QMarkMag caught up with Singer and songwriter Lachi. The visually impaired songwriter spoke on several issues – from her inception into the music industry to what she does during her leisure.
Lachi
Let’s start by introducing Lachi – growing up, background and the whole shebang.
I was born on the East Coast and spent most of my childhood years in a combination of Philly, Upstate New York and Norch Carolina (a recipe with an equal combination of the ghetto, the suburbs and….the South). My parents are from Imo State Nigeria, and we go back every couple of years for various gatherings, so included in that recipe is that hint of African values that differ from that of America.
Tell me your whole inception into music…
At a very young age, I was introduced to the keyboard as it appeared to be the only thing I wanted to play with apart from dolls. Nothing else seemed to interest me, and when they bought instruments for my other siblings, I would commander them if I could. I began songwriting around eight, writing my first hit song “Where Is My Kitty,” a 30 second master piece about a cat, though I didn’t own a cat at the time. Songwriting then became part of who I am, as I began to write songs about all aspects and incidences in my life weather about boys, people teasing me at school, watching someone else get teased, homework I didn’t want to do, or anything at all. I wrote and write music to cope with situations rather than to just write pretty songs.
influenced you]
I’d call it jazz-influenced piano-driven alternative indie-pop-stutted melodic poetry
What is your writing process like?
It varies from song to song. Yet usually the music comes first before the vocal melody and lyrics. Then the melody to the hook comes, then the lyrics to the hook, and the versus usually come last. However as I said, it differs per song, and with over 400 songs there really are over 400 different ways I’ve approached writing, as each song is very unique. I mean, sometimes I’ll hear a train go by and blow it’s whistle in a funny way, and then all of a sudden a whole song is born.
How in touch are you with Nigeria?
Lachi is a nickname for Ulachi “Ring of God” in Igbo, Ulachi being on of my middle names My mother says, because I was born legally blind, she would carry me everywhere she went when I was a baby. So I was always in her hands, like a ring.
Tell us about your most recent record/effort. What should fans expect from you?
We’ve just released the self-titled album Lachi on July 27. It is distributed through EMI/Caroline. They should expect a piano driven array of pop tunes, rock ballads, sing-songwriter stories, and some poetic lyrics. I like to write more about life, than about love; more about hurt then about hate, and more about dealing then about feelings…so not too many love/hate songs here, more songs about life, struggle and, like I’d mentioned early, trying to cope.
recorded and remains a favourite, why?
Probably Dear Happiness and Emo Children. Both hold deep meanings for me and send me down the journey I’d been going through in my life when I wrote the songs every time I hear them.
And, what do you like to do in your spare time completely away from this music?
I also like to read, and write. I write poetry, short stories, novels and scripts.
Is there anything else that I may have left out or forgot to ask about?
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