Exactly how several Cuban feamales in Canada shaped new prize-successful band, OKAN

Elizabeth Rodriguez jokes, grateful it is not videos interview. One half of one’s Afro-Cuban, genre-agnostic, and you will Juno award-successful duo OKAN, she laughs that they are maybe not constantly right up that it very early datingmentor.org local hookup Canberra Australia. Loving on her behalf individual, new dynamic change when the woman lover (in all significance of your own keyword) Magdelys Savigne suits. Both people riff on every other without difficulty, picking right up for every single other’s sentences and creeping within the absolutely nothing laughs and you may smirks.

Magdelys hails from Santiago de- Cuba, when you are E grew up in the administrative centre area, Havana. Both municipalities keeps additional solutions to musical, having Santiago getting more traditional. On top of that, they might be each other classically instructed, and that brings in certain Eu taste. Now one another located in Canada, obtained fused the area traditions and you can Western european process towards sonic hot pot that’s Toronto’s music scene.

The new title song and opener towards the record guides having a keen Afro-Cuban chant. It broadly usually means the story away from good deity arriving when you look at the a special residential property and you can doing another lifetime. The fresh parallel is obvious. However, over it facilities its tradition, that’s inseparable from OKAN.

From that point, Espiral bleeds toward so many different genres – cha-cha-cha, pilon and you will bolero, whilst including brand new styles in the participants around him or her… Everything from Brazilian shifts, to Turkish rhythms. This is actually the definition about Espiral. New sound spirals, it is to Cuba and you can larger, picking right up other types.

Even with both being born during the Cuba, they really came across in Canada. Elizabeth had been aware of Magdelys during the Cuba… it absolutely was hopeless on her not to.

Even after a very clear reverence getting Cuba, its link to new island is actually difficult – to make use of their unique word

The ladies met when Elizabeth auditioned to own Magdelys’ band. “I required an artist to tour around, also it was best whenever they can enjoy an instrument. She came into this new bend instantaneously. She you will play remarkably and play the violin. She you’ll do everything,” Magdelys gushes. The 2 struck it off instantly, “One thing contributed to another, with date…,” she ce to the rehearsal.”

“Magazines recommended us to write my own personal sounds. We felt that We wasn’t willing to write songs and become a composer, and you can she is the person who driven myself,” Elizabeth waxes.

“It’s (OKAN) the infant. The basic child we authored along with her and you may that which we manage to have OKAN try pouring all of our hearts engrossed.”

It love is central to help you OKAN, and therefore in itself means cardiovascular system regarding the Afro-Cuban dialect

It’s easier getting Magdelys. Including E, she misses the girl members of the family, “My mother – I have not viewed the lady from inside the a long time. That is essentially the things i skip.” She explains. “Anyplace with a water, I’m able to wade. There are a lot Cubans globally…basically miss Cubans, I am able to wade there.” She continues to help you liken it to help you a detrimental ex. “You look as well as you just recall the hard minutes out of the relationship that is form of sad.”

But that’s in earlier times, today these are typically both happy for what is 2nd, specifically live shows, having create Espiral throughout the a pandemic. “OKAN is an entire different experience real time!” Rodriguez beams. When you hear new record you feel instance you may be from the a show. You can pick out per instrument that have magnificent understanding – practicing the guitar, Elizabeth’s violin, Magdelys’ percussions, castanets, etcetera.

The tune Baila Canada was a standout which is everything about bringing some one moving. It’s stressful featuring one another females toward sound, and you can an especially alive violin unicamente away from E. It’s an inside-joke… In their almost a decade into the Canada, they usually have learned that people dont dancing. They generated new song in order to flake out her or him upwards. OKAN isn’t concerned with one any more immediately following are cooped right up having so long, they’re sure everybody’s itching to go…. and they’re happy to enjoy.