Last week I caught up with Miss Odd Kidd for a chat about her music over some coffee which is quite civilised for the pair of us as we usually cross paths when at least one of us has seen the empty bottom of one too many glasses.
Slutty Fringe: You appear to be something of a myspace celebrity, lots of musical and non musical people have you in their top friends – How has myspace affected your career specifically?
Miss Odd Kidd: Its been massive, I’ve had a music page for just over a year and it’s blown up: interest from labels, offers from potential managers, gig offers, collaborations, literally my music career is down to myspace
SF: And how long had you been involved in making music before myspace?
MOK: On and off around 3 years, I started out writing lyrics, poetry, but I didn’t know how to rap initially gett ing the rhyming correct, but after learning I didn’t have the confidence. So I started to get into songwriting, So I was hooking up with producers saying “I have a great song here, can I have a beat?” but they were dubious because I couldn’t sing, I can’t sing and I didn’t want to be a singer. From their point of view hooking up with a singer/ songwriter is the whole package, they’re not really interested if you only have lyrics and the melody.
This got me frustrated, so my friends told me to stick to my rapping so that kinda got me back into it. So I fully focused on this aspect.
SF: How has your music developed over the years?
MOK: When I first started it was definitely straight up hiphop beats, that was my direct influence. But being on myspace has given has made me so much more aware of underground music, styles that I hadn’t explored beforehand it’s definitely had and effect as my stuff is leaning towards electro. I mean I’ve always been into uptempo beats, it’s jest that the sounds are different now.
SF: You’ve got some tracks coming out on compilations this year, how much heat have you been getting from labels and what sort of enticement have they offered you?
Oh you know the usual, drugs, sex, a pension, to be a mistress , a flat hahaha. I got offered a deal by a record label, I won’t say who, for a ep and record deal and publishing rights but it wasn’t suitable for me. I;m in no rush to sign the first deal I’m offered as it has to be right. It’s a two way thing – How can I give a record company the best of me when I still have to go out and work to earn money and then be creative and be good?
SF: Would you say you have enough material to warrant a full album?
MOK: Quantity wise definitely, but quality wise no way
SF: I Can Count have licensed Don’t Be Afraid to Sweat for their next compilation yeah?
MOK: Yeah. I Can Count Music 2, which is getting released soon I think – I’ve been doing some reseach and chatting to Goldielocks about also maybe putting it out as a white label with some remixes or as a limited 7inch with some nice artwork and getting a itunes download sorted
SF: You certainly seem to have your head screwed on about the direction of your career
MOK: Well I don’t have management, but I have a music lawyer and I know a lot of people in the industry who give me advice which is a great help though it can get confusing having all these people pointing me in different directions – I feel like I need a manager, but It has to be someone genuine not some shifty fucker who’s just jumping on the bandwagon.
SF: You’ve done quite a few gigs in Copenhagen, how did they come about ?
MOK: Myspace! I signed up November 2005 A few weeks later, a promoter from Copenhagen who runs a night called Midweek Brakes got in touch and booked me for February 2005 and I’ve been back 5 times since. The first few times with Suicide Dogz and the last time with Goldielocks. Me and Suicide Dogz did Roskilde in 2006 He’s just a really good promoter, he’s talking bout maybe organising a mini tour soon.
SF: Any other countries gonna be seeing the Miss Odd Kidd experience soon?
Hopefully, there should be some gigs in Sweden coming up through Stockholm Beat Connection. I was contacted about doing the Miami Music Conference by a club promoter but after some initial talks I didn’t hear anything
SF: I’ve lazily compared you to Uffie in the past, which I suppose is better than being labelled a Mini Allen, how do you feel about the current rise of strong female artists out of London from yourself, Goldielocks and The Cock n Bull Kidd through to Kate Nash and George Pringle ?
MOK: I think Uffie and Lily are both great artists, but I don’t think I’m anything like Lily inparticular. I can see the Uffie comparison and I get compared to lady sov a lot too, which is nice as she’s doing her thing and she’s doing well but I don’t think I’m like her. I think it’s generally because she’s the most well known female UK rapper in other countries – for example I was doing a party in Copenhagen while the MTV Europe Music Awards were on and during the sound check all these people kept coming up to me and saying “Oh my god you’ sound just like lady sovereign”
As for all the new female artists it’s all good, we’re all doing our thing. Kate Nash is getting mad love deservedly, big things are happening. And it’s nice that all the artists you mention are retaining that Britishness – from the way we speak terminology and lyrics, you can tell this music is from London, the Uk. I think there was a tendency, especially in uk hiphop to Americanise the lyrics, whereas we’re proud to be what we are – Kate nAsh sounds soo English, Lily sounds soo English, there’s no phoney accents.
SF: Other than Suicide Dogz, who produced “what’s The Reason Why?” and Goldielocks, responsible for “Don’t be Afraid to Sweat” which other producers have you been working with?
MOK: I’m doing stuff with Rowdy Superstar at the moment, I’ve had beats coming in from Cleft Palettes too. At the moment, I’m getting lots of producers getting in touch, sending me stuff via myspace – some of which I’m not feeling, when you are involved in making music, it’s very difficult to get inspired in terms of you having to keep your ears fresh. The beats people send through are good, but they don’t always grab me.
SF: And do you approach producers yourself ?
MOK: Yeah I have done in the past, but at the moment I’m getting quite a lot of producers contacting me asking to remix my stuff which is a really good thing you know – because it means my tracks being pushed to a different genre such as house for example
SF: What has been your best gig and worst gig?
MOK: Best gig – A toss up between performing at Roskilde last year and that party in Copenhagen during the MTV Europe awards that I mentioned earlier cos there was a reall buzzing atmosphere with all the celebrities in town and it was packed out, everyone was just up for it. I love doing gigs over there as they’re not afraid to get into it, people in London tend to act a bit stush and lately I’ve been doing a few pub gigs that I wanna get out of , not because I think I’m better than that but think my music is better suited for a club environment – at pub gigs with me standing on a stage, potentially people can get quite bored but if you’re in a club dancing and I get on the mic then people will react.
SF: I was chatting with Suicide Dogz and he was saying he liked playing gigs in other countries because people are a lot more open to new things, whereas London can seem a bit jaded sometimes
MOK: Yeah they are, cos our scene is bubbling and there are a lot of good people around and good nights but theres also a lot of shit. I mean London is great as you can go out 7 nights a week to a good party but I think in a place like Copenhagen you get appreciated there because there’s not as much going on, there’s not such a scene.
SF: Your worst gig?
MOK: Hmmm, I think it’s probably the fucken Rhythmless (sic) Factory haha – I turned up for soundcheck at 6, did the soundcheck at nine, was supposed to be on at midnight, was on at 3 by that time everyone had left and I was really pissed off. I wasn’t getting paid for the gig but It was about manners and respect.
SF: Which of your tracks are you most proud of?
MOK: (Don’t Be Afraid To) Sweat, love that track and it’s getting a lot of love on the blogs and people wanting to remix it. Ooh Ahh I Lost My Bra with Suicide Dogz which isn’t on my myspace anymore is great, that went down really well in Denmark, I like performing that and getting men to sing along to the chorus
SF: Who in music are you loving right now ?
MOK: Late of The Pier, you have to hear this band! Bathroom Gurgle is the fucken lick. Ebony Bones, CocknBullKid, Goldielocks, MIA, loving The Teenagers, Deadkids, Shy Child and The Whip. The Klaxons new album. There’s a guy out of Birmingham called Glamour Soundsystem who I’m really liking. Black Affair is killing it, I’m doing a collaboration with him soon, he sent me through this really great song. Rowdy Superstar, who is producing me has got his own style going on
SF: Choose any producer and artist that you would you love to work or collaborate with?
MOK: It’s probably quite clichéd but Timbaland definitely and Missy Ellliot. Oh and Andre 3000 and Prince! Though I’d probably put him in my pocket and take him home.
SF: Hmm yes, now for some silly questions, If you were a professional wrestler what would your name be?
MOK: Bitch Slap! Haha
SF: Which girl group did you want to sing in when you were young?
I loved Bananarama as a wee nipper but I always wanted to be in the girl group from that cartoon Jem. I remember I had a Ken and Barbie doll and a Gem doll and Ken would go off and have an affair with her behind Barbie’s back, hahaha.
SF: Who in music has the Sluttiest Fringe?
MOK: Lovefoxx from CSS, I saw them recently and they were amazing.
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Don’t Be Afraid To Sweat will be released as part of I Can Count Music 2 in the very near future – go seek!
London people can catch Miss Odd Kidd at Bloggers Delight this sunday at the Locke Taverna in grand old Camden alongside the ever excellent Duke Dumont, Patchwork Pirates, IsaGT and residents Casper C and Skull Juice.
Skull Juice Junkies can get a earlier fix tommorow at Get Rude @ Catch on Kingsland Road in what is the best Get Rude lineup so far, I reckon, with slutty fringe favourite Hannah Holland (Trailer Trash) and Noami (All You Can Eat) joining Alex and Ben Skull Juice and residents Zombie Disco Squad for the best in shake your moneymaker gutter beats – and its FREE!
You are likely to see me at both these events brandishing a sharp rum and coke.
Slutty Fringe 