FEATURE: Spotlight: Iraina Mancini — Music Musings & Such

FEATURE:

Spotlight

Iraina Mancini

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ONE of my favourite tracks of this year…

came from the wonderful Iraina Mancini. She released the awesome Do It (You Stole the Rhythm). I have followed her music for a while, and she is someone who is going to go on to be very big. A D.J., model and broadcaster. Mancini was born into a musical family. Her father, Warren Peace, was David Bowie's childhood friend; he went on to tour providing backing vocals and writing with Bowie from Aladdin Sane through to Station to Station. It is no wonder that Mancini developed a love of music. She taps into classic Soul and Pop. Her blend is quite retro and super-cool, though there is modern edge, passion and something distinctly hers. Gifted with a wonderful voice and the ability to pen great hooks, she is someone who I always keep an ear out for. I wonder whether there will be an album in 2022. Taking influence from everything from ‘60s French cinema and Psychedelia, here is someone who one suspects spends a lot of her alone time listening to older music. Even though, as a D.J. and broadcaster, she features and interviews new acts, one can feel the music of her childhood more evident in her own songs. I am going to come to a few reviews in. Before then, and borrowing from her website, here is some detail about the incredible multi-talent that is Iraina Mancini:

“Iraina Mancini has been writing her own songs and gigging from a young age, fronting bands such as electro pop band ‘Mancini’ and then later with Liverpool’s ‘The Venus Fury’ (ex The Zuton’s and Dead 60s members).

Whilst on the road with these bands, Iraina began digging into the vaults of Northern Soul, Funk, Rhythm and Blues, 60’s Garage and Disco’s rich musical history. Inspired by and building on her father’s 45’s that she had enthused over as a child, she began her passion to DJ and bring back the spirit of these often forgotten but golden musical era’s to dance floors across the globe.

PHOTO CREDIT: Caroline Towning

Iraina has travelled the world DJ’ing and hosting at major film and fashion events such as Cannes Lion, NME Awards, Toronto Film Festival, and key music festivals; Glastonbury, Wilderness, Secret Garden Party, Bestival and for iconic brands such as GQ, Swarovski, Temperley, Film4 and Pretty Green.

Iraina also presents her own popular cult radio show every Tuesday on the legendary Soho Radio in London, where she teases a taster of her live DJ sets, interviews her favourite bands and serves up a music history lesson and homage to her love of Northern Soul, Funk, vintage R&B, Ska and Garage Rock. Recent guests on the show have included Ecca Vandall, Mike Chapman (Blondie, The Knack), Lee Fields, YAK, PP Arnold, Garret Shider (Parliament, Funkadelic), Babyshambles and Daddy Long Legs.

Inspired by the music she collects and DJ’s, a new solo project has started to form. Collaborating and writing with legendary producer Jagz Kooner (Primal Scream/Oasis) and featuring a stable of the UK’s most talented musicians, Iraina has now put together her live band and is hitting the road in 2020. Her sound is heavily influenced by her favourite music from the 60’s and 70s, French Pop, Psychedelia, Soul and classic artist’s such as the Ye-Ye Girls, Serge Gainsbourg and vintage cinema.

Muse to influential fashion designers, brands and artists due to her striking vintage style and inspired by Francoise Hardy, Bridgette Bardot and Jane Birkin, Iraina is the contemporary reflection of an iconic retro era that can be re-discovered and celebrated through her style and music”.

As a busy and popular D.J. with an incredible taste in music, I think that she brings her musical discoveries and the tracks she spins into her work. There is a connection between her crate-digging and D.J. work and the wonderful music she creates. The first interview that I want to bring in is from this year. Mancini spoke with NINU NINA and, among other topics, was asked about her music influences:

“your greatest inspirations or influences?

The records I have collected from my travels always inspire me, I love finding old rare Soul that no one has ever heard before. I get a kick out of introducing old undiscovered artists in my DJ sets or on my radio show. My own music I write is greatly inspired by french YeYe artists of the 60s like Jacquelin Taib, France Gall and Serge Gainsbourg, as well as psychedelia and retro film soundtracks, I love bringing the drama and cinema to my sound.

Tell us a bit about your creative process? How do you describe your music?

My creative process is sampling old records I have found with my producer Jagz Kooner, we find bits we love, cool grooves , guitar riffs and instrumentation and build up vibes/tracks. Then I take them away and write a load of melodies and lyrics on top to create the song, I find it a brilliant way to write and gets me in that cinematic 60s mood. Jagz and I then remove the samples and re-build the music around the new melody I have written with my band of talented musicians. It's such a cool way to work and has been a really fun process.

How has this year changed your creativity or how you see the world changing moving forward?

Like everyone, I have lost a lot since Covid hit, but for me the one amazing thing to come out of it is my creativity. I have been overflowing with ideas and had the time to really focus on my music. I think I have processed a lot mentally and had some huge struggles and music has been an amazing release for me. I hope moving forward we all appreciate the world we live in more and the people around us , seeing beauty in the simple things in life. Slowing down made me release the speed in which I was surviving wasn't healthy and I always felt burnt out”.

Iraina Mancini, apart from being an awesome songwriter, is also a bit of a style icon. She is this complete artist who I hope we hear a lot more from next year. I want to zoom back to a 2019 interview from Blow Out Magazine. The first question I have quoted provoked an interesting artist:

“Where are you in 10 years?

I would like to be still making my own music and singing gigs to crowds all over the world. I'd hope I was still spinning records, making people dance and presenting my radio shows. I've always had a secret dream of designing my own vintage inspired clothes line as well..shhh don't tell anyone! I'd like to be in love and have a load of gorgeous crazy kids.

Biggest regret in life?

I know people say you shouldn’t have regrets but there is definitely a couple of things I wish I’d done a little different… Lousy ex boyfriends, that time I decided to cut my own fringe with kitchen scissors ..But the main thing I regret is not having more faith in my abilities and listening too much to what other people said. I would say to anyone young- be fearless and don’t let insecurities hold you back.

What would your 16 say to yourself now?

She would say "wow, what fun you’ve had!"

Best bit of advice you have been given?

I love Eckhart Tolle and all his books..His whole idea of living in the now and not carrying the burden of the past or future was a powerful lesson for me. I certainly did that for a long time and it's a waste of energy, let it go and live in the moment.

What makes you happy?

So many things make me happy! Discovering a new rare soul record I’ve never heard, writing songs and hearing them come alive in the studio”.

There is a final interview that I am keen to include. Last year, in this interview, Mancini was asked about the changing industry. As someone whose father was a pretty big part of David Bowie’s life., she would have heard stories from him about his experiences. As a relatively new artist, she can compare those recollections with her experiences:

“How have you seen the music industry evolve since you started out, and where do you see it going?

The music industry has changed so much, I can barely keep up! Its amazing how easily you can push your art out into the world with Spotify, Youtube and all the social media platforms available anyone in the world can listen to your music .. Gone is the time of ‘waiting’ for a record deal, you can have complete control of what you put out. You can make music videos on iPhones, film live sets and stream online and interact instantly with your fans. Its a lot more work but ultimately more satisfying and authentic.

Which three records are you unable to live without?

That is such a difficult question! But if I had to pick 3 records that I never get bored of they would be.

1. Barrett Strong – Money (thats what I want)

2. Space Oddity – David Bowie

3. Bonnie and Clyde – Serge Gainsboug

What do you consider to be music’s golden age?

Im totally stuck in the past. For me the golden age was late sixties early seventies.

Who are your biggest artistic influences?

At the moment i am really influenced by 60s/70s Cinema, French Yeye Girls and Psychedelia. Like most musicians i’m obsessed with Serge Gainsbourg’s Melody Nelson. The music I DJ influences me massively 60s Rhythm and Blues and Northern Soul, I wanted to write music I could incorporate into my DJ sets.

PHOTO CREDIT: Caroline Towning

And your greatest style icons?

Bridgette Bardot , Jane Birkin and Anita Pallenberg have always been favourites of mine. I love the sex kitten look..Big hair and big lashes. I go through different phases with fashion, at the moment I’m wearing a lot of 70s stuff, tailored flares, loose shirts, vintage suits and platforms.

Favourite place you have DJ’d at?

I love DJing music festivals the energy is so unique, everyone is there with exactly the same mission.. to have as much fun as possible and escape their daily lives. Also, visually festivals always look like a fantasy world, especially Glastonbury.. when its not raining! My favourite place to DJ is actually a really small festival called Red Rooster, its in the most beautiful setting and has the best music. Im djing there this summer, Im really looking forward to it”.

With new music out this year and her busy with D.J. work, plus the broadcasting on Soho Radio, I think that we will hear a lot more from Iraina Mancini in 2022. One of the brightest and most interesting young artists in the country, I have always loved her work. I am excited to see what comes next and whether we get more music very soon – let us hope so! In Iraina Mancini, the music world has a varied, evolving and…