After checking out Minni Manchester‘s LP Kwaku decided he needed to find out more. Read on for our interview with Minni to find out more.
Hi Minnie Manchester, thanks for taking the time out to catch up with us we truly appreciate it.
So when did your love for music and passion for singing begin?
Minnie Manchester: Since I was a baby. My dad’s side of the family are all musical people. They all sing and play instruments in the church so I was around it a lot when I was a baby. I loved seeing how the music made the people in the church feel, and how it made me feel. Around 8 or 9 years old, I had an afterschool teacher that incorporated music into everything we did. That is when I learned that I can sing and write music. The rest is history.
Name one of the funniest moments that comes to mind?
Minnie Manchester: All of the moments I spent with my dad because he was always telling the funniest jokes. He is the funniest man I have ever known. He passed away about 4 months ago but every time I feel sad I think of all the jokes he told and I just burst out laughing.
What’s are your favourite foods these days?
Minnie Manchester: Avocado with rice has been my favourite lately. I didn’t like healthy foods most of my life but lately I’ve been trying different things and that’s my favourite as of now.
How long did it take to complete the project “69”?
Minnie Manchester: I started writing 69 in 2019 but so many songs did not make it on the project because they just didn’t fit with my vision of that project. This project was my diary. I usually bottle my feelings in so It was special to release those feelings on paper in a creative way.
So before you sit down to do a song what’s your creative process like?
Minnie Manchester: My creative process is dynamic. Sometimes I hear beats, and they pull words out of me. Sometimes I get melodies in my head and play them on my instruments then the words come later. Sometimes I write and the music comes later, it just depends on the day, but I feel inspired the most when I go through things in life.
Who and what are your inspirations musically and why?
Minnie Manchester: Erykah Badu, Jhene Aiko Deangelo and Pharrell are my main inspirations. Erykah is one of the best performers I’ve seen in my lifetime. I also love her melodic choices and the chords used in her music. Jhene inspires me to be me and not filter myself when I write my songs. I love how her and Erykah’s music is unapologetic and unfiltered.
Deangelo and Pharrell are true artists. They do everything from playing multiple instruments, produce, write etc. When you can do everything musically, its easier to make a vision come to life as an artist because you don’t have to try to explain what is inside your head.
What do you cherish most in the universe?
Minnie Manchester: I cherish time the most. Time is precious and with all the loss I’ve experienced I understand that we don’t have much of it. You know the saying “good things come with time” or “time heals all wounds“, I truly believe that so I cherish time and try to make each day meaningful.
Could you talk about the track on your debut EP entitled “Fly Away” and how did the feature with Willie Hyn, come about?
Minnie Manchester: Venuz Beats and Evil Needle collaborated on that beat specifically with me in mind and when they sent it to me, I instantly started thinking about my grandma who I had just lost. I started writing down how I felt and that’s how I came up with my verses and the chorus. When I finished it, I felt like something was missing and I left it alone for a while.
I was a fan of Willie for a few years but we ended up connecting on Instagram and I thought the song would sound dope with him on it. I reached out and to my luck he was down because he could relate to it and the song had meaning to him as well.
Which track was the most challenging to complete?
Minnie Manchester: Love, because it was hard to bring life to the sound and vision in my head. I played with several sounds but still could get it to where I wanted it to be. Luckily, I found an engineer who could bring that vision to life and it came out exactly how I envisioned.
So when can we look forward to another release from Minnie Manchester?
Minnie Manchester: I’m working on new music, visuals and a new project for 2021 so be on the lookout. I also just released new merch and plan to do more shows this year (virtual and non virtual).
Thank you for taking the time out to chop it up with us, do you have any shout outs?
Shout out to Bernard Hill, Venuz Beats, Willie Hyn, Oi from Sonic Garage, Devin and all my soulflowers!
https://minnimanchester.bandcamp.com/
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