that I was responsible for finding my own happiness rather than expecting the relationship alone to make me happy
What is your creative process like?
Part spiritual download, part graft, part improvising and noodling. Some songs already exist and appear instantly. Quite often I jam on the guitar and discover a riff that I like. I then improvise vocals over the riff, singing anything that comes to mind which usually doesn’t make sense but it helps me work out the rhythmic flow of the vocal line, then I shape them into lyrics that make sense. Other times if there is a particular subject I want to write about, I will write a poem which I then craft into a song.
Who would you most like to collaborate with?
I would love to sing a duet with Gregory Porter, his voice is godly, I duet with him in my kitchen all the time. Also Anais Mitchell, l imagine us sitting on a rooftop in some hip American town jamming and creating some soulful folk tunes. Can I add Anderson .Paak
What is the most useful talent you have?
I am very calm in a crisis
...and the most useless talent?
I’m good at guessing the time quite precisely
If you could change anything in the past, what would it be?
I regret that I stopped playing the piano. I gave it up as a teenager because my tutor was a creep. I still feel a bit sad thinking about it.
How do you feel the Internet (especially Social Media platforms) has impacted the music business?
Positively, independent artists can do it for themselves and maintain more control over their image and creative products. The internet seemingly gives us access to a global fanbase..potentially, although that feels a bit illusionary. The money issue i.e. making a living seems to be a problem for everyone, it seems you have to initially share your music for free in order to establish a paying fanbase and I am sure the large record labels are not raking in the money like yesteryear. I wonder if social media has made the world a smaller place, are we all listening to the same music and does that affect a) originality b) restrict us from being truly ourselves in fear of the toxic aspects of it.
AUNT.T is...?
AUNT.T is my soul mission, she really is. I have always wanted to be a musician but my insecurities held me back for a long time. She symbolises overcoming, getting on with it and triumph. I am an Aunt so the name grew from there…
What’s next for you?
Next is… I’m releasing a six song EP on Bandcamp 30th July 2021, then I plan to start recording an album and getting some live shows
