An Interview With TSHEGUE
TSHEGUE, the Paris-based duo that mixes tribal sounds with garage rock, comprised of the lead singer Faty Sy Savaent and Nicholas Dacunha (a.k.a Dakou) released the video for their latest single "Muanapoto" from their upcoming EP 'Survivor.' We had the chance to chat with the two about the inspiration behind their EP along with their latest video.
From the music to the visuals, it seems like your culture has a significant presence in the songs you make. How much inspiration do you draw from that?
Dakou: Inspiration and culture work well together. My culture and mixed roots feed my creation. Travel and the people around me inspire me the most.
Faty: Indeed, I’m very influenced by my culture and travels. My inspiration comes from the people I meet, the street life and daily experiences.
What was the process behind writing and producing Survivor?
Dakou: Survivor is about the meeting of two energies, with the same ambition to create around vocals and percussion. Then, we let our moods speak out in the studio, with the idea of composing together music for the stage.
Faty: Survivor is about life experiences, we created and produced it, but in fact, we mostly "felt it", it was spontaneous, like based on heart beatings
It is not often we get to see a producer and singer duo, how is it like to work with each other while creating your sound?
Dakou: Our meetings come from a mutual desire to create, we don't have to think about a specific way to work. Through instinct, it didn't take long to find out about each other on the rhythm, the sound.. Our cultures complete each other and I think our differences give us a special sonority.
Faty: To me, I firstly saw Dakou as an artist and an amazing percussionist. We see each other as musicians
The music industry has recently been embracing genres like Reggaeton, Afropunk, and Dancehall more than ever, how do you plan to make your sound prominent?
Dakou: By doing exactly what we already do, we don’t ask ourselves these questions, the questions which will lead to define ourself. We follow our moods and we try to share things with people. The stage, live music, is another way to make people discover our universe.
Faty: Our music will survive as is, as long as people stay receptive and feel our energy. It’s like an exchange. We like the idea to be free to express without defining us.
The music video for “Muanapoto” takes us to the streets of Congo in the midst of the youth, how did you come up with that concept?
Dakou: Our ideas were mixed by working with producers and the Argentinian directors.
Faty: The music video takes us to Ivory Coast, and we collaborated with Pantera, a collective of directors from Argentina. The concept is about life, like in every city around the world, in Africa or anywhere, all of us are looking for something.
What is one message you want to deliver to the youth in terms of self-expression?
Dakou: I don’t deliver a specific message, but I think music is the perfect example to show that mixing and travels enrich people and make you stronger.
Faty: I don’t want to give a lesson, but my message would say: you have to listen to your emotions, your feelings and live.