Sound UK’s artist development programme, Sound Generator, supports early career artists and the work they present.
In this series of Spotlight interviews, we find out more about the artists on our 2022 programme, delve deeper into their Sound Generator project and discover what the process has meant to them.
This week, we talk to Jasmine Kahlia.
Please tell us about your Sound Generator project. What is it and where did the initial inspiration come from?
Serenading the Hood came from an idea I got whilst cycling with my bluetooth speaker around London - exploring the connection between space, silence and sound.
I love hearing different genres bounce off of the walls - brickwalls, tunnels, stairwells, squares. I also found a connection with passers by that liked or interacted with the music I played in different ways.
How has your idea developed during the programme so far? And what have you learnt?
My idea has become more refined and I've learnt loads about taking the steps to create a larger project, using my networks for mentoring, giving space for inquisitive questions and challenging my artistry.
What has this opportunity meant to you?
It has given me a moment to be more intentional with my work, and also allowed me to take a break from being so prolific, in order to have a more strategic view of where I want my art to go.
Has it helped you to develop your creative practice? If so, how?
As a multidisciplinary artist, I am often balancing many commitments, and this has given me a new structure for larger and more thoroughly planned work.
I've also taken time to rehearse and explore simple sounds and experiment with both amplified and acoustic sound.
Who are your key artistic influences for this project?
I take influence from myself mostly, and I am interested in architecture and residential design.
Coming from Tottenham, I take time to people watch and respond to the environment and people's cultures and music tastes.
I also enjoy the elements of street parties and music in public spaces, which you often come across in North London.
Photo credits: Justin Jamgbadi.
What are your hopes for this project? How do you see it developing beyond this initial 6-month programme?
I hope that I can create this installation - this body of work needs to be made.
I want to document the real-time history of Tottenham (what is happening in the last year to 10 years here) and how we connect to each other through music, through silence, through body language, through memories and through what it means to claim or not claim living in the hood.
We look forward to sharing more details about Jasmine's Sound Generator project as it develops. Visit Jasmine Kahlia's website to find out more about their work.
Sound Generator is Sound UK's artist development programme for bold creative ideas. Following an open call, a panel of judges including leading figures across contemporary music, chose six emerging artists working at the forefront of sound and music.
Sound Generator supports artists in the first 5-10 years of their career. Over the six month programme, they each receive mentoring by a range of professionals to develop an innovative project ready for showcasing to the industry.
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