BaggE

During this interview, the sun was warming up our faces and BaggE’s little dog Maisy was caressing our legs. While laughing and enjoying the simplicity of a day at home, we spoke about BaggE’s music and the influences behind it, as well as her journey as a musician.

Hey BaggE, who are you and how would you describe your music?
BaggE: I’m BaggE and I’m a musician from North London. I’m a very easy-going, honest, kind and aware person. I think those characteristics are reflected in my music, as my music is laid back and comfortable. Hence the name BaggE, because when you wear baggy clothes, you’re hella comfortable. When people ask me what music I make, I always say neo-soul, because that’s the closest genre that describes my music. However, my new music has a lot of electronic and hip hop included. I suppose I just don’t like putting myself in a [particular] genre.

How long have you been doing music for and what made you decide to pursue it as a career?
BaggE: I’ve always been around music in my life. It sounds corny, but I feel like I was born to do music. There’s never been something else I’ve wanted to do. I love cooking, but music just merges with my personality. I don’t like sharing a lot about myself and often laugh and hide things, so music is like an outlet, as well as a coping mechanism for me. By writing music and using it as my coping mechanism I can go along with my days.

In what way has music always been a part of your life?
BaggE: My mum has always been into the arts, and was a dancer when she was young. She also used to play the drums and was in the arts scene in the 70’s. Despite that, she never pursued music as a career and is now working as a personal trainer. Nevertheless, she’s always put me and my brother around the most amazing music. My dad also had a really good taste in music.

When did you release your first single?
BaggE: The first single I have ever released was “Hush” in 2018, which I exclusively released on SoundCloud. Only later did I start taking music more seriously and started to upload it onto different streaming platforms.

You have recently released a remix of your song “Sorry ‘bout that” together with Hemai. The song was initially part of your EP What About Summer which you did together with Tyegreen (@tyegr33n). Could you tell us a bit about the song and the EP?
BaggE: The EP, which has five tracks, spreads the message of restoring that summer feeling we’ve all been missing! It took me a couple of months to work on the whole EP. The track “Sorry ‘bout that” is about moving on and being a bigger person. So not arguing anymore with someone and that person wanting to argue [with me]. And me going “Oh, I’m sorry about that, man”. I can’t. I’ve passed that stage now.

What is it about music that makes you feel passionate?
BaggE: Being able to understand my emotions and being able to release negative energy by going in a studio and coming out feeling positive and happy. I’m the type of person that doesn’t talk about how I feel deeply to other people, and a lot of the time I don’t know how to channel that energy. Being able to write music expressing exactly how I feel is so unnatural for me on a day to day basis but in the studio it’s my norm.

Describe your favourite and least favourite part about being a musician.
BaggE: My favourite part is being able to write music that can help people and also myself. My least favourite are the dangers of the business side, like how a lot of people can con you.

Are there any musicians who inspire you? What qualities do you admire about them?
BaggE: Musicians that inspire me are Jill Scott, Erykah Badu and Charlotte dos Santos. Also just the people that are around me and my peers doing bits.

Tell me about your favourite performance in your career.
BaggE: Probably an intimate show I did in Paper Dress Vintage. There wasn’t a huge crowd but the people were loving it and my band was amazing.

As a Queer British-Congolese musician in London, have you ever felt like you have had light skin privilege in the music industry?
BaggE: That’s an interesting question. I haven’t realised it too much personally. I imagine that this is because I was born into it, just like white people are born into white privilege. I am very conscious of it and trying to do the work to change things, or at least not to feed into it.

The afro feels as if it’s a trademark of yours. Can you tell us more about your crown?
BaggE: Funnily, I have only recently learned how to take care of my hair properly. Before then, I would never have my hair out. I always wanted to look like typical mixed-race girls, with loose ringlets. But my hair wouldn’t. I’m proud that I learned how to take care of my hair properly instead of trying to make them something they are not. Weirdly, if you think about it, the afro is simply my hair out, like other people would wear their straight hair out. This is just my natural hair.

What advice would you give to your other young mixed-race and Black musicians that are trying to start in the industry?
BaggE: Be original. Be yourself.

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