Today we interview Ness, an alternative singer from Cali, about her first EP, “Love on Lockdown,” which came out on August 14th.
Alessandra: Hello friends! Welcome to our podcast. I’m Alessandra.
Veronica: Hi, I’m Verónica.
Alessandra: And Evelyn couldn’t be with us today, but we have a very talented guest. I want to introduce you to an amazing person, my friend, Vanessa! How are you?
Ness: Hi, very well, thank you.
Veronica: Tell us Vanessa a little about yourself -- where you’re from, where you currently live, what you do, etc.
Ness: Well, I was born in Cali, Colombia and I have lived here in the United States in New Jersey for sixteen years. And I know Alessandra from school. We graduated from high school together, and I'm a singer-songwriter.
Alessandra: Yes, we met in, I think a Spanish class, I don't know if that was it, but--
Ness: Yes.
Alessandra: Yes, we had classes together and yes, as you said, you are a singer so your artist name is "Ness." Which do you prefer that we call you?
Ness: Whichever you want. Ness or Vanessa, it’s the same, I answer to both.
Alessandra: We'll see. Well, your EP comes out tonight at midnight, August 14th, but by the time this episode comes out it will already be available. The EP is called "Love on Lockdown," right? But tell us more about it: how many songs are there and what are they called?
Ness: Well, it's four songs. Three are in English and it includes one in Spanish. And in order they are “Chasing You,” “Give Me Up,” the one in Spanish is called “El Bajo Mundo,” and one called “Searchin’ 4 It.”
Alessandra: And do you have any preference to sing in English or Spanish?
Ness: The truth is, I really enjoy singing in English. It seems to me a very light language, very cool, but Spanish is beautiful. Then I could not say, not really.
Alessandra: You can’t choose.
Ness: How do you feel? Nervous, excited, both? Tell us!
Ness: Well, yes, I am very excited, and yes, nervous, well to see how people receive it. I'm very excited to see the reactions but I’m going with little expectations to be positively surprised.
Veronica: Of course.
Alessandra: Yes, of course. But you already have some singles available, right? I know, I know "Awkward Birthday" and "I Like That," right?
Ness: Yes, yes.
Alessandra: Yes, I love them!
Ness: Very good!
Veronica: I haven't heard them, but I have to, I have to listen to them.
Alessandra: Yes, I will show you. You just have the two singles, and when did those come out?
Ness: These were this year in February and in March. And well, I do have others on SoundCloud which is more independent, but thus a job that I did professionally as with all the laws are those two singles for now and what is going to come out tonight.
Alessandra: How exciting!
Ness: Yes, well, good.
Alessandra: What are your songs about?
Ness: They are of love, they are of love. I love love. I enjoy writing about love and they are how we express, and how we feel love in these moments of quarantine that we have had have seemed very particular to me. And I think they are for people who are going to relate a lot, and they are quite comical about some topics, and I think they will be to their liking.
Alessandra: Well and the quarantine, how did it affect you: the songs and your personal life as a singer?
Ness: Well, the truth as a singer it was one of the best things that happened to me because I had so much time to think, to feel, and it brought out a creative side of me that I might not have had if this quarantine had never happened.
Alessandra: Yes, I understand, I understand it a lot, it is the reason that we have this podcast as well.
Ness: How good.
Alessandra: We have all the time in the world.
Veronica: How would you describe the genre of music that you make?
Ness: Alternative, different. I love experimenting, I think I'm kind of between ballads and R&B, but it's kind of in the middle, like a romance with the two genres there.
Alessandra: You have your own-- your own style!
Ness: Yes, I think so!
Alessandra: It’s called “Ness.”
Veronica: A new genre.
Ness: Yes.
Alessandra: Yes, how did you start singing and recording music?
Ness: Well, the truth is, I was always in the choir of the-- of the school as a child, but to compose, yes in high school, I finally decided to do a-- how do you say in Spanish "Coffee House?" Like a coffee concert, right?
Alessandra: Sure.
Ness: Something like that. And Alessandra was also there singing, which by the way she sings very beautifully.
Alessandra: No but, I don't have the-- I don't know what I mean to say, but I don't know, it's not in my blood like I can do it for the rest of my life, you know? That it’s more like a hobby than a career for me. But, yes, I was very nervous, were you too?
Ness: Yes! The truth, I stand on the stage, I’m terrified, I said, I do not know but I think my soul has left my body and I may freeze, or freeze in Spanish, sorry. I froze or I don't know what but it was a very nice surprise and from there, I already started composing and I haven't stopped, and I've definitely been dedicating myself to music for almost five years.
Alessandra: Ah, how good.
Veronica: How good, how good.
Alessandra: Yes, I congratulate you.
Ness: Thank you.
Alessandra: What artists inspire you?
Ness: Well, who inspires me -- my first influence has always been Shakira.
Alessandra: Yes, yes.
Ness: But I love Bomba Estéreo, which also has a very long history in Colombia. And well here in the United States I like Kali Uchis, John Bellion, Frank Ocean, things like that.
Alessandra: Have you seen Shakira once in concert, live?
Ness: No, no, I am the most horrible fan in the world because I have never seen her, but, but I have to see her.
Alessandra: Yes, we have to go together.
Ness: Let’s go, let’s go!
Alessandra: Let’s go!
Ness: Right away, right away.
Alessandra: We had tickets, right?
Veronica: Yes.
Alessandra: But it was canceled -- they canceled the concert because she had a problem with her -- her voice, I don't know.
Ness: Ah, that was in El Dorado, El Dorado.
Alessandra: Yes, yes yes yes yes. But one day! But you dance really well like her, I'm jealous.
Ness: Thank you.
Alessandra: Yes. Are you going to record music videos so people can see your moves?
Veronica: See you, or for people to see you.
Alessandra: Yes.
Ness: Well, how curious you ask me. Because if they want, we are going to make a video of one of the singles on the EP and we are -- after this call I have to get into a meeting with, or a meeting, with my videographer and my creative team and we’re going to see what, what concept we come up with for this video.
Alessandra: And will it be on YouTube?
Ness: Yes, yes.
Alessandra: Nice, nice.
Veronica: Congratulations.
Ness: Thank you so much.
Veronica: What do you like most about making music?
Ness: I like to connect with people. That is what I enjoy the most.
Alessandra: You can also express yourself in a way that you couldn't do without, without music, right?
Ness: Yes. I think it's a tool for-- it's like its own language.
Alessandra: Yes.
Ness: Universal.
Alessandra: Yes, I agree. Okay, can we expect collaborations?
Ness: Well I think so, maybe not well-known people yet because well, the music industry is a world in itself. But I have many creatives that I admire, who are local and people who are very talented, that I think we are going to get together and do something.
Alessandra: But not in this, in this EP that comes out tonight?
Ness: Ah, not in this EP. This EP is -- it's just me and my producer, his melody and my words.
Alessandra: Yes, yes, how good. Well, after the quarantine, if that day happens--
Ness: Comes.
Alessandra: Yes, comes, are you going to do live performances, or have you done those-- those concerts already?
Ness: Yes I have started to do performances and to create a band like with, with acoustics and do that kind of, of thing. But the tool that I have used the most has been Instagram live and this type of communication. But yes, I aspire to-- to launch the project more fully, well, to go to performances live already, well in the street, God willing, hopefully it can be done. And if not, we will keep going live on Instagram.
Alessandra: Yes, yes, it's a wonderful way for, for artists who don't have any other choice, well everyone now. But yes, one day I will be there in front of the stage.
Veronica: Me too.
Ness: Yes, in the front row!
Alessandra: Yes, yes.
Veronica: And we have to -- you have to send us to VIP backstage.
Ness: Sure, yes of course.
Alessandra: Yes, “we knew her before she was famous.”
Veronica: We knew her before...
Alessandra: Yes, but well before this episode how do you say, "I stalked your Instagram?"
Ness: You investigated.
Alessandra: Yes, I researched your Instagram. And I've seen that, well, you did shows in Brooklyn, Williamsburg, and Barcode Unplugged -- what was that?
Ness: Barcode Unplugged happened to happen from Instagram. A nightclub owner gives the opportunity to many local artists to do performances, to make themselves known. And so I was the first and I wrote to him to see what he would say about me, and he agreed, he liked my work and I was the first to do it. Thanks to that, many artists have been able to perform and it was a very nice platform, and from there a podcast and other things happened.
Alessandra: Yes, I saw it.
Ness: So it was very nice.
Veronica: And that was when?
Ness: This, if I'm not wrong, was about a month and a half ago.
Alessandra: But, and there wasn’t an audience, right?
Ness: No, it was just me and the team.
Alessandra: Yes, I loved it.
Ness: Thank you! I was very nervous. Definitely.
Veronica: But it's also a good way to get used to it, right?
Ness: Of course, yes I think so, it’s practice.
Alessandra: Yes. Okay, if you could only listen to one artist for the rest of your life, who would it be?
Ness: Uy, so I thought about it, and I swear I don't have an answer, it's very difficult. But it has to be Shakira.
Alessandra: Yes, yes. For me it would be Carlos Vives.
Ness: Also a big one.
Alessandra: Yes, yes. Okay, we are going to do the favorite topics part. So what is your favorite song from your EP?
Ness: Oh, from my EP? The first one, which is called “Chasing You.”
Alessandra: Let's see tonight. Okay, what is your favorite Shakira song?
Ness: Ah, I like “Hay Amores.”
Alessandra: Mine, oh I don't know, I don't know. Well, I love “La Bicicleta,” because it's with Carlos Vives.
Ness: Oh also, yes. So moveable. it’s really, really cool.
Alessandra: And Mom?
Veronica: “La Bicicleta” it would also be. That comes to mind right now, that one.
Alessandra: Yes. Well, there are only six hours left, no, for your EP to come out! I can't wait to hear it! Tell our listeners where they can find you and your music!
Ness: Well then, you can find me on my website called "nessofficialll." Official written in English with two efs and three els. And it's also the same spelling on Instagram, and well, I'm on all platforms, and so we'll see each other there!
Veronica: And “Ness” is with two esses, right?
Ness: Yes.
Alessandra: Mom is going to stalk you after this.
Veronica: Yes, yes, yes.
Alessandra: She loves to see who my friends are and “I want to be her friends -- her friend too.
Ness: That's good! We’ll follow each other on there. I’ll follow her back.
Veronica: Yes, I want to listen to your music.
Ness: Oh, I hope it is enjoyable. I hope it is well received.
Alessandra: Well, thanks for being here. Yes, I'm really glad we could do this, and well--
Veronica: Good luck! I wish you-- a lot of success, I-- I'm sure that you will do very well.
Ness: Oh, thank you so much.
Veronica: Thank you for being here with us.
Alessandra: Yes, I’m--
Ness: Thank you for inviting me!
Alessandra: Well, goodbye to our friends, to our listeners. Until next time!
Veronica: Bye Vanessa!
Ness: Bye!
Alessandra: Bye, thank you.
Veronica: Thanks!
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