BeatPortal Interviews Tali!!! Check it out!

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MC Tali, commonly known as the first lady of drum & bass, has finally gotten around to releasing her second album after the commerically successful Lyric on My Lip, released in 2004 on Roni Size’s Full Cycle imprint.

Her new album Dark Days, High Nights sees her team up with the likes of Dirtyphonics, Benny Page and Lynx for a record that crosses the boundaries between drum & bass and dubstep.

Read on to find out more about Tali’s tastes....

What was the first record you remember having as a child?

The first album that really had a powerful musical influence on me was Soul II Soul Club Classics.

It was actually my sister’s, as I couldn’t afford my own tapes. I would steal it out of her room and take it to school to listen to on my Walkman!

Which style or genre of music was your first great love?

Definitely hip-hop and new jack swing, I was a ‘90s kid, so school discos were all about dance routines to Tony Toni Tone and Naughty By Nature, and reciting raps word for word.

How have your musical tastes changed since you were a teenager?

Obviously I discovered dance music - and especially fell for drum ‘n’ bass and trip-hop. I still love hip-hop, but it’s not the same as it was.

I also went through a stage of loving grunge rock - Nirvana, Guns and Roses, Pearl Jam, that kind of thing, but it was always electronic music that kept drawing me back. At the moment I am having a love affair with The Weeknd and SBTRKT.

What was the last record (or MP3) you bought?

I haven’t actually bought anything myself recently as I get sent a lot of music for free, and my husband passes on a lot of music he downloads. He’s the one with the itunes account! The latest tune we are loving is S.P.Y’s “By Your Side.” Beautiful, epic and inspiring.

S.P.Y., “By Your Side” [Spearhead Records]

Name your three favorite tracks at the moment:

S.P.Y - “By Your Side” I also love his Zero 7 remix “In the Waiting Line.” That has been my tune of the summer.

Skeptical has just produced a brilliant new tune that I worked on with my girl Colette Warren, “You Have Always Been Mine.” I heard it for the first time at Headz last week and it sounded sick!

Which track (by another musician) do you wish that you had made?

Lenzman’s “Open Page.” I wish I had produced it and sung on it. Him and Riya smashed it. Also If I could be reincarnated as a producer, I wish I could come back as Calibre!

Lenzman, “Open Page” [Metalheadz]

What’s your favorite record from this year that isn’t electronic dance music?

Probably Adele’s album 19. I really respect her as an artist and as a person. I also have to say I love my own live version of the album Dark Days High Nights that I recorded with a bunch of amazing musicians, with Ant Miles on production. It’s raw and real, warts and all.

Current reading or last good book read?

I just read Russell Brand’s new autobiography on the plane to LA. It was certainly brilliant and funny in parts… I am just surprised his dick hasn’t fallen off yet.

Favorite piece of gear:

Probably my Pro Tools just ‘cos it’s super fast and easy to record vocals into.

Preferred headphones:

Well I’m sure if I could afford them I would prefer Dre’s Beats headphones, but for now I have a pair of very worn Sonys.

Favorite clothing designer:

Again, if I could afford it, I would dress from head to toe in Stella McCartney and Mara Hoffman all day long.

Favorite city/country/club to perform in?

Every place is special and unique with lasting memories…

Sardinia or Ibiza, some of the best meals of my life were eaten in both countries!

Strangest thing you’ve ever eaten while on tour:

Prickly cactus in Mexico City. It was delicious!

Strangest thing a fan has ever given you:

A marriage proposal.

Frequent flyer survival tip

If you’re doing the killer flight from Europe to Australia or NZ I always recommend flying via Asia. Some of the best stopover airports are in Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai… I always look over the map of the airport first and find out where the showers and massage spots are.

I shower, change my clothes, have a back or foot massage, and get back on the plane for the second leg of the flight fresh as daisy and ready to go!

Weirdest rumor you’ve ever heard about yourself:

The dumbest are the ones where people say I had to sleep with everyone and anyone to get where I am today. Some people cannot accept you can have talent and ambition without pimping out your sexuality. Hopefully over the last ten years I have proven I didn’t have to do anything other than be myself to achieve what I have achieved!