Saidah Baba Talibah

“I love Toronto for its multiculturalism. There’s nowhere, that I know of, where you can travel the world in one city. I know its made an impact on my music, what I hear and what I create”, says Saidah Baba Talibah. Born to a Mother who is a jazz singer Salome Bey. Music runs in her family, and she has been doing arts for many years. She says, “I sing, dance, and play piano, act, and paint/create art”

“Alternative soul was the closest thing that I could find on my space to describe what I feel I do. I mean, I feel soul in rock, country, jazz and classical music so I draw on the inspiration of the emotion that I’m trying to convey. I have a hard time putting a label on what I do because, what I do is about feeling and whatever comes out is what comes out, I can’t classify feeling”

“I studied at Claude Watson School for the Arts (for grades 7 & 8) and then went onto high school at Earl Haig in the Claude Watson Program. At mini Claude, as we so endearingly call it, the students were immersed in all aspects of the arts. We had majors, but it really wasn’t until high school where it really became majors and minors. So I had art, mime, ballet, jazz, modern, band, theory, choir and drama classes at mini Claude. But when I went Haig, I majored in dance and my minors were always art and band (in which I played tuba). Why I studied the arts? Well, I am a product of the TV show Fame and I always wanted to go to a school where I could dance in the halls, sing, create, just create, so I got that opportunity”

Saida Baba Talibah has also been recently featured on Robert Strauss Mr. Feelings EP, she’s worked with several highly prolific musicians and producers, also.

“Oh yes, a few! My Mother (Salome Bey), her brother and sister (Andy Bey & Geraldine de Haas) had a group back in the day called Andy Bey & The Bey Sisters. My older sister, Tuku is a singer/songwriter. My Aunt Gerry have two kids (Aisha & Darius de Haas) who are accomplished singers on the New York Broadway scene. Darius has worked with Vanessa L. Williams and Aisha has worked with Oleta Adams. My cousin Ronnell Bey sings as well, and was working with the late spoken word artist, Sekou Sundiata. My cousin Denese Matthews is a dancer/singer. My cousin Cara Page is also a performance/spoken word artist and my cousin Marvin Jefferson is an actor. So creativity runs in my family”

“I have sung back-ups for Enrique Iglesias, Roger Hodgson (Supertramp), Dennis DeYoung (Styx, Hero) (Darp Malone & E-Dot), Divine Brown, Maestro (Fresh- Wes), By Divine Right, Alannah Myles, Damhnait Doyle, Zaki Ibrahim, Syreeta Neal, Saukrates, Jully Black, Marc Jordan, Redman and Res”, says Saidah Baba Talibah.

“I’ve had the opportunity to sing back up for some of these people because I’m currently on Canadian Idol as a back-up singer, for my second season. And what I love about singing is not being stuck in one genre of music. But I’d have to say, singing with Roger Hodgson was a huge treat!”

“I am not yet touring with him”, regarding Robert Strauss.

“I will be in October though. And I’m looking forward to it!”

She gives us her her tour dates, “EUROPE Thu 18th Oct: Cargo, London Fri 19th Oct: Paard, The Hague, Holland Thu 25th Oct: Porgy & Bess, Vienna, Austria Weds 31st Oct: Sugar Club, Dublin, IRELAND Thu 1st Nov: Mint Lounge, Manchester, UK Fri 2nd Nov: Trouble.@ The Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh, UK Sat 3rd Nov: Southport Weekender, UK (Leroy Burgess P.A only) Sun 4th Nov: Jazz Café, London, UK (Leroy Burgess Live Gig)”

Saidah Baba Talibah confesses her musical inspirations, which vary quite a bit!

”Lewis Taylor is a huge inspiration for me. I would love to meet and work with him. Rahsaan Patterson, Fiona Apple, Citizen Cope, Vinx, Jamie Lidell, there are more that are not coming to me. And Toronto? Alone, holds so much talent and inspiration”

“Well, I’m just finishing up my debut EP", says Saidah Baba Talibah. "Tentatively called Random Notes and once that is done, onto the full-length album. The future holds more growth and with that growth, sharing. I’d like incorporating more movement into my live performances, more experimentation with instrumentation/sounds. More stories of love found, broken hearts, but all raw emotion”

AOL Chat Interview by Matthew Daniel

Soulisms 2008