Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Time With: MNEK

Seeing as he's just dropped this:




We decided we'd quite like a chat with the 18 year old South London producer, writer and singer (seriously, what were you doing at 18? Other than getting the nightbus home at 5am after a kebab and 4000 vodkas? Or is that just us? Anyway...) The Janet fan who features on Rudimental's new album and who is working with MKS (AKA OrigiBabes) popped by for a little chat. Whadda guy....



Why drop this cover and why now? Other than the fact it's an amazing song, obvs...

I'm a huge Janet Jackson fan, and a huge Jam and Lewis fan, yet in all the refixes I'd done, I hadn't done a song by her. So I figured now was the right time, and I love that song. The response has been crazy; Mistajam played it on 1Xtra and shit. I was like... WHAT?! (laughs).

You sing on this and, of course, Rudimental's Spoons. So what are you now? A producer or singer?
I'm still a producer guy to everyone. But I'll always write and I have a lot of cool stuff coming out on the songwriting/production side of things. Admittedly, I'm more excited that I'm now being able to showcase that I can sing and what I can offer as a solo artist, as opposed to just being behind the scenes all the time.

What are your ambitions as a producer and singer?
More than anything, if I can make people happy with my music, that's great. If I can make people cry with my music that's great. If I can piss people off with my music, that's also great. I just want people to feel my output and the effort and emotion I put into it. I don't want anyone to ever be like "it's 'ite" or just "meh".

What's been the most fun part of working with Rudimental?
Touring for sure. I got the stage bug when I went on the Annie Mac tour with them so now I'm so anxious to do some live stuff next year and get a band together. But I also love just being in the studio with them and cracking jokes and being spontaneous and stuff.

What's been the most shocking thing to happen on tour with them?
What happens on tour stays on tour (laughs).

How was working with MKS. And have they had a massive fight yet?
I love the songs I've done with MKS. They're all really talented and lovely and also very much perfectionists. It's been almost a year and half since we did the first few songs together. I'm excited to see what the first single is. No fights, they're all chums!!

What/ who you working on/ with right now?
I've kind of been working on a lot of stuff! Of course Rudimental's album, Home, I've got a few songs on that. I've also been writing with Hobbie Stuart, Becky Hill, Duke Dumont (with whom I did "Need You 100%" alongside A*M*E), Javeon, Amelia Lily, Sam Sure. And I've started my own album (finally) and that's shaping up to be an exciting one.

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