We caught up with singer-songwriter Jojo Abot earlier this year and had a little heart-to-heart what she’s doing in the music front and about her latest offering “Alime”
LA: Who is Jojo Abot?
JA: An ever evolving Human and Spirit
LA: What was the inspiration behind your stage name?
JA: A name is what one chooses to respond to and identify herself by. It’s sacred. To me there is no such thing as a “stage name”. I exist. Always. My name is Jojo Abot and the inspiration is life and living it. Nature vs nurture.
LA: Which do you prefer? Performing in-and-around South Africa or outside Africa?
JA: Anywhere people are of open mind and heart. Wherever the work can have a positive impact. I am for the world and the world is mine.
LA: How is it performing in different countries, do you find it easy adapting to other cultures and how does that influence your personal style (fashion and music)?
JA: Through travel I grow in my understanding of people. Especially those who may or may not look or be like me. I am humbled in being reminded that there is growth to achieve in life. I learn to reconcile the many versions of myself that have and could have been. I learn that I am but a speck of dust in an endless universal force of energy and life. I don’t feel a need to adapt but to grow. That is the purpose and pleasure of travel and living outside of one’s bubble.
LA: Your latest track “Alime” is heavily influenced by Gqom, why tap into that genre?
JA: Simple, because it made sense to me sonically and spiritually. My relationship with gqom is an organic and evolving one which birthed psychedelic gqom. I appreciate the consistency in the Rhythm structure and repetitive chants vocally. It puts one in a trance almost. Higher vibrations that can’t be denied.
LA: In one word, Gqom is…?
JA: Spirit
