2010 – The year of Rox-Soul

Tolita Alexandria

Rox

2010 is set to be a big year for young London soulstress Rox. Releasing her debut single ‘No Going Back’ this month, Catchavibe.co.uk recently caught up with this busy lady as she made time out of her hectic schedule to talk about her musical roots harmonising in church, Sade, and being heavily in demand.

Catch a Vibe: Your cultural background (Jamaican and Iranian) and upbringing are fascinating. Tell us how this has influenced your music?
Rox: I grew up with my mum and my grandparents and that foundation of listening to gospel and country records taught me a lot. My granddad was a pastor and he took me to church every week so that’s how I learned how to sing, that’s where I got my love for harmonies… Also the discipline of projecting your voice without a mic. All my family know how to sing…especially my mum’s (Jamaican) side. Not my Iranian side so much, (laughs) they stay out of that.

CAV: Is there a song from your forthcoming album that defines your sound more than any other or is closest to your heart?
Rox: One song in particular that really sums me up as a writer and a person is actually a bonus track on the album, it’s called ‘Gallais’. I wrote [it] completely myself and played a little bit of the instruments on it. Even hearing it now still really gets to me, the lyrical content and the melody. I’m just really proud of it. It really shows me off in terms of what I can do vocally. I’m putting the demo version of the track on the album in its raw form.

CAV: ‘Pages Unfold’ is probably one of your most well known songs. What’s the inspiration behind it?
Rox: I just came to the end of a situation with a guy. I was in a really strange place for a while and I just had the hope that one day when I’m gone and I’ve turned another page he’ll still be there on the same page…and that’s actually what happened. It just shows time is a healer; I’ve found someone who is amazing and who’s completely changed my life. I wrote ‘Pages Unfold’ with Al Shux [erstwhile collaborator with Jay-Z] actually on guitar. I remember at the start he laughed at me when I said I want to hear rain [on the intro] and I want there to be some sort of storm at the beginning. He said ‘Rox that sounds really cheesy’ and I said ‘no, it’s going to work. I can see it’. And I remember we did and it just sounded so right. I did the operatic sort of warbling at the top and it really fitted, really set the tone and the scene for the song. What’s great is that when we do it live it really creates a moment; everyone is just suddenly really silent.

CAV: A lot has happened for you in the last two years. You’ve worked very hard…
Rox: I have worked hard and it’s nice to know things are slowly paying off. In the last three weeks alone so much has happened. I did Jools Holland and I’ve been playlisted on radio and the BBC sound poll thing [in which Rox was tipped to be one of 2010’s main musical sensations]…It’s making me feel so positive about next year, I just can’t wait for it…

[Rox's I Don't Believe is currently being used in an advertising campaign by Rimmel]

CAV: What was it like playing ‘Later…with Jools Holland’ for the first time?
Rox: I’ve watched that show for so many years and I always said to myself ‘that’s going to be my TV debut’. I can’t think of another show like it where you have a group of musicians in one room and there’s such an eclectic mix of music. I remember when my label called me…I looked at my phone and thought ‘Why are my label calling me?’ I thought I’d done something wrong! The woman who owns Rough Trade Records (Rox’ label) said we’ve got you on Jools Holland and they’ve asked you to do two songs. I had a little tear in my eye. I knew the moment was going to come but I didn’t think it was going to be so early on before I released a single…I just had to take the moment in. I spoke to Jools and he’s such a lovely guy. He said ‘I love what you do and you’re great, keep up the good work’. It’s something I’d remember for the rest of my life.

CAV: Which contemporary artists are really doing something for you at the moment? Any you’d like to tip for 2010?
Rox: There are a few people, some of them are my friends; An American artist called Diana Birch…amazing singer/songwriter. She’s just released her stuff in America – and she’s a mix between Joni Mitchell and Carole King. Really classic old gospel/soul stuff. Another guy called Liam Bailey, an English artist. He sort of does a mix between acoustic reggae and soul, beautiful vocals and beautiful lyrics. And two more friends of mine, a rapper called Ghost Poet. I see him as the English, new day Mos Def. He sings a bit when he raps and he has these electronic, hip hop beats. And one more guy called Jagga is still working on new material. He’s going to be a star; a mix between Finlay Quaye and Kano almost. I’m just so excited for all of them. It’s such a pleasure to be surrounded by all these musicians and they’re my friends…it’s so nice.

CAV: You’ve already worked with some prestigious names? Anyone still remaining on your wish-list?
Rox: I’ve got a few people on my wishlist. You know my [main] influences, Lauryn Hill and Sade…those two…I say I’d love to collab with them but I’d probably just sit there looking at them in awe! They are so amazing at what they do and they’re true musicians and amazing vocalists, so organic and fresh, not over-produced. Who knows if Lauryn will ever release another album? I know Sade is releasing something in February which is very exciting…

CAV: What’s your favourite Sade album?
Rox: I love ‘Lover’s Rock’- it’s such a beautiful album song to song. You can just tell she always keeps evolving. I think my favourite Sade songs though are ‘No Ordinary Love’ and ‘Cherish the Day’- they are just…epic, epic. That’s what’s great about Sade. If you listen to ‘Cherish the Day’ it’s quite sparse in bits, a lot of musical interludes but that’s the beauty of Sade – less is more. Simple even when you watch her, she is just so graceful and understated. I think it’s so refreshing. Sade did show off her body but she did it in a graceful way…it’s more of an artistic thing. She wasn’t being trashy or very obvious with it. That’s what a lot of [female artists] are now, every video is the same. Literally next to nothing they are wearing. It’s like a formula…’if I do this then my music is going to sell’. Change it up a bit; you don’t have to do that!