7 October 2022 |
Iridescent; delirious; queer-coded organized chaos: that’s the music that New York City-based, Miami-raised musician, vocalist and underground electronic composer Tama Gucci – aka Kymani Floyd – makes. His music bridges the gap between his Jamaican identity and a pivotal fascination with breakbeat music making him an unprecedented kind of 90s’ techno-pop prince.
His most recent release comes in the form of a perfectly packaged, self-realised record called, Almost Blue (After Hours Deluxe), which features remixes of several tracks originally found on his widely praised 2021 Almost Blue EP. Rejigged by the likes of Autow Nite Superstore, Swami Sound, Phyzical Trax, Indigo Heaven, Peter Fonda and SONIKKU, all the best beat-makers are riding the Tama Gucci wave.
Almost Blue (After Hours Deluxe) navigates the volatile environment of longing and romance in the digital age, through pain and passion, rendered as a synthesis of tender and experimental tracks that illustrate Gucci’s expansive vocal range and innovative spirit. His soulful sounds grapple with the challenges of transitional stages whilst staying upbeat about the impermanence of emotional purgatory and poise the ups-and-downs of a relationship over creative clubby beats. Simultaneously nostalgic and future-facing, Gucci’s confident canon is like a fabricated memory of an exhilarating rave you were never at. Plus, the project includes a cover of Britney Spears’ naughties mainstay song, “Toxic,” that feels both modern and inclusive.
Gucci totally embodies the sense of being young, hot, fun and free, so we thought we’d catch up with the star and dig a little deeper into just what he’s been cooking up for the last few years – as it would surely be smashing. From bittersweet feelings, to forging a fresh sound, this is Tama Gucci in his own words.
1. Who is Tama Gucci (and where does the name come from?)
“Tama Gucci is a singer songwriter and model from Miami Florida who got his name from mashing up the Bandai toy Tamagotchi with the iconic fashion house Gucci.”
2. How did you find your way into pop and R&B music?
“Naturally I gravitated towards making pop and R&B music because I grew up listening to it. My brother loved brandy and my mom loved Mariah Carey and I loved listening to the radio, so that’s where all my early inspiration came from.”
3. Who are your top five favourite musicians?
“Brandy, Imogen Heap, Frou Frou, t.A.T.u, Bjork, and Nicki Minaj.”
4. What about Britney Spears’ “Toxic” inspired you to cover it?
“It’s just my favourite Britney Spears song and the music video is INCREDIBLE.”
5. What are three characteristic(s) of Britney Spears that you believe you embody in yourself?
“Her passion for her music and art. Throughout everything she has always found herself to be focused on the music – which she enjoys the most. It’s important to always maintain that because even when things are toxic at least the stage can be your escape.”
Photography by Menelik Puryear.
6. If you could collaborate with anyone (even Britney!) on your next album or EP, who would it be?
“Nicki Minaj! I think no one’s pen is as fun and flexible as hers; she inspires me daily to believe I can do anything.”
7. You’re a vocalist and a composer – what’s a third secret talent we don’t know about?
“I’m really good at bleaching and colouring hair lol – even though I don’t have a professional licence. I’ve been slaying my own hair for years now and I’ve learned from some of the best hairstylists in NYC since I used to work as a receptionist at an amazing salon.”
8. What’s your favourite track from Almost Blue to sing live?
“”Bedroom!” Especially when the music gets really quiet and you can only hear my voice. Then the strings come in at the end and the crowd thinks it’s over but suddenly, it draws them back in! I loveeee seeing their reactions!”
9. Almost Blue delves into the impermanence of emotional purgatory. What was going on in your life at the time the EP came together to prompt such introspection?
“Honestly, Almost Blue was written over the span of years so a lot happened. A lot of it is inspired by things that happened in the relationship I was in before, but also things that were happening to my friends. I wanted it to be honest, even if that made me sound crazy at times.”
10. What are your favourite memories from recording Almost Blue?
“Not working and everything being shut down! I really had time to focus on my music and nothing else. It was able to be a priority and honestly, with how expensive everything is nowadays, it was nice to not have to hustle and to just create.”
Photography courtesy of Tama Gucci. Stream ‘Almost Blue (After Dark Deluxe)’ on all major platforms now.
