26 January 2023 |
Vagabon’s sound is multi-layered, refusing to be restricted to a single genre. The singer, songwriter and producer – real name Laetitia Tamko – is a self-taught musician who impressively learnt how to play the acoustic guitar using only instructional DVDs, after her parents brought her a Fender guitar from Costco when she was 17. Now, she skilfully plays the guitar, keyboard, drums – seamlessly incorporating synthesisers into her tracks, which rip inspiration from punk, indie and Afrobeats.
The Yaoundé, Cameroon-born artist started releasing music under the pseudonym Vagabon in 2014 while she was living in New York with her family.
The release of her latest single “Carpenter” is the first since her critically acclaimed self-titled album came out in 2019. The single is produced by the esteemed Rostam Batmanglij, and showcases Vagabon’s vocal ability like never before. Here, we grab her for a quick round of VIQs (that’s Very Important Questions).
1. Can you explain where your stage name came from?
“It was something I decided to call my music project to avoid mispronunciations of my name. Many people in the US are not familiar with the name, Laetitia, so I thought of Vagabon. At the time it resonated with me because I always lived in places transiently.”
2. Can you tell us a bit about your new single ‘Carpenter’?
“I wrote “Carpenter” a couple of years ago in my home studio, it’s about being confronted with your limitations…and coming to terms with the resistance and fear of change.”
3. What lyric from the track means the most to you?
“‘I wasn’t ready to talk it out’ – it encapsulates the message in one succinct line.”
4. Traversing Afrobeats, indie-pop, and R&B, your work is a peerless melting pot. What drew you to these genres, and why do they inform your music still?
“Coming up in New York City, which is such a melting pot city, there was easy access to so many different types of art. I draw inspiration from the music I grew up with, music that I heard on pop radio, and being a part of the underground music scenes in New York. It’s all information I’ve stored for inspiration.”
5. What would you say has the greatest influence on your sound?
“House music, pop music and African music.”
6. What’s the first song you can remember loving a child?
“It had to have been a Michael Jackson song, he was in constant rotation in my house as a child.”
7. Who would be your dream artist to collaborate with?
“Lamp, a Japanese band I’m a huge fan of.”
8. What would be the ultimate venue for you to play?
“Park Avenue Armory in New York City.”
9. If you could have any designer create your touring wardrobe, who would it be?
“Thom Browne or Sintra Martins of Saint Sintra.”
10. When you’re not making music, what are you doing instead?
“Running and making furniture.”
Photography by Tonje Thilesen. “Carpenter” is available on all major streaming platforms now.
