Episode #14 : In Conversation with Kizomba Music Artist and Performer Lora G

[00:00:08] Hello Kizomba Enthusiasts and welcome back to another episode of Kizomba Conversations. As always, I'm your host Victor and today we are joined by Laura Georgiella. Now, Laura is a singer and songwriter and performer. So let's welcome her to the podcast. Hello, Laura. How are you?

[00:00:29] Hello, Victor. I am amazing. Thank you so much for inviting me and well done on pronouncing my surname.

[00:00:35] Well, I was just about to ask you, how was that? It was great. Better than 90% of England. I think you're too kind. No, wonderful. Beautiful surname. And thank you for being here. We're really excited about having you here. Obviously, you're an artist, you're a Kizomba artist, and we want to explore your Kizomba world, your journey and all those good things. So how does that sound? Wonderful. I can't wait. Fantastic. All right. So let's go straight to it. So we want to find out about you next week.

[00:01:05] Laura, Laura. What can you tell us, listeners, viewers, people watching, a bit of background before music, before Kizomba? Who is Laura G?

[00:01:14] Before Kizomba, Laura G was a little girl full of dreams, mostly about music from a little age, basically when I was four, maybe, I think. I grew up in a family where my mom is a vocal coach. She's still a vocal coach.

[00:01:32] My dad used to be a bass, bass guitarist. And I grew up with music all of my life. So when I was a kid, I wanted to be someone really famous.

[00:01:47] You know, my dream was to be singing on stage with my partner. Like all of my like, you know, when you're a kid, you dream of stuff and you imagine things.

[00:01:58] I was imagining me and my partner singing a duet, walking on stage, looking at each other's like in love and, you know, singing about love, all this kind of stuff.

[00:02:09] Okay.

[00:02:10] But yeah, then I found Kizomba.

[00:02:13] Well, we're definitely going to talk about that. So, okay. So music then, you said from about the age of four.

[00:02:19] Or as a little girl, you were thinking about music that early on. Is that correct?

[00:02:23] Yeah, yeah, yeah, definitely. Because I think every day live in my home, it was all the time music.

[00:02:29] Okay.

[00:02:30] It was not, we really didn't, well, we watched TV, of course, but not that much as a, it was always about music.

[00:02:37] Like my mom was having, back then she had groups, like, not like a choir, but like a singing groups, like a pop groups.

[00:02:47] So she would like tour the country. It was amazing. So for me, it was very exciting.

[00:02:53] But I was a kid, so I was just getting to stay at home with my grandma or my brothers, because they were, they were looking after me most of the time.

[00:03:02] And my parents were touring the country.

[00:03:04] Okay. So from a musical family, basically.

[00:03:07] Yeah.

[00:03:08] Yeah. So you mentioned your mother then, and she was a vocal coach, if I'm not mistaken, one of the best coaches in Bulgaria. Is that correct?

[00:03:17] I mean, at least this is not only my opinion. She has, just because of my mom, of course, she has won several awards for it.

[00:03:27] And because we're from a small town in Bulgaria, like we're not from the capital or anything like that.

[00:03:33] But there was many, many competitions that she has went and then she has won.

[00:03:38] So not just the kids, because right now she's like teaching kids how to sing and they're touring with the kids.

[00:03:45] But then she's won awards for herself as a vocal coach.

[00:03:50] So, yeah.

[00:03:51] Fantastic. Okay. So that's mom. Great.

[00:03:54] That's mom.

[00:03:54] And then dad, a bass player.

[00:03:57] A bass player.

[00:03:58] Yeah. So was he in the band?

[00:04:00] No, I think he was in the band when he was younger.

[00:04:04] And then when they met with my mom, I think he kind of become her partner in crime.

[00:04:10] He was helping with everything to do with producing, everything to do with music, with basically making the music for the groups and for the kids and stuff like that.

[00:04:21] So he was there.

[00:04:23] Okay.

[00:04:23] A rock.

[00:04:24] Yeah.

[00:04:24] It's really cool.

[00:04:25] That's great.

[00:04:26] And that's amazing.

[00:04:26] Obviously you've bloomed from them as well.

[00:04:29] So I want to find out, because obviously you're in a musical family, how much influence did your parents have on you then in terms of the music and what you're doing now?

[00:04:39] The music genre, you mean?

[00:04:40] Well, just music in general.

[00:04:42] Oh, I would say huge.

[00:04:44] Yeah.

[00:04:45] I mean, everything really.

[00:04:48] I guess if I was not in that family, I don't think I would be able to feel the music the way I feel.

[00:04:56] Like my mom used to say, there's only very few people where they can experience music the way that musicians can.

[00:05:07] Interesting.

[00:05:08] So you get chills, you cry, like you get very emotional, even from songs, not necessarily sad, more likely actually feeling the emotions that you're feeling.

[00:05:22] And I think this is one of the things that I really want to do is to transfer emotions through music and make sure, not make sure, because I cannot make sure that, but I can only hope that people will be able to feel their own emotions and express them.

[00:05:38] Yeah.

[00:05:39] Because I feel like, not just recently, but in the world, we kind of try to hide all of that.

[00:05:47] And we think that having emotions is bad or crying is bad or being vulnerable is bad.

[00:05:53] But for me, music is something that brings that out from you.

[00:05:59] And then you're able to connect with your own soul, with your own emotions and hopefully express them.

[00:06:05] Not everyone can, but I guess this is what I want my music to do.

[00:06:13] So I'm interested in what your mom said then about that.

[00:06:16] So only a few people, please say that again.

[00:06:19] So only a few people can express themselves through music or feel it.

[00:06:21] Is that what she said?

[00:06:22] So she was saying that not everyone can let themselves go, I guess.

[00:06:27] Okay.

[00:06:28] Like now as an adult, I can verifize this a bit.

[00:06:37] Because in Bulgaria, sometimes we're like very, oh, you don't think, you're not good, you're not this kind of stuff.

[00:06:42] But with times, it's different now.

[00:06:46] People can learn.

[00:06:47] So she was basically saying that if you are not in touch with your emotions, you're not able to feel the music.

[00:06:57] Yeah.

[00:06:57] So this is what I will translate to you, basically.

[00:07:01] Exactly.

[00:07:02] So I think one of my missions, because it's the only one that I have in life, is to inspire this in people to be able to be in touch with their emotions.

[00:07:15] Yeah.

[00:07:16] Okay.

[00:07:16] And I think that's a good thing, because like you were saying, not everybody is.

[00:07:20] And it's not a bad thing to be in touch with your emotions.

[00:07:23] No.

[00:07:23] Especially men.

[00:07:25] Especially men.

[00:07:26] Yeah.

[00:07:26] Especially men.

[00:07:27] Absolutely.

[00:07:28] Okay.

[00:07:29] Great.

[00:07:30] Thank you.

[00:07:30] All right.

[00:07:30] So talking about then, so you started singing at the age of seven.

[00:07:34] Is that correct?

[00:07:36] Or am I wrong?

[00:07:38] Around there.

[00:07:39] Around, yeah.

[00:07:39] Yeah.

[00:07:39] To be honest, all of these ages for me are blurred.

[00:07:42] Okay.

[00:07:43] Because my mom was starting like a private school at that time.

[00:07:47] So she was moving away from groups and it was starting to individual coaching and stuff like that.

[00:07:52] So I think around seven, I was part of a group and then around nine or eight or nine or whatever, like a year after two, I was then just singing by myself.

[00:08:03] Singing by myself.

[00:08:04] Okay.

[00:08:04] And then in terms of, so you studied at Estrada Vocal School?

[00:08:08] Did I say that right?

[00:08:10] Estrada.

[00:08:10] You know what Estrada means?

[00:08:12] That's in Russian, actually.

[00:08:14] And it means pop.

[00:08:15] Pop.

[00:08:16] Yeah.

[00:08:16] Okay.

[00:08:16] So basically, it's club pop, which is club Estrada, which means fingers for pop music.

[00:08:25] Pop music.

[00:08:26] Yeah.

[00:08:26] Okay.

[00:08:27] So that's where you went for some time.

[00:08:28] Yeah.

[00:08:29] That is her studio.

[00:08:30] Oh, okay.

[00:08:31] Right.

[00:08:31] This is her vocal coaching.

[00:08:37] What's the name?

[00:08:38] Academy, studio.

[00:08:40] Academy.

[00:08:41] Yeah.

[00:08:41] It's Skola.

[00:08:43] Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[00:08:43] Okay.

[00:08:44] Skola.

[00:08:45] Okay, okay.

[00:08:46] But like a school.

[00:08:48] School.

[00:08:48] Yeah.

[00:08:49] School.

[00:08:49] Okay.

[00:08:50] Teacher school.

[00:08:50] Teacher school.

[00:08:51] Okay.

[00:08:51] Just a private one because it just hurts.

[00:08:53] Yeah.

[00:08:54] So then from there, around seven or eight, mine.

[00:08:58] Yeah, all of these things.

[00:09:00] Is that what prepared you for singing Kazomba?

[00:09:06] Probably.

[00:09:07] Yeah.

[00:09:07] To be honest, when you have someone that is so good in vocal coaching and older kids

[00:09:13] that she was having, not the kids that she was having, but the kids that she was

[00:09:18] teaching, they were like taking prizes from every other words and stuff like that.

[00:09:22] So for me, it was a bit intimidating because I had to be the best because I'm the daughter

[00:09:29] of the best vocal coach there.

[00:09:32] Yeah.

[00:09:32] Yeah.

[00:09:32] So somewhere around, I don't know, when I was a teenager, I said, nope, I'm not doing

[00:09:37] that.

[00:09:38] Okay.

[00:09:39] You know?

[00:09:40] I think maybe subconsciously was just too much pressure for me and I just left it.

[00:09:46] I see.

[00:09:46] And then some other stuff then just caught my attention and all that teenagers, you know?

[00:09:53] Yeah.

[00:09:53] But then after that, somewhere around 17, 18, I think I wanted to get back again.

[00:10:00] But then my mom was like, no, you don't do that.

[00:10:03] What are you going to do with this singing?

[00:10:05] You know, all of that.

[00:10:05] Like we have a saying in Bulgaria that a musician does not feed a house.

[00:10:10] Okay.

[00:10:11] Which is horrible when you think about it because, you know, as every parent, your parents want

[00:10:22] you to succeed in life.

[00:10:24] They want you to have, to be secure, to have money, to have happiness and all that.

[00:10:28] So she was like, no, now you're like graduating.

[00:10:30] You need to go and study something else.

[00:10:34] So I did, I went to study something else.

[00:10:36] I was not naughty.

[00:10:40] You're allowed to be naughty if you're young.

[00:10:41] It's fine.

[00:10:42] But I was not.

[00:10:43] I was like, okay, all right.

[00:10:46] And I went to another city to study something else.

[00:10:49] So it kind of stays a little bit buried, all of that.

[00:10:54] But when I started Kizomba in UK here, it just opened all of this, you know, just came out

[00:11:03] flooding all of these emotions.

[00:11:05] Like this is where, this is what I'm supposed to be doing.

[00:11:07] This is what I'm supposed to be expressing.

[00:11:11] Like no, some corporate job or at that time, actually, I was, I was a manager in a restaurant

[00:11:19] and a bar.

[00:11:19] So I was in the hospitality for many, many, many years.

[00:11:22] And I've become really, really good at it.

[00:11:26] So I was just about to get my own restaurant, not my own restaurant as buying a restaurant,

[00:11:31] but like I was going to be a general manager to a place where my boss said, it's just you

[00:11:39] here, you're going to do whatever you want.

[00:11:40] And I was like, wow.

[00:11:43] It was literally many, many years.

[00:11:45] I've wanted that.

[00:11:46] Found Kizomba.

[00:11:48] I found Kizomba at the last year and everything just changed.

[00:11:54] Everything just changed.

[00:11:55] And there's something just switched in me.

[00:11:58] And I was like, I was not having fun anymore at work.

[00:12:01] I was not enjoying it.

[00:12:03] I was just waiting for me to finish or to not working so I can be going to Kizomba.

[00:12:09] I was going Monday, Thursday, Tuesday, Saturday, any day I can, I was going.

[00:12:16] And then I decided to quit.

[00:12:18] So I quit my job.

[00:12:21] Actually, not just the job.

[00:12:22] I quit a proper career.

[00:12:25] Okay.

[00:12:25] Yeah.

[00:12:27] And out of then I just wanted to find a way to support myself in a different job where it's

[00:12:34] going to give me time to actually be able to sing and dance.

[00:12:39] Wow.

[00:12:41] Wow.

[00:12:42] So that's great.

[00:12:44] But what I'm interested in is specifics in how you found Kizomba.

[00:12:49] Oh, how?

[00:12:50] Yeah.

[00:12:50] Because you said you found it.

[00:12:51] But how?

[00:12:51] How did you find it?

[00:12:52] Okay.

[00:12:53] So in Bulgaria, I started dancing bachata, merengue and salsa was very little part of it.

[00:13:04] It was more about bachata and merengue.

[00:13:07] And it was one or two months.

[00:13:09] Then I joined the dancing school and then I had to leave.

[00:13:12] Okay.

[00:13:12] So, and I was already moving to London and I was looking and looking and looking for salsa

[00:13:19] classes around my area.

[00:13:22] They have to be comfortable for this, comfortable for that for many years.

[00:13:25] Because I'm telling you, like when I, when I arrived in UK, in London, actually, I start

[00:13:29] working in the restaurant and work my way up.

[00:13:33] And that was many, many years.

[00:13:34] And then during those years, I was looking for salsa classes.

[00:13:39] Okay.

[00:13:40] And at one point I was like, okay, I've had enough of looking to be next to me or to be

[00:13:47] at a convenient time.

[00:13:49] Like, I just need to go and dance.

[00:13:51] You know, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm fed up of looking for people to come with me because

[00:13:57] that was another thing.

[00:13:58] Yeah.

[00:13:58] Like in Bulgaria, I think maybe here too, but if you go out by yourself, you're considered

[00:14:03] crazy.

[00:14:04] Okay.

[00:14:05] You are considered crazy.

[00:14:06] You're like, oh, she's by herself.

[00:14:09] Yeah.

[00:14:10] You know?

[00:14:11] So I was like looking for people to come with me.

[00:14:14] They didn't want to come with me.

[00:14:15] If I found a place, no one's coming with me or it's not convenient for me.

[00:14:19] So I just said enough.

[00:14:21] And I literally just Googled dance.

[00:14:23] I didn't even type in what kind of dance.

[00:14:26] I just Googled dance.

[00:14:27] I think Saturday because it was, it was Saturday.

[00:14:32] Okay.

[00:14:32] And the first thing I saw and I said to myself, the first thing comes up, I'm going.

[00:14:37] Oh, okay.

[00:14:39] Yeah.

[00:14:39] Yeah.

[00:14:40] Because I was like until here, we're like trying to find a place to go and dance.

[00:14:44] Um, and yeah, the first place was Kizomba Visio.

[00:14:50] Visio in London.

[00:14:52] Yes.

[00:14:52] Yes.

[00:14:53] So I think he, obviously he had a, I think after that, I found out that he has obviously

[00:14:58] like some advertisements and stuff.

[00:15:00] That's why he was in the front, but it was great for me.

[00:15:04] So I just went.

[00:15:04] Okay.

[00:15:05] And then the first day I went there and I went there with myself.

[00:15:09] I was so scared to go out.

[00:15:11] I can imagine.

[00:15:12] Yeah.

[00:15:12] I'm telling you.

[00:15:13] I can imagine.

[00:15:14] And I go down the stairs, you know, that place.

[00:15:17] Another place.

[00:15:18] Go down the stairs.

[00:15:19] And that time the guy, uh, the guy's name that was taking the money was downstairs.

[00:15:27] So obviously it was, it was a class at that time.

[00:15:30] So it was quiet.

[00:15:32] Everyone was seeing me when I was coming in.

[00:15:34] So I just, he like, he was doing something.

[00:15:38] He looked at me.

[00:15:40] I looked at him.

[00:15:41] He didn't say anything.

[00:15:42] I didn't say anything.

[00:15:44] 30 seconds.

[00:15:46] What is actually seen like three hours of awkward silence.

[00:15:50] And I just left.

[00:15:51] Oh, you left?

[00:15:52] I left.

[00:15:52] Oh, wow.

[00:15:53] I left.

[00:15:54] I was, I got so, I got so like embarrassed.

[00:15:57] I left.

[00:15:58] I left.

[00:15:59] I was almost like, okay.

[00:16:02] I mean, if he's not saying anything, how should I know what am I doing?

[00:16:06] What am I like?

[00:16:07] Is that a customer service or what?

[00:16:09] Yeah.

[00:16:09] Okay.

[00:16:11] And I work in that industry.

[00:16:12] So for me, customer service, I know what it means.

[00:16:16] So, and I'm alone.

[00:16:17] My first time.

[00:16:19] And it's not something you do.

[00:16:21] No.

[00:16:21] It's not something, okay.

[00:16:23] So you're alone.

[00:16:23] Yeah.

[00:16:24] It took a lot of courage for me to go somewhere.

[00:16:27] And I left.

[00:16:28] And then I called my friend and I told her, I found a place.

[00:16:31] I want to go dance.

[00:16:32] La la la.

[00:16:33] Come with me.

[00:16:34] And she was like, okay, I'll come with you first time.

[00:16:36] So she agreed.

[00:16:38] And the next week we went.

[00:16:39] Okay.

[00:16:41] She stayed through the class.

[00:16:43] We stayed to the party, but we left very early.

[00:16:49] She never came back because for her it was uncomfortable.

[00:16:52] Sure.

[00:16:52] But I fell in love with the music.

[00:16:55] Yeah.

[00:16:55] And I think with the feeling that that gives you.

[00:17:01] So I just fell in love.

[00:17:03] Yeah.

[00:17:04] It was like.

[00:17:05] You don't have to tell me that.

[00:17:06] Yeah.

[00:17:07] Yeah.

[00:17:07] Yeah.

[00:17:08] So.

[00:17:08] Yeah.

[00:17:10] So is that the first time you heard Kizomba music then?

[00:17:13] Mm-hmm.

[00:17:14] In that club?

[00:17:15] When you went in that club in that time?

[00:17:17] I think so.

[00:17:19] Actually, let me think about it.

[00:17:22] No.

[00:17:22] What I've seen before that, I had another friend.

[00:17:25] She was sending me videos from, you know, that guy.

[00:17:28] What was his name?

[00:17:30] The two French.

[00:17:32] They were very popular with their first videos of Kizomba dancing.

[00:17:38] Yeah.

[00:17:39] I have the name.

[00:17:42] Them.

[00:17:45] Yes.

[00:17:46] Feliciana and.

[00:17:48] Yes.

[00:17:49] Isabel and Feliciana.

[00:17:50] Oh, you mean the dance couple.

[00:17:51] Oh, okay.

[00:17:52] Felicia and Isabel.

[00:17:52] So my friend, she was sending me videos of them.

[00:17:54] Oh, right.

[00:17:55] Okay.

[00:17:55] Dancing somewhere around the bridge or something like that.

[00:17:57] Yes.

[00:17:58] Yes.

[00:17:58] So I know the dance, it's nice.

[00:18:02] Yes.

[00:18:03] So when I just saw Kizomba, I was like, okay, I'm going to try it.

[00:18:06] Yes.

[00:18:06] You know?

[00:18:07] Yeah.

[00:18:08] So I did hear some of the songs before that.

[00:18:11] Yeah.

[00:18:11] Okay.

[00:18:12] Yeah.

[00:18:12] So that's a nice introduction if you're seeing Felician dance like that.

[00:18:17] Okay.

[00:18:17] I get it.

[00:18:18] Okay.

[00:18:19] I get it.

[00:18:19] Yeah.

[00:18:20] So, okay.

[00:18:20] You've seen some of that.

[00:18:22] You go into the club the second week.

[00:18:25] The second week.

[00:18:27] The first one was like,

[00:18:29] and then you fell in love with the music.

[00:18:31] And then did you just keep coming back after that?

[00:18:33] So after that was, did you come back there?

[00:18:35] Or did you start going Googling other places?

[00:18:37] No.

[00:18:38] So what happens with me is when I,

[00:18:40] when I like something and I like a place or somebody

[00:18:45] and I want to learn it,

[00:18:47] I get very consistent and I get very immersive.

[00:18:50] So whatever, you know, Saeed,

[00:18:53] so whatever Saeed had classes,

[00:18:56] I will be there.

[00:18:57] He had one in Monday,

[00:18:58] Mondays in Wimbledon,

[00:19:02] Tuesdays somewhere around Stockwell,

[00:19:05] Thursday against Stockwell,

[00:19:07] Saturday.

[00:19:08] So I was going literally all of these days,

[00:19:11] whatever he was,

[00:19:11] I was there with him.

[00:19:13] Yeah.

[00:19:13] Okay.

[00:19:13] So I was like,

[00:19:14] ding,

[00:19:14] ding,

[00:19:14] ding,

[00:19:15] ding for like a year.

[00:19:17] And I think,

[00:19:19] um,

[00:19:20] after that,

[00:19:21] I started assisting him and I didn't really go anywhere else.

[00:19:26] That was just my place,

[00:19:28] obviously,

[00:19:28] because there's no many other days left on the week.

[00:19:31] Yeah.

[00:19:32] Yeah.

[00:19:32] Yeah.

[00:19:32] So I was just there all the time.

[00:19:34] Um,

[00:19:36] until I went to a Kizomba festival.

[00:19:40] Oh gosh.

[00:19:41] Yes.

[00:19:43] Yes.

[00:19:43] Um,

[00:19:44] and honestly,

[00:19:45] that was the best time of my life.

[00:19:49] Um,

[00:19:50] well,

[00:19:50] not my life,

[00:19:51] of my Kizomba life.

[00:19:53] Um,

[00:19:55] I had so much fun,

[00:19:57] like the emotions I experienced and the fun we had,

[00:20:01] the people I met,

[00:20:03] um,

[00:20:04] it's just open so much more for me.

[00:20:07] So much other music.

[00:20:09] This is where I saw and I heard Dombolo and all about Congo and all the other African,

[00:20:17] um,

[00:20:18] like traditional dances.

[00:20:20] And I fell in love with that.

[00:20:23] Ooh,

[00:20:26] and then it was no stopping.

[00:20:28] Okay.

[00:20:29] Nobody stopped me after that.

[00:20:30] Yeah.

[00:20:30] Well,

[00:20:31] you've answered my question fully.

[00:20:34] Okay.

[00:20:35] And look,

[00:20:36] you know,

[00:20:37] everybody,

[00:20:38] well,

[00:20:38] most people that come to Kizomba,

[00:20:39] it's a similar story.

[00:20:40] They,

[00:20:40] they fall in love with the music and it just takes over and that's it before,

[00:20:44] you know what?

[00:20:44] You're always out dancing.

[00:20:45] Then you go into festivals.

[00:20:46] You've made some great friends.

[00:20:48] It's,

[00:20:48] it's why,

[00:20:49] you know,

[00:20:49] it's,

[00:20:49] it's why we do it.

[00:20:50] So thank you for sharing that,

[00:20:52] Laura.

[00:20:52] Um,

[00:20:53] so,

[00:20:55] well,

[00:20:55] so then obviously you are an artist.

[00:20:57] So let's talk about that.

[00:20:58] All right.

[00:20:59] So singer.

[00:21:00] Yeah.

[00:21:01] Yeah.

[00:21:01] Songwriter,

[00:21:02] performer.

[00:21:03] So just those three things alone are talent.

[00:21:06] So,

[00:21:06] you know,

[00:21:06] how do you,

[00:21:07] how do you manage balancing those three things?

[00:21:09] Well,

[00:21:10] I don't.

[00:21:10] You don't?

[00:21:11] Okay.

[00:21:39] No,

[00:21:42] I think you can see that by my social media.

[00:21:44] I'm posting a lot of dancing right now.

[00:21:46] And as,

[00:21:47] um,

[00:21:47] I'm working on my performing as a dancer.

[00:21:49] Um,

[00:21:51] I am working on my singing and the songwriting.

[00:21:55] It's really behind because it's just taking a lot of,

[00:22:00] in order for you to write a song or be creative in any way,

[00:22:07] mostly when it comes to art,

[00:22:09] you need to be calm,

[00:22:11] calm,

[00:22:11] calm.

[00:22:12] You need to be calm.

[00:22:13] You need to be happy.

[00:22:15] You need to be in a beautiful state as Tony Robbins is calling it.

[00:22:18] You need to be in a good state in order for you to create.

[00:22:22] Otherwise,

[00:22:23] if you're stressing about,

[00:22:26] I don't know if you're stressing about how many videos you need to post,

[00:22:30] or if you're stressing about who you're going to work with,

[00:22:34] or when you're going to pay your rent,

[00:22:37] or are you going to perform tomorrow or not?

[00:22:40] If you're stressing of all of that,

[00:22:42] then it just doesn't work.

[00:22:44] Okay.

[00:22:45] It does not work.

[00:22:46] So at the moment,

[00:22:48] I'm focusing on performing side of it.

[00:22:52] And I'm still working on the singing part of it,

[00:22:56] but I'm not creating.

[00:22:58] What I'm doing is I'm preparing myself for creating.

[00:23:04] So I think there is a,

[00:23:06] well,

[00:23:06] at least that's what I found for myself.

[00:23:08] I cannot be at all the places at once.

[00:23:12] It does not work.

[00:23:14] I've tried.

[00:23:15] It does not work.

[00:23:16] Because I'm an artist.

[00:23:19] I want it all.

[00:23:20] And then I enjoy all of them.

[00:23:23] But until I master them properly,

[00:23:26] this is maybe when it's going to be possible to juggle properly between them.

[00:23:31] Yeah.

[00:23:32] But while I'm still in the process of progressing,

[00:23:36] like as an artist,

[00:23:37] as a singer,

[00:23:39] I'm still new.

[00:23:41] And I'm,

[00:23:42] I'm not very,

[00:23:44] very new,

[00:23:44] but I'm still new.

[00:23:45] And I need help with promoting.

[00:23:48] I need help with marketing,

[00:23:52] with manager side of it.

[00:23:54] Anyone,

[00:23:55] please.

[00:23:58] DM me or whatever.

[00:24:00] Yes.

[00:24:00] So I need a manager,

[00:24:04] content creator,

[00:24:05] or a PR.

[00:24:07] And,

[00:24:07] um,

[00:24:08] I think that's it for now.

[00:24:09] Maybe a producer,

[00:24:10] proper one.

[00:24:12] Yes.

[00:24:13] What?

[00:24:14] Because it is very,

[00:24:15] very hard,

[00:24:16] to be honest,

[00:24:16] to find someone

[00:24:17] to produce music with.

[00:24:19] Okay.

[00:24:19] As an artist,

[00:24:21] especially as a female artist,

[00:24:23] in Kizomba,

[00:24:24] I have to tell you,

[00:24:26] it was not easy releasing my first song.

[00:24:29] Okay.

[00:24:30] It was not easy finding a producer,

[00:24:34] that he will be not taking advantage of me,

[00:24:37] in any way.

[00:24:38] Not wanting anything in return,

[00:24:41] in any way.

[00:24:43] Um,

[00:24:45] being professional,

[00:24:48] or not selling me,

[00:24:50] oh,

[00:24:50] I'm gonna make you big.

[00:24:52] You're gonna be the big star,

[00:24:54] ever.

[00:24:55] But,

[00:24:55] then,

[00:24:58] just disappears.

[00:24:59] Next day.

[00:25:01] Okay.

[00:25:02] Okay.

[00:25:02] Yeah.

[00:25:02] Like,

[00:25:03] before,

[00:25:04] like,

[00:25:04] Amar,

[00:25:05] is the song that I first released.

[00:25:08] I've had,

[00:25:11] one,

[00:25:12] two,

[00:25:14] three,

[00:25:15] four different producers,

[00:25:16] working on it.

[00:25:18] And,

[00:25:19] myself.

[00:25:21] Okay.

[00:25:22] So,

[00:25:23] honestly,

[00:25:24] it's not easy.

[00:25:26] Okay.

[00:25:27] Not easy at all.

[00:25:28] So,

[00:25:28] in order for,

[00:25:30] uh,

[00:25:32] to even juggle

[00:25:33] two things,

[00:25:34] it's a lot.

[00:25:35] Okay.

[00:25:36] Okay.

[00:25:36] but,

[00:25:37] but,

[00:25:37] I've managed now,

[00:25:39] because,

[00:25:41] I'm not fully starting.

[00:25:43] Like,

[00:25:43] it's not the first step I'm taking as a singer,

[00:25:45] as an artist.

[00:25:46] I've already,

[00:25:47] um,

[00:25:48] directed my own,

[00:25:49] video clip.

[00:25:50] I've already,

[00:25:51] like,

[00:25:52] I've done many things,

[00:25:53] and I've got some experience,

[00:25:55] um,

[00:25:55] um,

[00:25:56] and I know how to deal with it.

[00:25:58] So,

[00:25:58] right now,

[00:25:59] I'm shooting my next video,

[00:26:01] which,

[00:26:01] I'm going to be shooting it next week,

[00:26:03] and it's going to be released for,

[00:26:05] December.

[00:26:06] So,

[00:26:06] it's going to be in the middle of December,

[00:26:07] probably.

[00:26:08] Okay.

[00:26:09] Um,

[00:26:10] but that's only because I already got something rolling.

[00:26:14] Rolling on your brain.

[00:26:15] And I like what you said about,

[00:26:16] really,

[00:26:16] like what you said about,

[00:26:17] you know,

[00:26:18] preparing to,

[00:26:19] so you're preparing to get ready.

[00:26:21] So,

[00:26:21] I think,

[00:26:21] as long as we're doing that,

[00:26:23] then we can start managing time,

[00:26:25] and all that kind of stuff in ourselves,

[00:26:26] because,

[00:26:27] well,

[00:26:28] first of all,

[00:26:28] those three things are a talent.

[00:26:29] Not everybody can sing,

[00:26:31] songwrite,

[00:26:32] and perform.

[00:26:32] So,

[00:26:33] well done on that.

[00:26:34] But then managing them,

[00:26:35] again,

[00:26:36] is not easy when you haven't got all the things in place.

[00:26:38] So,

[00:26:38] again,

[00:26:38] you know,

[00:26:38] we can talk about,

[00:26:39] a bit about that as well,

[00:26:41] a bit later on.

[00:26:42] So,

[00:26:43] what I want to focus on then,

[00:26:45] is this thing around songwriting.

[00:26:47] And you've,

[00:26:47] you've,

[00:26:48] you've mentioned it a little bit,

[00:26:49] well,

[00:26:50] I think you've mentioned something to do with it,

[00:26:51] a bit earlier,

[00:26:52] when you talk about emotions.

[00:26:53] Because my question is,

[00:26:54] what inspires your songwriting,

[00:26:57] and how do you aim to convey,

[00:26:59] you know,

[00:26:59] what you're,

[00:27:00] what you're singing,

[00:27:01] through music?

[00:27:01] What inspires it?

[00:27:03] It's everyday life.

[00:27:04] Yeah.

[00:27:05] Which is,

[00:27:05] um,

[00:27:07] anything that,

[00:27:08] that has moved me in any way.

[00:27:11] And,

[00:27:11] what I like to do is,

[00:27:13] I like to say,

[00:27:14] tell stories.

[00:27:15] So,

[00:27:17] one of the songs,

[00:27:18] the first song,

[00:27:19] which is Amar,

[00:27:20] keep talking about that song,

[00:27:21] but,

[00:27:22] because it's the first one.

[00:27:23] so,

[00:27:24] it's,

[00:27:25] it's about a guy,

[00:27:26] who I was in love with,

[00:27:28] he had many other girls around it,

[00:27:30] I was pretending I didn't care,

[00:27:31] but I was caring,

[00:27:33] and stuff like that.

[00:27:34] So,

[00:27:35] then the next song,

[00:27:36] is about my dad.

[00:27:39] Um,

[00:27:40] yeah,

[00:27:41] not gonna get into that,

[00:27:42] because it's a,

[00:27:43] sad topic,

[00:27:43] but,

[00:27:44] it's just an honor,

[00:27:46] to honor him for his,

[00:27:47] what it was about to be,

[00:27:49] his sixth year birthday.

[00:27:51] Um,

[00:27:51] and I'm just telling a story,

[00:27:53] how,

[00:27:53] our time together was,

[00:27:56] basically,

[00:27:57] you know what's funny,

[00:27:59] like,

[00:27:59] sometimes with songwriting,

[00:28:02] it just strikes you,

[00:28:04] like,

[00:28:04] you kind of just receive it from somewhere.

[00:28:07] Like,

[00:28:08] that song for my dad,

[00:28:09] I was riding a bicycle,

[00:28:11] um,

[00:28:12] on a summer night,

[00:28:14] in London,

[00:28:16] and,

[00:28:17] the moon was full,

[00:28:18] I'm a moon child,

[00:28:19] I love the moon so much.

[00:28:20] Full moon,

[00:28:21] half moons,

[00:28:21] okay,

[00:28:21] yeah.

[00:28:22] Yeah,

[00:28:22] I love the moon so much,

[00:28:24] and I think,

[00:28:25] during that time,

[00:28:26] it's affected me a lot,

[00:28:28] and,

[00:28:28] I was just riding,

[00:28:29] I was listening to,

[00:28:31] some,

[00:28:32] instrumental,

[00:28:33] it wasn't not,

[00:28:34] something that,

[00:28:35] it's already,

[00:28:36] on the books,

[00:28:37] for me to record,

[00:28:38] it was just some kind of beat,

[00:28:40] I don't even remember,

[00:28:41] but I was like,

[00:28:42] no,

[00:28:43] no,

[00:28:43] no,

[00:28:43] no,

[00:28:43] no,

[00:28:43] and then,

[00:28:44] it just came into me,

[00:28:45] all the lyrics,

[00:28:46] and I just,

[00:28:47] I parked the bike,

[00:28:49] sat down,

[00:28:49] it was literally on the,

[00:28:50] on the middle of the street.

[00:28:52] Yeah.

[00:28:53] Yeah,

[00:28:54] I left the bike,

[00:28:54] and then people were just passing,

[00:28:56] and I was writing on my phone,

[00:28:58] so sometimes,

[00:28:59] it strikes you like that,

[00:29:01] sometimes,

[00:29:02] with the last song,

[00:29:03] I really had to think about it,

[00:29:06] because,

[00:29:07] I like to,

[00:29:08] to mix languages,

[00:29:10] and then the last song,

[00:29:11] I wanted to incorporate Bulgarian in it,

[00:29:13] so I wanted to do a Bulgarian,

[00:29:15] with Portuguese,

[00:29:18] and,

[00:29:20] somehow,

[00:29:20] it was so hard for me,

[00:29:21] to write in Bulgarian,

[00:29:23] and I was like,

[00:29:24] why is it not coming?

[00:29:26] So I was in the studio,

[00:29:27] I was like,

[00:29:28] I was even having my friends,

[00:29:29] like,

[00:29:29] I was in Bulgaria at that time,

[00:29:31] it's like,

[00:29:31] squad,

[00:29:32] come here,

[00:29:33] I need help.

[00:29:34] Yeah,

[00:29:34] yeah.

[00:29:35] Sometimes it's like that,

[00:29:36] but I think,

[00:29:38] the most important,

[00:29:40] part of,

[00:29:41] creating a song,

[00:29:43] is for you to connect,

[00:29:44] with what you want to say,

[00:29:47] so,

[00:29:47] as long as you,

[00:29:49] that's great,

[00:29:50] you connect to that,

[00:29:52] then,

[00:29:52] the melody just comes,

[00:29:55] with it,

[00:29:56] and also,

[00:29:57] it's a different way,

[00:29:58] with that too,

[00:29:58] sometimes,

[00:29:59] the melody comes first,

[00:30:00] and then you put the lyrics,

[00:30:01] afterwards,

[00:30:04] it depends.

[00:30:05] I'm in awe of people,

[00:30:06] who can write songs,

[00:30:07] I don't know how you do it,

[00:30:08] I mean,

[00:30:08] obviously,

[00:30:09] maybe if I was,

[00:30:11] somebody said,

[00:30:12] you know,

[00:30:12] do this,

[00:30:13] because you think of an emotion,

[00:30:14] and you can maybe try,

[00:30:15] and convey it,

[00:30:16] literally like what you just said,

[00:30:17] articulate it,

[00:30:17] but,

[00:30:19] because I'm a lyric person,

[00:30:20] when it comes to music,

[00:30:21] you know,

[00:30:21] when it comes to music,

[00:30:23] and you hear songs,

[00:30:24] and when they're really well written,

[00:30:26] and you think,

[00:30:26] how do they play with these words,

[00:30:28] it's amazing,

[00:30:29] you know what I mean,

[00:30:30] and the emotions that come through,

[00:30:31] so,

[00:30:32] it's interesting,

[00:30:32] and it's interesting to hear,

[00:30:34] what you say about,

[00:30:34] sometimes it can just strike you,

[00:30:36] so you'd be,

[00:30:36] and then,

[00:30:37] you've got to get your notepad out,

[00:30:38] haven't you,

[00:30:38] you've got to stop,

[00:30:39] and then,

[00:30:40] you've got to write this down,

[00:30:41] because you lose it,

[00:30:42] that becomes annoying,

[00:30:44] as well,

[00:30:45] so,

[00:30:46] it's not bad,

[00:30:46] actually,

[00:30:47] because this,

[00:30:48] this day and age,

[00:30:49] I'm talking like a grandma,

[00:30:50] but this day and age,

[00:30:51] it's so easy,

[00:30:52] like you just get your phone,

[00:30:54] and you can even sing it,

[00:30:55] and you record it,

[00:30:56] like I have so many voice notes,

[00:30:58] there,

[00:30:58] and record it,

[00:30:59] which I actually might need to check,

[00:31:01] but,

[00:31:03] yeah,

[00:31:03] it's,

[00:31:04] you can do that,

[00:31:04] or you can write it on your notepad,

[00:31:06] whatever is working for you.

[00:31:09] So when is it most challenging for you,

[00:31:10] or is it just random times,

[00:31:12] in terms of songwriting?

[00:31:13] In terms of songwriting.

[00:31:14] Yeah,

[00:31:14] is it just random times,

[00:31:15] or is it,

[00:31:16] you know?

[00:31:17] Oh,

[00:31:18] I,

[00:31:19] I just find it,

[00:31:20] recently,

[00:31:21] I'm talking about recently,

[00:31:23] I just find,

[00:31:24] stressful,

[00:31:26] like,

[00:31:26] everything around me is,

[00:31:28] it's kind of like,

[00:31:29] stressful,

[00:31:30] so I need to find peace,

[00:31:32] I think,

[00:31:33] this is what is more challenging for me,

[00:31:35] so,

[00:31:38] I've been so much on the goal,

[00:31:40] of working on,

[00:31:41] on my own self,

[00:31:42] like,

[00:31:42] progressing,

[00:31:43] and,

[00:31:44] life coaching,

[00:31:45] and all that,

[00:31:46] like,

[00:31:47] there's so many things I've worked on,

[00:31:50] but there's a lot of work,

[00:31:52] and a lot of,

[00:31:53] because in order for you to dig deep,

[00:31:55] you need to be ready to be uncomfortable,

[00:31:58] and,

[00:31:58] in order for you to get comfortable being uncomfortable,

[00:32:02] you need to ready,

[00:32:04] need to be ready to feel pain,

[00:32:06] and this,

[00:32:07] is draining.

[00:32:08] Okay.

[00:32:09] Okay,

[00:32:11] this is draining,

[00:32:12] as much as it's spring,

[00:32:14] afterwards,

[00:32:15] it's draining,

[00:32:16] and it takes a lot of your energy,

[00:32:17] and,

[00:32:18] in terms of,

[00:32:20] creating right now,

[00:32:23] I think I just let,

[00:32:24] I just need to let go,

[00:32:26] of something.

[00:32:27] Yeah,

[00:32:27] yeah,

[00:32:27] sure.

[00:32:28] You know,

[00:32:29] there's a saying,

[00:32:30] let go,

[00:32:30] and let God.

[00:32:31] Yeah.

[00:32:32] I need to do something like that.

[00:32:34] Okay,

[00:32:34] okay.

[00:32:36] Well,

[00:32:36] you know,

[00:32:36] I'm sure you'll find it,

[00:32:38] you're a creative person,

[00:32:39] so,

[00:32:40] whatever will come,

[00:32:41] it will come,

[00:32:42] and we will feel the emotions,

[00:32:44] and the blessings of your work,

[00:32:45] so,

[00:32:46] we'll just wait for it.

[00:32:47] Yeah.

[00:32:48] Well,

[00:32:49] I hope you're not gonna wait for too long.

[00:32:51] So do I,

[00:32:52] so do we.

[00:32:54] Nah,

[00:32:55] nah,

[00:32:55] I'll be honest,

[00:32:56] like,

[00:32:56] to be honest,

[00:32:56] I feel the need to,

[00:32:58] to express it through songs.

[00:33:01] Yeah.

[00:33:01] So,

[00:33:02] it will come very soon.

[00:33:03] Yeah,

[00:33:03] nah,

[00:33:04] I know.

[00:33:04] It will come very soon.

[00:33:06] So,

[00:33:07] I read,

[00:33:08] so,

[00:33:08] some of your musical influences,

[00:33:11] Beyonce,

[00:33:13] Marvin Gaye,

[00:33:15] Eddie Tusser.

[00:33:17] So,

[00:33:18] how do these people influence you,

[00:33:20] in terms of what you do?

[00:33:22] Um,

[00:33:24] well,

[00:33:26] I don't know,

[00:33:27] just the way that,

[00:33:30] I guess,

[00:33:31] as a person who grew up,

[00:33:32] in a musical family,

[00:33:33] I do have,

[00:33:35] different,

[00:33:36] like,

[00:33:37] many,

[00:33:37] many different styles,

[00:33:38] within me.

[00:33:40] Mm-hmm.

[00:33:40] So,

[00:33:40] I think that's why I'm able to,

[00:33:44] mix them all.

[00:33:45] Mm-hmm.

[00:33:45] You know,

[00:33:46] um,

[00:33:47] with,

[00:33:48] Marvin Gaye,

[00:33:50] oh,

[00:33:50] I love Marvin Gaye.

[00:33:51] Mm-hmm.

[00:33:53] Soul music is one of the things that,

[00:33:55] brings me so much joy,

[00:33:58] but not joy like,

[00:33:59] hey,

[00:34:00] hey,

[00:34:00] just like,

[00:34:01] peace,

[00:34:02] you know,

[00:34:03] into your heart,

[00:34:04] you feel it.

[00:34:05] Mm-hmm.

[00:34:05] Same with Michael Jackson,

[00:34:07] same with Elvis Presley,

[00:34:10] within Houston,

[00:34:11] mm-hmm.

[00:34:13] All of the big,

[00:34:14] pop stars,

[00:34:15] I think.

[00:34:16] Um,

[00:34:16] and in,

[00:34:17] in terms of,

[00:34:18] Kizomba,

[00:34:20] Bonifacio is a great inspiration to me,

[00:34:22] I think.

[00:34:23] like,

[00:34:24] um,

[00:34:24] he's,

[00:34:25] because we were like,

[00:34:26] I remember when I met him,

[00:34:27] and he was saying,

[00:34:28] oh,

[00:34:28] I'm a singer.

[00:34:29] I was like,

[00:34:29] oh,

[00:34:30] really?

[00:34:30] Like,

[00:34:30] sing something.

[00:34:31] I was just joking with him,

[00:34:32] nah,

[00:34:33] because we were in class,

[00:34:34] at one festival,

[00:34:35] he was like,

[00:34:35] sing something,

[00:34:36] he starts singing,

[00:34:36] I'm like,

[00:34:37] oh,

[00:34:38] oh yeah,

[00:34:38] you are a singer.

[00:34:39] Because I didn't,

[00:34:40] well,

[00:34:40] we just met,

[00:34:41] so I didn't know.

[00:34:43] Um,

[00:34:44] and seeing him grow,

[00:34:47] right now,

[00:34:48] so much,

[00:34:48] it's,

[00:34:49] it's really nice to see.

[00:34:51] Yeah.

[00:34:52] It's really nice to see,

[00:34:53] and it's a good,

[00:34:54] um,

[00:34:55] example to follow,

[00:34:56] I think.

[00:34:57] Absolutely.

[00:34:58] Yeah.

[00:34:58] Absolutely.

[00:34:59] Great.

[00:35:00] Great,

[00:35:00] great,

[00:35:01] great.

[00:35:01] Great.

[00:35:02] So,

[00:35:03] question I want to find out from you,

[00:35:04] is how do you,

[00:35:07] so,

[00:35:08] you've talked about it a little bit,

[00:35:09] right?

[00:35:10] But in terms of being inspired,

[00:35:13] creatively,

[00:35:14] yeah.

[00:35:16] How,

[00:35:16] how,

[00:35:16] how do you stay creatively inspired?

[00:35:19] You know,

[00:35:19] what keeps the passion alive?

[00:35:20] I know we've talked about,

[00:35:22] it's challenging at times,

[00:35:23] all that kind of stuff,

[00:35:24] but,

[00:35:24] you love Kizomba,

[00:35:25] you love music as a whole.

[00:35:27] So,

[00:35:27] I'm just trying to find out,

[00:35:29] what keeps you going,

[00:35:30] I guess.

[00:35:31] Oh,

[00:35:32] music,

[00:35:33] 100%.

[00:35:33] Yeah.

[00:35:33] And,

[00:35:34] um,

[00:35:34] seeing people,

[00:35:37] being their elements,

[00:35:38] seeing people doing what they love,

[00:35:40] and expressing it,

[00:35:42] like,

[00:35:43] it doesn't matter if it's a dancer,

[00:35:45] or if it's a singer,

[00:35:47] if it's someone,

[00:35:49] you know,

[00:35:50] um,

[00:35:51] always dreamed of to be,

[00:35:53] um,

[00:35:54] a podcast creator,

[00:35:56] and he's doing it now.

[00:35:57] This is,

[00:35:58] something that inspires me,

[00:36:00] in any way.

[00:36:02] Um,

[00:36:06] yeah,

[00:36:06] I think that's it.

[00:36:08] You know,

[00:36:08] seeing people actually,

[00:36:10] having that life.

[00:36:12] Yeah.

[00:36:13] Sometimes very little things,

[00:36:15] like,

[00:36:15] the other day in class,

[00:36:17] we were dancing.

[00:36:18] Which class is this?

[00:36:20] Oh yeah,

[00:36:21] sorry.

[00:36:22] So,

[00:36:23] uh,

[00:36:23] at the moment,

[00:36:24] I'm dancing Afro Beats.

[00:36:25] So,

[00:36:25] we'll talk about that more.

[00:36:26] Yeah.

[00:36:27] Okay.

[00:36:28] So,

[00:36:28] my teacher,

[00:36:29] um,

[00:36:31] she was showing us some kind of moves,

[00:36:33] and,

[00:36:34] I think for like,

[00:36:35] 30 seconds,

[00:36:36] she got really into it.

[00:36:38] She literally just made me cry.

[00:36:39] I was like,

[00:36:41] thank you so much for this,

[00:36:42] because I was,

[00:36:43] I was not feeling great at that time,

[00:36:45] and then,

[00:36:46] the way she danced it,

[00:36:48] like,

[00:36:49] you can just feel it.

[00:36:50] Mm-hmm.

[00:36:51] Mm-hmm.

[00:36:52] So,

[00:36:52] I was like,

[00:36:53] oh my God.

[00:36:54] Yeah.

[00:36:54] So,

[00:36:55] these kind of things are bringing me to life.

[00:36:57] Okay.

[00:36:57] Um,

[00:36:59] you know,

[00:37:00] movies,

[00:37:00] sometimes,

[00:37:01] any type of,

[00:37:03] art,

[00:37:04] Yeah.

[00:37:04] that is expressed in a way,

[00:37:07] that touch you,

[00:37:08] Yeah.

[00:37:08] will always inspire me.

[00:37:10] It will always inspire me.

[00:37:12] And that's,

[00:37:13] you know,

[00:37:14] I see Laura,

[00:37:15] on Instagram,

[00:37:17] all these places,

[00:37:18] always doing some sort of new dance.

[00:37:20] Something's going on,

[00:37:21] always moving.

[00:37:22] So,

[00:37:22] this is definitely true.

[00:37:24] Yeah.

[00:37:25] You're definitely in that creative space.

[00:37:27] Yeah.

[00:37:28] All right.

[00:37:28] So,

[00:37:28] that's what,

[00:37:29] okay,

[00:37:29] so the answer to that question,

[00:37:30] is basically music.

[00:37:30] That's what keeps you going.

[00:37:31] Yeah,

[00:37:32] music,

[00:37:32] and also the,

[00:37:35] movement.

[00:37:36] Yeah,

[00:37:36] well,

[00:37:37] yeah.

[00:37:37] I think movement.

[00:37:38] I know you always move.

[00:37:39] I know dancing is,

[00:37:40] dancing is a big part of it.

[00:37:43] I just moved on a little bit from Kizomba right now,

[00:37:46] because I'm working on something else.

[00:37:48] Mm-hmm.

[00:37:48] But,

[00:37:49] yeah,

[00:37:50] any type of movement is,

[00:37:54] has positive,

[00:37:55] positive effect on your mind,

[00:37:59] on your state of mind,

[00:38:01] on your mental health,

[00:38:02] and on everything else.

[00:38:03] Yeah.

[00:38:04] So,

[00:38:08] Mr. Tony Robbins says,

[00:38:10] it's,

[00:38:12] motion equals emotion,

[00:38:14] and emotion equals life.

[00:38:16] So,

[00:38:17] so if you are moving,

[00:38:21] basically with,

[00:38:22] with a simple,

[00:38:23] simple movement on your face,

[00:38:25] even,

[00:38:25] which is a smile.

[00:38:27] Yeah.

[00:38:28] which is a smile.

[00:38:29] Yeah.

[00:38:30] Yeah.

[00:38:31] Yeah.

[00:38:31] Most of the people,

[00:38:31] they don't even use that.

[00:38:32] No.

[00:38:33] Not many of the times.

[00:38:34] There's so many muscles in our face that we don't use.

[00:38:36] Yeah.

[00:38:37] You can instantly change your state.

[00:38:38] Yeah.

[00:38:39] And this is what I do a lot.

[00:38:42] Mm-hmm.

[00:38:42] I do a lot of that.

[00:38:43] And then if I,

[00:38:44] I make sure,

[00:38:46] I pay attention to my posture,

[00:38:47] because this is also something that,

[00:38:50] it can affect your mental state.

[00:38:53] So,

[00:38:53] if you're like this all the time,

[00:38:55] Yeah.

[00:38:55] You'll be like,

[00:38:56] oh,

[00:38:56] I no wonder why I feel depressed,

[00:38:57] why I feel down,

[00:38:58] why do I feel down?

[00:39:00] Because you're down.

[00:39:01] Yes.

[00:39:02] Exactly.

[00:39:02] Exactly.

[00:39:03] But,

[00:39:03] the whole point of movement,

[00:39:06] and posture,

[00:39:07] like apparently,

[00:39:09] they've proven now,

[00:39:10] with some kind of,

[00:39:12] scientifically studies,

[00:39:13] that if you stay in a power posture,

[00:39:15] for two minutes,

[00:39:16] then you feel more braver.

[00:39:18] So,

[00:39:18] it's the same thing.

[00:39:19] If you just lift up your shoulders,

[00:39:21] which I need to remind myself,

[00:39:22] quite often.

[00:39:24] I have to.

[00:39:26] But,

[00:39:27] yeah.

[00:39:27] These little things.

[00:39:29] Yeah.

[00:39:30] Little,

[00:39:30] little things,

[00:39:31] every day.

[00:39:32] Fantastic.

[00:39:33] No,

[00:39:33] cool.

[00:39:34] Excellent.

[00:39:36] And,

[00:39:37] obviously,

[00:39:38] you sing,

[00:39:39] you perform.

[00:39:40] I've seen you perform,

[00:39:41] a number of times.

[00:39:42] Very good.

[00:39:42] Thank you very much.

[00:39:43] Thank you.

[00:39:44] Thank you.

[00:39:44] Thank you.

[00:39:45] So,

[00:39:46] how do you prepare for live performances?

[00:39:48] Do you get nervous,

[00:39:49] or just,

[00:39:50] you know,

[00:39:50] being an artist and singer,

[00:39:51] does the nerves not really there?

[00:39:53] What happens?

[00:39:54] the nervousness is always there.

[00:39:55] Yeah.

[00:39:56] Always.

[00:39:57] And,

[00:39:59] as,

[00:40:01] something is,

[00:40:02] means a lot to you,

[00:40:04] you always have,

[00:40:07] even bigger nerves.

[00:40:08] Yeah,

[00:40:08] yeah.

[00:40:09] Like,

[00:40:09] I was,

[00:40:11] when was it?

[00:40:12] Not last year,

[00:40:13] the year before,

[00:40:13] I'm not sure.

[00:40:14] But for the first time,

[00:40:15] I will be singing in my hometown,

[00:40:17] in front of 2,000 people,

[00:40:19] with my mom on the other side.

[00:40:22] I was,

[00:40:22] I was literally,

[00:40:25] oh my God.

[00:40:27] But I was trying to ignore it,

[00:40:28] at the same time.

[00:40:29] Yeah.

[00:40:30] So,

[00:40:30] I was like,

[00:40:31] oh yeah,

[00:40:31] I'm good,

[00:40:32] I'm good,

[00:40:32] la la la,

[00:40:32] I'm good.

[00:40:33] And I go on the stage,

[00:40:35] and I can feel my arms shaking.

[00:40:37] Like,

[00:40:38] I'm good,

[00:40:39] I'm good.

[00:40:40] But,

[00:40:41] it's,

[00:40:42] it's funny,

[00:40:42] sometimes you,

[00:40:44] sometimes I prepare,

[00:40:45] because,

[00:40:48] even in,

[00:40:49] in movies,

[00:40:50] they say,

[00:40:51] the,

[00:40:52] the biggest improvisation,

[00:40:54] is the one that you've rehearsed.

[00:40:55] Yeah,

[00:40:56] yeah.

[00:40:56] So,

[00:40:57] I make sure,

[00:40:58] I practice,

[00:40:59] I train my voice,

[00:41:01] I train,

[00:41:02] how I'm going out stage,

[00:41:04] what moves I'm going to do,

[00:41:06] stuff like that.

[00:41:07] I'm not like,

[00:41:08] very particular,

[00:41:09] not moving,

[00:41:10] like move this way,

[00:41:11] move that way,

[00:41:12] I'm writing down.

[00:41:13] No,

[00:41:13] but,

[00:41:14] I make sure I rehearse,

[00:41:16] make sure I rehearse.

[00:41:17] With the dancing,

[00:41:18] oh my god,

[00:41:20] this is much more,

[00:41:21] preparing there,

[00:41:22] because,

[00:41:23] my body,

[00:41:26] with Kizomba,

[00:41:27] we kind of,

[00:41:28] rely more on,

[00:41:30] our leader.

[00:41:31] Yes.

[00:41:32] Yeah,

[00:41:32] so,

[00:41:33] with,

[00:41:34] performing arts,

[00:41:35] and performing,

[00:41:36] like,

[00:41:37] few times,

[00:41:38] performed,

[00:41:39] at Carnival,

[00:41:40] Notting Hill Carnival.

[00:41:41] Oh right,

[00:41:41] yeah,

[00:41:42] okay.

[00:41:42] And,

[00:41:43] it's just you.

[00:41:44] Yeah.

[00:41:45] There's nobody else.

[00:41:46] Yes,

[00:41:46] you have a group,

[00:41:47] but,

[00:41:48] there were a few times,

[00:41:49] that there were like,

[00:41:50] smaller groups.

[00:41:51] it's like three people,

[00:41:53] people are seeing you,

[00:41:54] people are there with cameras,

[00:41:56] press,

[00:41:58] like,

[00:41:58] The Sun,

[00:41:59] or whatever,

[00:42:00] BBC,

[00:42:00] and you're like,

[00:42:02] okay.

[00:42:03] Yeah,

[00:42:03] yeah.

[00:42:04] Even the,

[00:42:06] what,

[00:42:07] I do not like,

[00:42:08] is when people are telling me,

[00:42:10] last minute,

[00:42:10] you're only performing there.

[00:42:11] Mm-hmm.

[00:42:12] I do not like,

[00:42:13] not being mentally prepared,

[00:42:15] for that kind of stuff.

[00:42:16] Okay,

[00:42:16] yep.

[00:42:16] However,

[00:42:17] right now,

[00:42:18] I'm training myself,

[00:42:20] to be,

[00:42:21] comfortable,

[00:42:22] in the uncomfortable.

[00:42:23] Yeah?

[00:42:24] Guys,

[00:42:25] this is gonna change your life,

[00:42:26] I'm telling you.

[00:42:26] So,

[00:42:27] I've,

[00:42:27] I've said for myself,

[00:42:29] anything that,

[00:42:30] is uncomfortable to me,

[00:42:32] I'm doing it.

[00:42:33] Okay?

[00:42:33] I'm doing it.

[00:42:34] It doesn't matter if it's got,

[00:42:35] like,

[00:42:36] even like,

[00:42:37] okay,

[00:42:37] I have two things,

[00:42:38] to choose between,

[00:42:39] to,

[00:42:39] let's say,

[00:42:39] to react to something.

[00:42:41] And,

[00:42:42] let's say,

[00:42:42] they both are uncomfortable,

[00:42:44] I will choose the one,

[00:42:45] that is more uncomfortable,

[00:42:47] for me.

[00:42:47] So,

[00:42:48] I can grow.

[00:42:48] Otherwise,

[00:42:49] I go nowhere,

[00:42:50] or I stay in the same place.

[00:42:52] Um,

[00:42:52] so,

[00:42:53] with dancing,

[00:42:55] I just had to make,

[00:42:56] make sure I'm practicing every day.

[00:42:58] I was,

[00:42:58] I was in the,

[00:43:00] in the dancing studio,

[00:43:02] practicing,

[00:43:03] in the gym,

[00:43:05] on the road,

[00:43:06] at home,

[00:43:07] everywhere.

[00:43:08] Like,

[00:43:09] last year,

[00:43:10] or the year before,

[00:43:11] I'm not sure,

[00:43:12] last year,

[00:43:13] they told us,

[00:43:14] a week before,

[00:43:16] it was again,

[00:43:17] Notting Hill,

[00:43:18] type of,

[00:43:19] performance,

[00:43:20] but it was,

[00:43:21] in,

[00:43:22] it was in,

[00:43:23] theater somewhere,

[00:43:25] in North London.

[00:43:27] And I was like,

[00:43:28] we're gonna be,

[00:43:28] we're gonna be performing,

[00:43:30] at the theater?

[00:43:31] What?

[00:43:32] I was like,

[00:43:33] I always dreamed about this,

[00:43:35] however,

[00:43:36] I was like,

[00:43:37] here in my house,

[00:43:38] you know,

[00:43:39] you know what I mean?

[00:43:40] And I was like,

[00:43:41] I only have a week.

[00:43:43] So,

[00:43:43] what I did,

[00:43:45] I went to,

[00:43:46] group rehearsals,

[00:43:48] we only had two,

[00:43:50] and,

[00:43:50] for myself,

[00:43:51] I had to,

[00:43:52] practice,

[00:43:53] every morning,

[00:43:54] every evening,

[00:43:55] every morning,

[00:43:56] every evening,

[00:43:57] if I go to the,

[00:43:58] at lunchtime,

[00:43:59] if I go to the gym,

[00:44:00] I practice again.

[00:44:01] Because I was like,

[00:44:03] panicking?

[00:44:04] Yeah.

[00:44:04] Like,

[00:44:05] who is giving you,

[00:44:06] one week to prepare?

[00:44:07] Well,

[00:44:08] people that are already,

[00:44:09] professional dancers,

[00:44:10] they're fine.

[00:44:11] Yeah.

[00:44:12] But,

[00:44:12] for me,

[00:44:13] it was new,

[00:44:13] so,

[00:44:15] that was it.

[00:44:16] And now,

[00:44:18] I can proudly say,

[00:44:20] I can take much less time,

[00:44:21] to prepare.

[00:44:23] Very good,

[00:44:24] very good.

[00:44:25] I'm so happy about this,

[00:44:26] I'm finally there,

[00:44:27] you know,

[00:44:27] it's good.

[00:44:28] Yeah,

[00:44:29] so I think,

[00:44:29] you know,

[00:44:29] a lot of things came out of that,

[00:44:31] and the main theme there is,

[00:44:34] obviously,

[00:44:34] we're talking about dance,

[00:44:35] but,

[00:44:36] and anything,

[00:44:36] mainly in life,

[00:44:37] but,

[00:44:38] it's the practice,

[00:44:38] right?

[00:44:39] You've got to put in that work,

[00:44:40] no point in going to,

[00:44:41] to a class,

[00:44:42] or whatever it might be,

[00:44:43] you've got to do the work at home,

[00:44:45] or in your own time,

[00:44:46] otherwise,

[00:44:46] it's not,

[00:44:47] definitely,

[00:44:48] it's a waste of time,

[00:44:48] really,

[00:44:49] otherwise.

[00:44:50] You get,

[00:44:51] you get reworded,

[00:44:53] in public,

[00:44:54] for the things you practice,

[00:44:55] in private.

[00:44:57] Can you say that again,

[00:44:58] please,

[00:44:58] Laura G?

[00:45:00] You get reworded,

[00:45:02] or is that the correct,

[00:45:04] yes,

[00:45:04] yes,

[00:45:04] yes,

[00:45:05] you get reworded,

[00:45:07] rewarded,

[00:45:08] thank you,

[00:45:09] you get reworded,

[00:45:13] in public,

[00:45:14] for the things,

[00:45:16] you practice,

[00:45:17] in private.

[00:45:19] There we go,

[00:45:20] people.

[00:45:21] Yeah.

[00:45:22] Yeah.

[00:45:22] Beautiful.

[00:45:23] Love it.

[00:45:24] It's not my saying,

[00:45:25] by the way.

[00:45:26] It's a great saying.

[00:45:26] Love it.

[00:45:27] Yep,

[00:45:28] yep,

[00:45:28] yep.

[00:45:28] By the way,

[00:45:30] okay,

[00:45:30] Tony Robbins,

[00:45:32] obviously a motivational,

[00:45:32] coach,

[00:45:33] speaker,

[00:45:34] just for the people,

[00:45:34] that don't know,

[00:45:35] I know you've mentioned him,

[00:45:36] a few times,

[00:45:36] so that's,

[00:45:37] that's why,

[00:45:37] who he is.

[00:45:38] So if you do not know Tony,

[00:45:41] I urge you,

[00:45:41] go and make sure,

[00:45:42] you find out who he is,

[00:45:44] okay?

[00:45:44] Mr. Robbins,

[00:45:45] I wonder if he can dance,

[00:45:47] anyway,

[00:45:47] for another,

[00:45:49] he is two meters,

[00:45:51] he's a tall guy,

[00:45:52] but anyway.

[00:45:54] he's,

[00:45:54] he can jump though,

[00:45:55] he can jump.

[00:45:56] He's a big,

[00:45:57] big guy.

[00:45:57] That's definitely,

[00:45:58] he can jump.

[00:45:58] So,

[00:45:59] what are some of the countries,

[00:46:00] you performed in?

[00:46:03] So Bulgaria,

[00:46:04] obviously,

[00:46:06] UK,

[00:46:07] in UK,

[00:46:08] a few different places,

[00:46:11] festivals,

[00:46:12] non-festivals,

[00:46:12] some events,

[00:46:15] like different towns around,

[00:46:17] and in London,

[00:46:18] I think only twice,

[00:46:20] I've been more,

[00:46:21] outside of UK,

[00:46:23] rather than,

[00:46:24] in UK,

[00:46:27] Bratislava,

[00:46:28] Slovakia,

[00:46:30] Zagreb,

[00:46:32] Croatia,

[00:46:34] and,

[00:46:35] what else?

[00:46:39] I think that's it.

[00:46:41] That's it?

[00:46:41] Okay,

[00:46:41] well,

[00:46:41] lovely places,

[00:46:43] and obviously,

[00:46:43] you're getting around,

[00:46:45] so we hope that continues to grow,

[00:46:47] with your artistic performances,

[00:46:49] and everything.

[00:46:49] let's hope,

[00:46:50] if you,

[00:46:51] you know,

[00:46:52] invite me.

[00:46:53] Indeed.

[00:46:54] And then,

[00:46:55] with performing,

[00:46:56] have you met any artists,

[00:46:57] that you like,

[00:46:58] or is there anybody,

[00:46:59] that you've met,

[00:47:00] that you perform with,

[00:47:01] or that you want to perform with?

[00:47:02] I've met,

[00:47:03] quite a few actually,

[00:47:04] I did.

[00:47:06] I would love to do,

[00:47:08] a song with Konde.

[00:47:09] He's,

[00:47:10] he's a great guy,

[00:47:11] and,

[00:47:12] I think we will fit,

[00:47:14] well together.

[00:47:15] Bonifacio,

[00:47:16] obviously.

[00:47:17] Um,

[00:47:18] who else did I meet?

[00:47:21] I don't remember.

[00:47:22] Do you remember?

[00:47:23] Oh,

[00:47:23] Ivan.

[00:47:24] Ivan Alexei.

[00:47:26] Maya Kuhl.

[00:47:28] Grace Evera.

[00:47:28] Oh,

[00:47:29] actually,

[00:47:29] Grace Evera,

[00:47:30] is the guy that I want to do,

[00:47:31] a duet with too.

[00:47:33] I love this guy so much.

[00:47:34] He's such a wonderful person,

[00:47:36] as well.

[00:47:37] And,

[00:47:37] that just makes it,

[00:47:40] even better.

[00:47:41] He's a,

[00:47:42] so I can see him blending,

[00:47:43] with your style.

[00:47:44] He's a very elegant,

[00:47:45] Kazumba performer,

[00:47:47] an artist.

[00:47:48] He is.

[00:47:49] Very,

[00:47:49] very nice.

[00:47:49] He has a beautiful voice,

[00:47:50] and also he,

[00:47:51] does have some,

[00:47:53] I don't know if he released it,

[00:47:55] but like,

[00:47:55] a few years back,

[00:47:56] he sent us some,

[00:47:57] a song in English.

[00:47:59] I don't know if he released it.

[00:48:00] Okay.

[00:48:01] But he sounded so cute.

[00:48:03] Okay.

[00:48:05] He sounded really nice.

[00:48:07] Yeah.

[00:48:08] Okay.

[00:48:08] So,

[00:48:08] some names that you mentioned.

[00:48:10] Yeah,

[00:48:10] yeah.

[00:48:11] I met quite a lot of people,

[00:48:12] actually.

[00:48:13] Through dance teachers as well,

[00:48:15] not just for me performing,

[00:48:17] but,

[00:48:17] because I've been to quite a lot of festivals as well,

[00:48:20] I make sure I make networking with them.

[00:48:24] Yeah,

[00:48:24] I was going to ask you,

[00:48:25] what you do there,

[00:48:26] but you just said it,

[00:48:27] so I think that's the main thing.

[00:48:29] Yeah.

[00:48:29] Some of them are big names,

[00:48:30] so we want to see you getting out there,

[00:48:32] so,

[00:48:33] keep networking.

[00:48:34] That's what I'm saying.

[00:48:35] I mean,

[00:48:36] it's really hard with some of them,

[00:48:37] because,

[00:48:38] actually with most of them,

[00:48:39] because they do not live,

[00:48:41] Yeah.

[00:48:42] anywhere in Europe.

[00:48:43] They,

[00:48:44] they are in Africa,

[00:48:45] most of them,

[00:48:46] so,

[00:48:47] it's,

[00:48:47] it's harder.

[00:48:48] Yeah.

[00:48:49] And there is a lot of artists in UK,

[00:48:52] but,

[00:48:52] we don't hear about them.

[00:48:54] I think,

[00:48:56] DJs,

[00:48:57] to you,

[00:48:58] you need to start educating,

[00:49:00] and,

[00:49:01] you know,

[00:49:01] our crowds a bit more,

[00:49:03] playing more new music,

[00:49:04] new artists,

[00:49:05] you know,

[00:49:06] because,

[00:49:06] we love the old school.

[00:49:08] I love it too.

[00:49:09] Like,

[00:49:10] my favorite stuff,

[00:49:11] are old school.

[00:49:13] But,

[00:49:13] it's good to implement new stuff as well,

[00:49:16] you know.

[00:49:16] Also,

[00:49:17] artists need support.

[00:49:19] Please.

[00:49:21] DJs,

[00:49:21] you heard it here.

[00:49:22] Yeah.

[00:49:23] You know,

[00:49:24] I think one of the reasons that,

[00:49:25] kind of,

[00:49:27] drove me away as well,

[00:49:28] a little bit,

[00:49:29] to go too much to parties,

[00:49:32] Kizomba parties,

[00:49:33] is,

[00:49:33] I go in this,

[00:49:34] it's like nothing changes.

[00:49:36] Like,

[00:49:37] not,

[00:49:37] not that,

[00:49:37] not every time change is good.

[00:49:40] However,

[00:49:41] you want to see some variety.

[00:49:43] Okay,

[00:49:43] variety and growth.

[00:49:44] You know,

[00:49:45] like,

[00:49:46] we love the old school,

[00:49:48] we love the old stuff.

[00:49:49] It's nice,

[00:49:50] but,

[00:49:51] every now and then,

[00:49:52] you need a sprinkle of difference.

[00:49:53] Yeah,

[00:49:53] that's,

[00:49:54] that's,

[00:49:54] that's why we're artists,

[00:49:56] that's why we are,

[00:49:58] there as,

[00:49:58] as DJs as well,

[00:49:59] like,

[00:50:00] you want to do your own thing,

[00:50:02] you know.

[00:50:02] Okay.

[00:50:03] Educate people.

[00:50:04] Yeah,

[00:50:04] and fair,

[00:50:05] I think,

[00:50:06] so,

[00:50:06] yeah,

[00:50:07] thank you.

[00:50:08] That's fair.

[00:50:12] So,

[00:50:13] Laura,

[00:50:13] obviously,

[00:50:14] Kizomba is Angolan.

[00:50:16] Yeah.

[00:50:16] It is.

[00:50:17] It's got deep-rooted,

[00:50:18] well,

[00:50:18] deep-rooted

[00:50:19] and Angolan culture.

[00:50:20] So,

[00:50:21] when it comes to your performances,

[00:50:23] do you try to have any influences

[00:50:24] from the culture in there?

[00:50:27] Try to bring it into any of your performances

[00:50:29] or your music?

[00:50:30] The music?

[00:50:31] Yes.

[00:50:31] Yes.

[00:50:32] The music,

[00:50:32] definitely.

[00:50:33] So,

[00:50:33] the,

[00:50:35] the producers,

[00:50:36] the first producers that I work with,

[00:50:38] like,

[00:50:38] few of the songs that I've created

[00:50:39] are with Angolan

[00:50:42] men,

[00:50:44] guys.

[00:50:46] So,

[00:50:46] I make sure I work with them.

[00:50:48] Yeah.

[00:50:48] So,

[00:50:48] they are the people that help me with

[00:50:50] the language as well

[00:50:52] because my songs are

[00:50:53] predominantly in Portuguese.

[00:50:56] And I also,

[00:50:58] because a lovely gala,

[00:50:59] it's from Congo,

[00:51:01] I wanted to put that in too.

[00:51:03] I want to put my own language,

[00:51:05] English sometimes.

[00:51:06] So,

[00:51:06] I want to mix it up.

[00:51:07] Okay.

[00:51:09] So,

[00:51:09] yeah,

[00:51:10] I definitely make sure

[00:51:11] that I have that in it

[00:51:13] because,

[00:51:14] obviously,

[00:51:15] Kizomba is,

[00:51:16] it's Angolan.

[00:51:16] And so,

[00:51:17] we want to make sure

[00:51:18] we honor the culture too.

[00:51:21] And also,

[00:51:21] the whole point of me

[00:51:23] doing those songs

[00:51:25] are because of Kizomba.

[00:51:27] So,

[00:51:27] they are part of it,

[00:51:29] inevitably.

[00:51:31] You know,

[00:51:32] even if I,

[00:51:32] even if I think,

[00:51:33] oh,

[00:51:34] no,

[00:51:34] no,

[00:51:35] there is no,

[00:51:36] there's no,

[00:51:37] it's not possible

[00:51:37] to do it without that.

[00:51:39] Yeah,

[00:51:39] no,

[00:51:40] absolutely.

[00:51:41] Yeah,

[00:51:42] I try to get people

[00:51:43] dancing on my videos too,

[00:51:44] which is a good opportunity

[00:51:46] for the dancers.

[00:51:47] Yes,

[00:51:47] oh yeah,

[00:51:48] of course,

[00:51:48] you have dancers

[00:51:49] in your videos,

[00:51:49] don't you?

[00:51:50] I have some dancers

[00:51:51] that are right here

[00:51:52] on that table

[00:51:53] and on that table

[00:51:54] over there.

[00:51:56] Special appearance

[00:51:57] sprinkled in.

[00:51:58] Yes,

[00:51:59] you can add up

[00:51:59] and then look

[00:52:00] my last video

[00:52:01] which is called

[00:52:02] Loosh

[00:52:03] and then you'll see

[00:52:03] some familiar faces

[00:52:04] over there

[00:52:05] dancing beautifully.

[00:52:07] Thank you.

[00:52:10] What have been

[00:52:11] some standout performance?

[00:52:13] Well,

[00:52:14] okay,

[00:52:14] is there any performances

[00:52:15] that you've done

[00:52:16] that you really like,

[00:52:17] oh,

[00:52:17] that was great

[00:52:17] or funny,

[00:52:18] memorable,

[00:52:19] anything that's memorable

[00:52:20] for you?

[00:52:20] Is it what you've done?

[00:52:22] Oh my God,

[00:52:23] I am such a big

[00:52:26] critique

[00:52:26] for my own

[00:52:27] performances.

[00:52:29] So,

[00:52:29] I always find,

[00:52:31] oh my God,

[00:52:32] I could have done this,

[00:52:32] I should have done this,

[00:52:33] I should have done that.

[00:52:35] I am grateful

[00:52:36] and I'm proud of myself

[00:52:38] muscle time.

[00:52:39] However,

[00:52:41] as a vocal coach's

[00:52:43] daughter,

[00:52:43] I always see

[00:52:46] where I can improve.

[00:52:48] Yeah.

[00:52:49] And,

[00:52:50] what memorable thing

[00:52:51] would be,

[00:52:54] I think,

[00:52:55] singing

[00:52:56] on my birthday

[00:52:57] at

[00:52:59] that festival

[00:53:01] that Hugo Boss

[00:53:02] was doing

[00:53:03] in

[00:53:04] in

[00:53:04] Zagreb.

[00:53:06] No,

[00:53:07] Zagreb.

[00:53:09] Was it in Zagreb?

[00:53:10] I don't know

[00:53:10] the festival that you mean,

[00:53:11] but okay,

[00:53:12] Hugo Boss.

[00:53:14] You were there,

[00:53:15] not me.

[00:53:17] Zagreb.

[00:53:18] Hopefully,

[00:53:19] Zagreb.

[00:53:19] Okay.

[00:53:21] Somewhere you were.

[00:53:22] Zagreb.

[00:53:24] Croatia?

[00:53:25] Is it Zagreb?

[00:53:26] Okay,

[00:53:26] maybe

[00:53:26] Croatia.

[00:53:28] We can,

[00:53:28] we can check.

[00:53:29] But that festival.

[00:53:30] Anyhow,

[00:53:31] the festival

[00:53:31] was in

[00:53:32] Hugo Boss.

[00:53:33] So,

[00:53:36] it was on my birthday.

[00:53:38] Yeah.

[00:53:39] And,

[00:53:40] I didn't perform there.

[00:53:42] Obviously,

[00:53:42] it was like,

[00:53:43] it was not my first festival

[00:53:44] that I'm performing with,

[00:53:46] but because it was on my birthday,

[00:53:48] I think I had lots of friends around me.

[00:53:50] Then I had a cake.

[00:53:52] Nice.

[00:53:52] So,

[00:53:52] it was really,

[00:53:53] really nice time.

[00:53:54] Yeah.

[00:53:54] Actually,

[00:53:55] performing

[00:53:56] on your birthday,

[00:53:58] spending it with your friends,

[00:53:59] and also

[00:54:02] doing what you love,

[00:54:04] you know,

[00:54:04] at the same time.

[00:54:06] And seeing

[00:54:07] all of my friends around me

[00:54:09] dance,

[00:54:10] dancing,

[00:54:10] or like,

[00:54:11] just being happy for me,

[00:54:12] it was just wonderful.

[00:54:14] I can't think of anything better

[00:54:15] in terms of performance.

[00:54:17] That was great.

[00:54:18] Must have been amazing.

[00:54:19] Love everything

[00:54:20] we've been talking about here.

[00:54:21] fantastic.

[00:54:22] Thank you,

[00:54:23] awesome.

[00:54:23] Thank you.

[00:54:24] So,

[00:54:25] what I want to find out

[00:54:26] in a bit about you,

[00:54:27] and you talked about it already,

[00:54:29] some of it,

[00:54:29] is the dancing,

[00:54:30] and you talked about us

[00:54:31] when you first went down the stairs,

[00:54:33] you found Kizomba,

[00:54:35] and you know,

[00:54:36] it started from there.

[00:54:37] So,

[00:54:39] you know,

[00:54:40] how was it

[00:54:41] when you took your first

[00:54:42] Kizomba class?

[00:54:43] How did it feel?

[00:54:45] It felt,

[00:54:47] well,

[00:54:48] let me go back

[00:54:48] so long ago,

[00:54:50] Jesus.

[00:54:52] It felt interesting

[00:54:54] and exciting.

[00:54:55] Like,

[00:54:55] I love new things as well,

[00:54:57] and

[00:54:58] it was very interesting for me

[00:55:00] that Saeed was

[00:55:02] talking about

[00:55:04] Kizomba

[00:55:05] scientifically as well.

[00:55:07] So,

[00:55:08] he's a big

[00:55:09] scientific

[00:55:11] enthusiast,

[00:55:12] I think.

[00:55:12] so,

[00:55:13] he was talking about

[00:55:14] Kizomba

[00:55:14] this way,

[00:55:15] he was telling us

[00:55:16] about the history,

[00:55:17] he was telling us

[00:55:18] about the culture,

[00:55:19] as long as

[00:55:22] making sure

[00:55:23] that we're comfortable

[00:55:24] connecting,

[00:55:24] because

[00:55:25] Kizomba is a very,

[00:55:26] very close dance,

[00:55:27] and it's a very big

[00:55:28] challenge for women

[00:55:30] to let go

[00:55:32] of leading,

[00:55:33] because we all know,

[00:55:35] yeah,

[00:55:36] men are the leaders,

[00:55:38] men rule the world,

[00:55:39] but not really.

[00:55:41] So,

[00:55:42] actually,

[00:55:42] we have a saying,

[00:55:44] like,

[00:55:44] you know,

[00:55:45] I don't know if

[00:55:45] it's here as well,

[00:55:46] but like,

[00:55:47] the man

[00:55:48] in the house

[00:55:49] is the head,

[00:55:50] but the woman

[00:55:50] is the neck.

[00:55:52] Yeah,

[00:55:52] we hear that.

[00:55:53] Yeah,

[00:55:53] we have that.

[00:55:55] So,

[00:55:55] as women,

[00:55:56] we have troubles

[00:55:59] letting go

[00:55:59] and leaving somebody else,

[00:56:01] leaving.

[00:56:01] So,

[00:56:02] for me,

[00:56:03] that was a big,

[00:56:03] it was not that

[00:56:05] big of a challenge,

[00:56:06] but it was a challenge.

[00:56:08] And also,

[00:56:09] it was a very big

[00:56:09] challenge,

[00:56:11] very big challenge

[00:56:12] to be very close

[00:56:13] to people.

[00:56:15] Oh,

[00:56:15] some of them

[00:56:16] will not smell

[00:56:17] very nice,

[00:56:18] let's just say that.

[00:56:19] Okay.

[00:56:21] But most of them

[00:56:22] were great.

[00:56:24] To be honest,

[00:56:25] no,

[00:56:25] it was great,

[00:56:26] it was great.

[00:56:26] I mean,

[00:56:27] I didn't really pay attention

[00:56:28] to all that kind of stuff

[00:56:29] until I got really,

[00:56:32] like,

[00:56:32] very familiar

[00:56:33] with dance

[00:56:34] and dig deep

[00:56:35] into the culture,

[00:56:36] dig deep into,

[00:56:37] like,

[00:56:38] I just got more experience,

[00:56:39] the time,

[00:56:40] then I started paying attention

[00:56:41] more to this kind of stuff.

[00:56:42] But in the beginning,

[00:56:43] you were like,

[00:56:44] so new,

[00:56:45] you leave everything

[00:56:46] slip,

[00:56:46] like,

[00:56:46] you don't really,

[00:56:47] you're just having fun.

[00:56:48] Yeah.

[00:56:48] And you enjoy,

[00:56:51] I enjoyed,

[00:56:53] you know,

[00:56:53] meeting new people.

[00:56:55] I met some of my closest friends

[00:56:57] right now.

[00:56:58] I met in Kizomba,

[00:56:59] including you two guys

[00:57:01] and so many others.

[00:57:03] It's just,

[00:57:05] yeah,

[00:57:06] it's a wonderful place.

[00:57:07] Fantastic.

[00:57:08] Kizomba world.

[00:57:09] Yes,

[00:57:10] yes,

[00:57:10] it is a wonderful place.

[00:57:10] And that's why

[00:57:11] we're trying to,

[00:57:11] we're trying to share it.

[00:57:13] So,

[00:57:13] okay,

[00:57:14] good.

[00:57:14] So,

[00:57:15] it felt a bit strange

[00:57:16] and weird

[00:57:17] and tight

[00:57:18] and all this kind of stuff.

[00:57:19] I think,

[00:57:19] yeah,

[00:57:20] most people go through

[00:57:20] those kind of feelings.

[00:57:21] But then after a while,

[00:57:24] it just goes away,

[00:57:25] doesn't it?

[00:57:26] It does.

[00:57:26] Like,

[00:57:27] you get used to

[00:57:27] with the stuff like that.

[00:57:28] I think,

[00:57:29] like,

[00:57:29] my friend,

[00:57:30] that's why she never come back.

[00:57:31] She was like,

[00:57:31] I cannot be that close to anybody.

[00:57:33] Yeah,

[00:57:33] and everyone's different as well.

[00:57:34] So,

[00:57:34] that's the thing.

[00:57:35] For me,

[00:57:36] I was,

[00:57:36] okay,

[00:57:37] like,

[00:57:37] I'm an open-minded person

[00:57:40] in general.

[00:57:41] So,

[00:57:41] I don't really,

[00:57:42] and I don't have issues

[00:57:44] with that in general.

[00:57:46] But it was challenging

[00:57:47] to let go

[00:57:50] and actually leave somebody else.

[00:57:52] Like,

[00:57:52] because you're giving trust

[00:57:54] to someone completely

[00:57:55] that you don't know.

[00:57:57] It's not like,

[00:57:57] I know you

[00:57:59] and then I trust you

[00:58:00] and then I'm letting you go

[00:58:01] and then you can

[00:58:02] do whatever you want.

[00:58:03] No,

[00:58:04] I don't know you.

[00:58:05] I don't know if you're going

[00:58:05] to be breaking my back

[00:58:06] or my shoulder.

[00:58:08] You know?

[00:58:09] Sure,

[00:58:09] I just like the way,

[00:58:09] no,

[00:58:10] I don't know it.

[00:58:10] I just like the way

[00:58:11] you said that as well.

[00:58:14] But,

[00:58:14] you know what?

[00:58:15] Like,

[00:58:15] with times,

[00:58:17] I was like,

[00:58:18] I'm not dancing with you.

[00:58:19] I'm so sorry.

[00:58:21] You know?

[00:58:22] It got to a point where

[00:58:24] I had to protect

[00:58:25] my own body.

[00:58:26] You know?

[00:58:28] As long as you don't want

[00:58:30] to make anybody feel bad.

[00:58:31] Yeah,

[00:58:31] that's the thing.

[00:58:32] At the same time,

[00:58:33] I think it's the way

[00:58:34] you say it

[00:58:35] and also how you

[00:58:37] approach things.

[00:58:38] A hundred percent.

[00:58:39] So,

[00:58:39] if you're just,

[00:58:40] you know,

[00:58:41] I'm so sorry

[00:58:42] or I had enough

[00:58:43] or most of the time

[00:58:45] I go to the toilet

[00:58:46] and that's the usual.

[00:58:48] It's going to work.

[00:58:49] Yeah,

[00:58:50] but not everyone

[00:58:51] needs to know,

[00:58:53] you know,

[00:58:54] all the time

[00:58:54] because I'm sure

[00:58:57] they are aware

[00:58:58] that they are new

[00:58:58] and I'm sure

[00:58:59] they know

[00:59:01] they have to work

[00:59:02] on stuff.

[00:59:03] If they don't know,

[00:59:04] then I'll let them know.

[00:59:05] Yeah.

[00:59:06] They'll get to know.

[00:59:07] Because,

[00:59:08] yeah,

[00:59:08] because it's good

[00:59:09] to have classes.

[00:59:10] There's many people

[00:59:11] in,

[00:59:12] specifically in Kizomba

[00:59:13] and all these

[00:59:14] kind of dances,

[00:59:15] they think they just,

[00:59:16] you know,

[00:59:17] they can just go

[00:59:17] into a social.

[00:59:19] but not always.

[00:59:21] Like,

[00:59:21] it's good to improve

[00:59:22] in anything.

[00:59:24] To learn how to

[00:59:26] stand better,

[00:59:27] to learn how to

[00:59:28] partner better

[00:59:29] because the dance

[00:59:30] is a partnership.

[00:59:32] So,

[00:59:33] you have to have

[00:59:34] both sides.

[00:59:35] You have to have

[00:59:35] some kind of

[00:59:36] accountability.

[00:59:37] Yeah.

[00:59:37] Right?

[00:59:38] So,

[00:59:38] it's the same as a follower.

[00:59:40] I make sure

[00:59:40] I keep my weight

[00:59:41] and I make sure

[00:59:43] I follow you.

[00:59:43] Yeah.

[00:59:44] I make sure

[00:59:44] I maintain the connection.

[00:59:46] Yeah.

[00:59:46] Stuff like that.

[00:59:47] I'm not like

[00:59:47] watching my phone

[00:59:48] or drinking my drink.

[00:59:50] I'm with you.

[00:59:51] Yeah.

[00:59:52] 100%.

[00:59:52] Yeah.

[00:59:54] So,

[00:59:55] a mini lesson there.

[00:59:57] People just like,

[00:59:58] I'm so sorry.

[00:59:59] No,

[00:59:59] it's great

[01:00:00] because they can

[01:00:00] just take all that out

[01:00:01] and say,

[01:00:01] okay,

[01:00:01] cool.

[01:00:02] Then you can go with it

[01:00:02] especially new people as well.

[01:00:04] So,

[01:00:04] that's fantastic.

[01:00:05] Thank you.

[01:00:07] Okay.

[01:00:08] Okay.

[01:00:08] So,

[01:00:09] you're Bulgarian.

[01:00:10] Obviously.

[01:00:11] I am.

[01:00:11] Yeah.

[01:00:12] Yeah.

[01:00:12] So,

[01:00:13] when we think of

[01:00:14] Kizomba,

[01:00:15] it's not

[01:00:16] necessarily the first place

[01:00:18] you'd associate Kizomba with

[01:00:19] Bulgaria,

[01:00:20] right?

[01:00:21] So,

[01:00:21] what's the scene like

[01:00:24] in Bulgaria?

[01:00:25] And,

[01:00:25] yeah.

[01:00:26] So,

[01:00:26] what's the scene like

[01:00:26] in Bulgaria

[01:00:27] maybe since you,

[01:00:28] well,

[01:00:28] since you've kind of left there?

[01:00:31] There is no much Kizomba

[01:00:33] over there.

[01:00:33] It's more about

[01:00:35] urban kids.

[01:00:36] Okay.

[01:00:36] Urban kids.

[01:00:36] Yep.

[01:00:37] I think

[01:00:41] Bulgarians,

[01:00:42] they enjoy more

[01:00:44] action.

[01:00:45] Okay.

[01:00:46] In terms of

[01:00:46] they want to see it

[01:00:47] more.

[01:00:48] Okay.

[01:00:48] You know?

[01:00:49] And then

[01:00:49] because in Bulgaria

[01:00:50] there's not much people

[01:00:51] that they can educate them

[01:00:53] unless

[01:00:53] someone comes back

[01:00:56] to Bulgaria.

[01:00:57] Let's say me.

[01:00:58] I'm not going to do that.

[01:01:00] Okay.

[01:01:02] I mean,

[01:01:02] this is not what I want to do

[01:01:04] for now.

[01:01:04] Okay.

[01:01:05] But let's just say

[01:01:06] that someone comes back

[01:01:07] and actually teach them

[01:01:08] properly.

[01:01:09] Yeah.

[01:01:09] then they will know.

[01:01:11] Yeah.

[01:01:11] And even if they know

[01:01:12] they will probably

[01:01:14] more enjoy

[01:01:14] something that is a bit

[01:01:15] more flashy.

[01:01:16] Okay.

[01:01:17] And is a bit more

[01:01:19] popular.

[01:01:20] Okay.

[01:01:20] You know?

[01:01:21] So urban kids

[01:01:21] is popular.

[01:01:23] Okay.

[01:01:23] So they have a lot

[01:01:24] of that there.

[01:01:25] There is

[01:01:27] a lot of fusion

[01:01:28] but there is

[01:01:30] a Kizomba as well

[01:01:31] which

[01:01:33] I would not

[01:01:34] necessarily call

[01:01:35] Kizomba.

[01:01:36] Okay.

[01:01:37] Okay.

[01:01:38] Talk to me.

[01:01:38] I would just call it

[01:01:40] urban kids

[01:01:40] what it is

[01:01:41] and then they just

[01:01:42] call it Kizomba.

[01:01:43] You know,

[01:01:43] like it's like

[01:01:44] back in the days

[01:01:44] here we had

[01:01:45] all these

[01:01:46] I don't know

[01:01:46] if you know

[01:01:47] about it

[01:01:48] but like

[01:01:48] we had all

[01:01:49] of these

[01:01:50] all these

[01:01:51] arguments

[01:01:52] what is Kizomba

[01:01:53] what is urban kids

[01:01:54] and all that.

[01:01:56] I don't think

[01:01:56] they've had this

[01:01:57] there yet.

[01:01:58] You know?

[01:02:00] But I can see

[01:02:02] there are some

[01:02:03] festivals happening

[01:02:04] there.

[01:02:05] I think

[01:02:06] a few times

[01:02:08] I saw

[01:02:09] one festival

[01:02:10] that has mainly

[01:02:11] urban kids

[01:02:12] but they also

[01:02:13] have Kizomba

[01:02:13] and they have

[01:02:14] a full house

[01:02:14] and a full beach

[01:02:15] and stuff like that.

[01:02:16] So maybe

[01:02:17] slowly slowly

[01:02:18] it's happening.

[01:02:20] I think for the

[01:02:20] last few years

[01:02:21] I've seen

[01:02:22] a few different

[01:02:23] things like that.

[01:02:24] So we have hope.

[01:02:27] So what I'm getting

[01:02:28] from that then

[01:02:28] is that Bulgarians

[01:02:29] like lively dancing.

[01:02:31] That's what I'm

[01:02:31] getting from you.

[01:02:32] Is that correct?

[01:02:33] Yeah.

[01:02:33] We enjoy something

[01:02:35] that will catch

[01:02:36] attention very quickly.

[01:02:37] So how about

[01:02:37] Semba then?

[01:02:38] Take the Semba?

[01:02:39] Yeah, Semba too.

[01:02:40] I think I've seen

[01:02:41] actually like

[01:02:42] from that particular

[01:02:43] festival there's

[01:02:44] Semba classes

[01:02:45] and people actually

[01:02:46] dance in Semba

[01:02:47] and there is a guy

[01:02:48] who moved

[01:02:49] from France

[01:02:51] to Sofia

[01:02:52] which is Bulgaria

[01:02:52] and he's teaching

[01:02:54] right now

[01:02:55] Fusion

[01:02:56] he's teaching

[01:02:57] Fusion

[01:02:57] but I'm sure

[01:02:58] that he has

[01:02:59] also Semba classes.

[01:03:00] Okay.

[01:03:01] Because he's a good

[01:03:02] Semba dancer.

[01:03:03] So he is starting

[01:03:05] slowly slowly

[01:03:06] but to be honest

[01:03:08] I have not

[01:03:08] spent much time

[01:03:09] in the Kizomba

[01:03:10] scene over there.

[01:03:13] When I last went

[01:03:14] it was

[01:03:17] 2019

[01:03:19] or something

[01:03:20] it was before

[01:03:21] Covid

[01:03:22] but

[01:03:22] well the good thing

[01:03:24] is about it

[01:03:24] because obviously

[01:03:25] I had a

[01:03:27] new song

[01:03:28] coming up

[01:03:28] so one of my

[01:03:29] PRs

[01:03:31] they got me

[01:03:32] onto Bulgarian TV

[01:03:33] so I actually

[01:03:34] got to teach them

[01:03:35] and introduce

[01:03:36] them to Kizomba.

[01:03:37] Oh great.

[01:03:38] So I had a little

[01:03:38] dance with the

[01:03:39] hosts

[01:03:40] and make sure

[01:03:41] I show them

[01:03:42] Virgola.

[01:03:44] Yes.

[01:03:45] Yeah,

[01:03:45] it was fun.

[01:03:46] It was good.

[01:03:47] Yeah.

[01:03:47] I think they were

[01:03:48] very interested

[01:03:48] to know more

[01:03:50] about the culture

[01:03:51] and the dance

[01:03:53] in general.

[01:03:54] Fantastic.

[01:03:55] Wherever we can

[01:03:55] spread it

[01:03:56] is what we want

[01:03:57] to do.

[01:03:58] Yeah.

[01:03:59] Okay.

[01:04:01] Question I have.

[01:04:02] How has Kizomba

[01:04:03] influenced your life

[01:04:04] beyond the dance floor?

[01:04:05] Bit of a deep question.

[01:04:07] But how has it

[01:04:07] influenced your life

[01:04:08] beyond the dance floor?

[01:04:11] In every possible

[01:04:12] way I could say

[01:04:13] because

[01:04:17] since I found

[01:04:17] Kizomba

[01:04:18] I quit my job.

[01:04:20] Yes,

[01:04:20] you mentioned this.

[01:04:21] Yes.

[01:04:21] Yeah.

[01:04:21] I stayed without a job

[01:04:23] without a permanent job

[01:04:24] for like a year

[01:04:25] and a half

[01:04:25] and I have no idea

[01:04:27] how I managed that

[01:04:28] in London.

[01:04:30] I really have no idea

[01:04:31] how I did that

[01:04:32] but it was some kind of

[01:04:33] I don't know

[01:04:34] it was godsend

[01:04:35] or something

[01:04:36] something was

[01:04:37] supporting me

[01:04:38] all the time

[01:04:39] and

[01:04:39] because I wanted

[01:04:41] to make sure

[01:04:41] that I found a job

[01:04:42] to actually support

[01:04:44] my dancing

[01:04:45] and my singing

[01:04:46] so I was not willing

[01:04:48] to go back

[01:04:49] to where I was before

[01:04:50] so I was like

[01:04:53] make sure

[01:04:54] find something else

[01:04:56] and

[01:04:56] yeah

[01:04:57] quite a lot

[01:04:58] actually

[01:04:59] aside the fact

[01:05:00] that I've met

[01:05:01] one of my best friends

[01:05:02] over there

[01:05:03] I've met wonderful people

[01:05:04] not just my friends

[01:05:05] I've connected with

[01:05:07] I've travelled

[01:05:08] Europe

[01:05:09] not the world yet

[01:05:10] but I've travelled

[01:05:11] maybe 90% of Europe

[01:05:16] I've definitely

[01:05:18] learned a lot about myself

[01:05:21] definitely

[01:05:22] and this is something

[01:05:23] that I think

[01:05:25] is very very valuable

[01:05:29] what else

[01:05:30] let me see

[01:05:35] well

[01:05:36] one thing

[01:05:37] I'm forgetting

[01:05:38] which is very big

[01:05:39] singing

[01:05:40] creating

[01:05:42] music

[01:05:43] oh that little thing

[01:05:44] in Kizomba

[01:05:44] yeah

[01:05:47] Jesus

[01:05:47] I think

[01:05:48] actually

[01:05:50] dancing Kizomba

[01:05:51] has opened the door

[01:05:52] for me

[01:05:53] to

[01:05:54] not be so hard

[01:05:55] on myself

[01:05:56] on creating

[01:05:57] music

[01:05:58] you know

[01:05:59] because

[01:06:00] in Bulgaria

[01:06:02] when

[01:06:02] you know

[01:06:03] my mum is the best

[01:06:04] and I have to be the best

[01:06:05] and

[01:06:06] creating a song

[01:06:07] there

[01:06:09] back then

[01:06:10] not now

[01:06:10] back then

[01:06:11] it was like

[01:06:13] thousands

[01:06:13] of

[01:06:15] pounds

[01:06:16] let's say

[01:06:17] our currency

[01:06:18] but it doesn't matter

[01:06:19] so it was

[01:06:20] very expensive

[01:06:21] and it was going nowhere

[01:06:23] so in order for you

[01:06:24] to be an artist

[01:06:25] you have to know

[01:06:26] somebody

[01:06:27] and

[01:06:28] you have to be the best

[01:06:30] and

[01:06:32] you might be willing

[01:06:33] to

[01:06:34] you know

[01:06:36] know somebody else

[01:06:38] so

[01:06:39] I've seen that

[01:06:40] with

[01:06:41] a lot of

[01:06:42] my mum's

[01:06:43] students

[01:06:43] so

[01:06:46] it was just

[01:06:48] feeling

[01:06:49] impossible

[01:06:50] you know

[01:06:50] and then when I found

[01:06:52] Kizomba

[01:06:53] then it just

[01:06:54] seemed so easy

[01:06:56] like around me

[01:06:57] people were like

[01:06:58] creating music

[01:06:59] I was meeting

[01:07:00] oh this guy's a singer

[01:07:01] this guy's an artist

[01:07:03] this guy's a teacher

[01:07:04] I was like

[01:07:04] wow

[01:07:06] you know

[01:07:07] yeah

[01:07:07] and

[01:07:08] I met

[01:07:09] one guy

[01:07:10] who I have

[01:07:11] two songs with

[01:07:11] I think

[01:07:12] before

[01:07:13] I released my own song

[01:07:15] and then

[01:07:17] he

[01:07:18] he just showed me

[01:07:19] that it's possible

[01:07:20] I think he was the guy

[01:07:21] who was like

[01:07:22] okay

[01:07:23] we are filming the video

[01:07:24] and we're recording here

[01:07:26] and we

[01:07:27] it was really like

[01:07:28] for me

[01:07:28] it was very

[01:07:29] strange

[01:07:30] strange

[01:07:31] because

[01:07:32] I'm used to

[01:07:33] be in the big studios

[01:07:35] everything to be

[01:07:37] very professional

[01:07:37] everything to be

[01:07:38] very perfect

[01:07:39] like we literally

[01:07:40] recorded

[01:07:41] both songs

[01:07:42] in someone's bedroom

[01:07:44] and I was like

[01:07:45] okay

[01:07:46] why not

[01:07:48] you know

[01:07:51] and

[01:07:52] you just

[01:07:52] opened the world

[01:07:55] on my artistic side

[01:07:56] so I can actually

[01:07:57] do it

[01:07:58] fantastic

[01:07:58] quite a lot

[01:07:59] it's a lot

[01:08:01] it's a good lot

[01:08:02] so

[01:08:02] yeah

[01:08:03] I'm very grateful

[01:08:04] yeah

[01:08:05] and I would say

[01:08:06] you know

[01:08:07] just

[01:08:07] well

[01:08:08] I would just say

[01:08:09] to you

[01:08:09] keep going

[01:08:10] and obviously

[01:08:11] exploring

[01:08:11] because obviously

[01:08:12] it can only get better

[01:08:13] from here

[01:08:14] really and truly

[01:08:15] that is correct

[01:08:16] absolutely

[01:08:17] it's the truth

[01:08:18] let's hope

[01:08:19] yeah

[01:08:21] okay

[01:08:24] what other styles

[01:08:25] of dance

[01:08:25] do you like

[01:08:26] apart from

[01:08:27] Kizomba

[01:08:28] Laura

[01:08:28] Afrobeats

[01:08:29] you didn't let me

[01:08:30] finish the question

[01:08:31] I knew what was coming

[01:08:33] Afrobeats

[01:08:34] huh

[01:08:34] yeah

[01:08:34] okay

[01:08:35] anything to do

[01:08:36] with Afro dance

[01:08:38] and

[01:08:38] actually

[01:08:39] traditional dances

[01:08:40] of

[01:08:41] specific countries

[01:08:43] like even Angola

[01:08:45] Congo

[01:08:46] Nigeria

[01:08:48] Ghana

[01:08:49] I like them

[01:08:51] you like them

[01:08:52] it speaks to my soul

[01:08:53] and I think

[01:08:56] I have been

[01:08:57] hesitating

[01:08:58] for a long time

[01:08:59] quite similar

[01:09:00] to the previous

[01:09:01] what I just said

[01:09:02] about Kizomba

[01:09:02] but I was thinking

[01:09:04] oh

[01:09:04] I love it

[01:09:05] but I don't want

[01:09:06] to look stupid

[01:09:07] you know

[01:09:07] this kind of stuff

[01:09:10] so

[01:09:10] I was watching

[01:09:11] those videos

[01:09:12] online

[01:09:13] because

[01:09:13] the teacher

[01:09:14] that I'm

[01:09:14] training with

[01:09:15] right now

[01:09:15] she is

[01:09:16] big

[01:09:17] this girl

[01:09:17] is like

[01:09:18] she is a

[01:09:18] choreographer

[01:09:19] of

[01:09:20] Dancing with the Stars

[01:09:21] BBC

[01:09:23] like movies

[01:09:24] opening

[01:09:24] she is

[01:09:26] big

[01:09:26] I think

[01:09:28] she

[01:09:28] and

[01:09:43] patients

[01:09:44] J

[01:09:44] choreographer

[01:09:45] baby

[01:09:45] there you go

[01:09:46] also

[01:09:47] patients

[01:09:48] GOP

[01:09:49] okay

[01:09:50] GOP

[01:09:50] so basically

[01:09:52] I was looking

[01:09:54] at those videos

[01:09:54] and everybody

[01:09:55] dancing like

[01:09:56] they're coming out

[01:09:58] from the musical

[01:09:59] like they're done

[01:09:59] they're proper

[01:10:01] professionals

[01:10:01] and I'm like

[01:10:02] oh

[01:10:02] I'm not going

[01:10:03] there

[01:10:05] I'll be like

[01:10:07] no

[01:10:09] three years

[01:10:10] watching those

[01:10:11] videos

[01:10:12] and doing

[01:10:13] Afro

[01:10:14] animations

[01:10:15] and like

[01:10:15] I've always

[01:10:16] enjoyed

[01:10:16] like every

[01:10:17] time I go

[01:10:17] to

[01:10:18] a festival

[01:10:19] you will see

[01:10:20] me to all

[01:10:21] the workshops

[01:10:21] for Afro

[01:10:22] House

[01:10:23] or Afro

[01:10:24] Beats

[01:10:24] or anything

[01:10:25] I'll be there

[01:10:26] I'll be there

[01:10:27] but

[01:10:28] I was never

[01:10:30] like that

[01:10:30] into it

[01:10:31] yeah

[01:10:31] as we found

[01:10:33] out earlier

[01:10:33] I like to be

[01:10:34] immersive

[01:10:35] so I like to

[01:10:36] like when I'm

[01:10:36] learning something

[01:10:37] I want to be

[01:10:37] like that

[01:10:40] so

[01:10:40] a dance project

[01:10:42] came in

[01:10:43] like a year

[01:10:43] ago

[01:10:44] which was

[01:10:44] to perform

[01:10:45] to the carnival

[01:10:47] Notting Hill

[01:10:48] carnival

[01:10:48] and for that

[01:10:49] they will

[01:10:50] they will

[01:10:50] give you

[01:10:52] costumes

[01:10:53] and

[01:10:54] you will be

[01:10:55] there for free

[01:10:56] and that's expensive

[01:10:57] for you to go

[01:10:58] to be part of

[01:10:58] the band

[01:10:59] or dancing

[01:11:00] with a band

[01:11:01] at the carnival

[01:11:02] is expensive

[01:11:03] so I was like

[01:11:04] that's amazing

[01:11:05] let's go

[01:11:06] so I went there

[01:11:07] and it's Patience Day

[01:11:10] doing this project

[01:11:11] so she's a choreographer

[01:11:13] for it

[01:11:13] and I was like

[01:11:14] amazing

[01:11:15] amazing

[01:11:16] so since I joined

[01:11:17] that

[01:11:17] and then I just

[01:11:19] saw

[01:11:19] how wonderful

[01:11:20] she is

[01:11:21] because she is

[01:11:21] not only a great

[01:11:23] performer

[01:11:23] but she's a great

[01:11:24] teacher

[01:11:24] she knows how

[01:11:26] to make you

[01:11:26] feel comfortable

[01:11:27] and she also

[01:11:28] knows when

[01:11:30] to push you

[01:11:30] and how to

[01:11:31] push you

[01:11:32] which

[01:11:33] if you're serious

[01:11:34] about your dancing

[01:11:35] you want

[01:11:36] your coach

[01:11:36] to be pushing you

[01:11:37] 100%

[01:11:38] or your teacher

[01:11:41] so after

[01:11:42] I joined that

[01:11:43] project

[01:11:44] I start

[01:11:45] going to her

[01:11:46] classes as well

[01:11:47] because I already

[01:11:48] knew her

[01:11:48] and then she was

[01:11:49] like just come

[01:11:50] just come

[01:11:50] it's not like

[01:11:51] she'll just be

[01:11:52] saying this to me

[01:11:52] three years

[01:11:53] but I never went

[01:11:54] and I start

[01:11:55] going

[01:11:56] so I start

[01:11:56] being very

[01:11:57] consistent

[01:11:58] and again

[01:11:58] similar to

[01:11:59] before

[01:11:59] now I'm

[01:12:00] dancing

[01:12:00] Monday

[01:12:01] Wednesday

[01:12:02] Thursday

[01:12:04] Friday

[01:12:05] and anytime

[01:12:06] we have a

[01:12:07] project

[01:12:07] I'm dancing

[01:12:08] every day

[01:12:09] so you will

[01:12:10] see Laura G

[01:12:11] on Instagram

[01:12:13] posting

[01:12:14] Afrobeats

[01:12:14] in Connect

[01:12:15] posting my dance

[01:12:16] journey

[01:12:17] definitely

[01:12:18] which is

[01:12:18] fantastic

[01:12:20] no okay

[01:12:21] yeah

[01:12:21] so obviously

[01:12:22] I knew you

[01:12:22] like Afrobeats

[01:12:23] but I wanted

[01:12:23] to tell everybody

[01:12:24] what it was

[01:12:25] okay

[01:12:26] so the part

[01:12:27] of me that

[01:12:28] I'm posting

[01:12:28] all of the

[01:12:30] videos

[01:12:30] actually right

[01:12:31] now

[01:12:31] it's again

[01:12:32] part of the

[01:12:33] section that

[01:12:33] I said

[01:12:34] being comfortable

[01:12:35] being uncomfortable

[01:12:35] because of

[01:12:37] course I want

[01:12:37] to post

[01:12:38] things that

[01:12:39] are ready

[01:12:39] but they're

[01:12:40] not ready

[01:12:40] not always

[01:12:41] already

[01:12:42] I always need

[01:12:42] to improve

[01:12:43] so I went

[01:12:45] and I

[01:12:46] said okay

[01:12:47] I need to

[01:12:48] start posting

[01:12:48] because otherwise

[01:12:49] I'm not progressing

[01:12:50] the same as

[01:12:52] at Bay Studio

[01:12:54] because one of

[01:12:54] her classes

[01:12:55] are on Friday

[01:12:57] Afrobeats

[01:12:58] and they always

[01:12:59] have a professional

[01:13:00] videographer

[01:13:02] so in order

[01:13:03] for me to

[01:13:03] get my courage

[01:13:05] and go in front

[01:13:07] of the camera

[01:13:07] it took a long

[01:13:08] time

[01:13:09] but

[01:13:11] I knew

[01:13:12] I had to do

[01:13:12] it

[01:13:12] but it's the same

[01:13:13] thing that's why

[01:13:14] I'm posting it

[01:13:14] right now

[01:13:15] so you can

[01:13:16] see my

[01:13:16] journey from

[01:13:17] the beginning

[01:13:17] when I'm

[01:13:18] like doing

[01:13:20] to now

[01:13:21] I'm like

[01:13:21] you know

[01:13:22] and that's

[01:13:23] progress

[01:13:23] and all

[01:13:24] dance

[01:13:24] and everything

[01:13:24] really

[01:13:25] that's what

[01:13:25] you see

[01:13:26] is the

[01:13:26] journey

[01:13:26] right

[01:13:26] we love

[01:13:27] it

[01:13:28] good

[01:13:29] all right

[01:13:30] cool

[01:13:30] so in

[01:13:32] terms of

[01:13:33] you

[01:13:33] you know

[01:13:34] you've

[01:13:34] achieved

[01:13:35] quite a

[01:13:35] lot

[01:13:36] okay

[01:13:38] what's next

[01:13:38] for you