rototom festival – Gege Vibes Magazine

Se parliamo di Rototom Sunsplash ai tantissimi amanti della reggae music e delle sue branchie viene subito in mente l’enorme Festival musicale, il più grande d’Europa, che dal 2010 si tiene ogni estate nel cuore della Spagna e precisamente a Benicasim. Il Rototom Sunsplash però nasce in Italia nel lontano 1998 e si è sempre contraddistinto per le importanti tematiche che affronta: dall’antiprobizionismo delle droghe leggere all’antirazzismo. Per questo 2016 l’organizzazione ha deciso di fare una grande sorpresa a tutti gli appassionati del genere promuovendo un tour primaverile con concerti in tutta Europa: “Rototom & friends Europe” in attesa come ogni anno della tappa ufficiale spagnola ad agosto. Per il momento le date annunciate sono già 16, ben 4 in Italia e 2 al Sud: abbiamo Modena, San Biagio di Callalta vicino Treviso e poi il 30 aprile Maglie (Lecce) per concludere il primo maggio a Bari.

Per quanto riguarda la line-up artistica quest’ultima non è stata ancora definita del tutto. I primi nomi confermati sono questi: Junior Kelly dalla Jamaica famosissimo per il suo messaggio legato al movimento Rastafariano, il gruppo reggae The Wailing Souls sulla scena musicale dagli anni ’60 e sempre proveniente dalla famosa Isola delle Antille; Daniel Bambataa Marley, figlio ventiseienne di Ziggy Marley e nipote del “Dio” Bob; Raphael, artista nigeriano con mamma italiana; i Sud Sound System, trio salentino pioniere del raggamuffin nella nostra Nazione; Randy Valentine, cantante, producer, songwriter jamaicano ma che deve la sua fama all’Europa e soprattuto al Regno Unito e infine Jahcoustix dalla Germania con la sua selezione reggae, dub e dancehall. Le altre reggae-stars che saliranno sul palco le conosceremo più in la.

La tournée vera e propria invece inizierà il prossimo 20 aprile per concludersi il 7 maggio. Ecco le tappe ufficiali previste ad oggi:

20 Aprile Wroclaw, Poland

21 Aprile Amsterdam, Netherlands

22 Aprile Madrid, Spain

23 Aprile Bilbao, Spain

24 Aprile Barcellona, Spain

25 Aprile Modena, Italy

26 Aprile Innsbruck, Austria

27 Aprile Praga, Czech Republic

28 Aprile Vienna, Austria

29 Aprile San Biagio di Callalta (TV), Italy

30 Aprile Maglie (Le), Italy

1 Maggio Bari, Italy

3 Maggio Marseille, France

4 Maggio Lyon, France

6 Maggio Antwerp, Belgium

7 Maggio Zurigo, Switzerland

In attesa degli aggiornamenti non resta che seguire la carovana del “Rototom & friends Europe”…

Eugenia Conti

Shuga, already known as Sugar Brown, is a reggae singer from Jamaica. She won the famous jamaican talent-show Digicel Rising Stars in 2009 and from that moment her life totally changed. For a lot of time she opened the concerts of Tanya Stephens (her mentor) all over the world : from Europe to Africa. Now Shuga is loved from the whole reggae scene because of her intense and newrootz voice. Gege Vibes interwieved her for you.

Hi Shuga. When did you begin your musical journey?

I’ve been singing since I was way to young to know that I would want a career in music my musical journey began in church where I sang on the choir and at one point was the choir director i sang in school and entered high school song competitions and I was also doing weekly gigs at a casino in my parish st James I was later introduced to Tanya tephens who was looking for background singers , I went on tour with her and that experience changed my life.

What are your reggae music’s models and who is your mentor?

I have many role models but Tanya stephens is one that I look up to and respect for demonstrating perseverance which is key and for giving me an opportunity to see how loved our music was to people all around the world

In 2009 you won the Digicel Rising Star competition. What changed in your life since then?

When I won the competition in 2009 my entire life changed, I now wanted to peruse a career in music so I wasn’t singing back ground vocals anymore,I had fans ,I was not just Mitsy campbell anymore I was Shuga now I was to become someone’s role model, with A microphone in my hand I had an opportunity to stand for something.

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Why has Brown Sugar became Shuga? Does the modification of The stage name represent your artistic evolution?

The name change from brown shuga to just shuga occurred when an injunction was signed against me by a media personality asking that I no longer use the name Brown shuga

Is it Very difficult To be An artist, a woman and a mom? Especially in a prevailing male musical scene. How did you get the respect of the most important singers of the genre?

I find it quiet easy to be a mom and making music brings so much joy to me being a woman is a blessing but in a male dominated industry I won’t say it’s easy at all but I’ve learnt that obstacles are things you see when u take your eyes off the prize

What about your Land? Describe to us the jamaican colours, sounds and perfumes.

Jamaica is the land of wood and water, Jah Mek yah it’s always summer here we have beautiful beaches. I can always go to the river. Marijuana is my favorite perfume

What about your tour, your travels and your future projects?

I really enjoy touring, meeting new people, performing and interacting with my audience. I was in Europe last summer I did a few festivals . reggae jam festival, Reeds festival and Rototom festival to name a few and I’m definitely looking forward to doing it all over again this year. my Ep is coming soon.

Thank you for this interview…

Bless up to Gege vibes for endorsing reggae music to the fullest nuff love and respect for the strength !

Eugenia Conti

Tag: rototom festival

ROTOTOM & FRIENDS EUROPE / Un tour primaverile per il più famoso festival reggae europeo

REGGAE INTERVIEW / Shuga from Jamaica for Gege Vibes (English version)