"Music is a language that suits me."
Patrice is a citizen of the world: the son of a German mother and a writer from Sierra Leone, he lives in Cologne, New York and Paris. Reggae, soul, hip hop, blues, R'n'B and blue funk - it's no surprise that many styles mix in his music. His tenth album “Life's Blood” was released on September 30th. We asked the exceptional artist about identity, politics and his love of music.
Your new album is called »Life's Blood«. What does the title mean to you?
Patrice: "Life's Blood" means water. Ultimately it's about what you need most in life. The whole thing is a metaphor for what makes you come alive, for example your passions, your love. My entire passion went into this album. This album is my »Life's Blood«.
What inspired you to create the album?
The album was created in many places, I traveled a lot. What influenced me the most thematically was life in our time. The basic message is: Even if everything seems so crass to us these days, we still live in a wonderful world. And it is a privilege that we are here. With the album I'm trying to sort out the chaos that's around us a bit.
You are named after the Congolese freedom fighter Partrice Lumumba. In many of your songs you address political topics. Do you think that art always carries a political responsibility?
No, I don't think so. My art is political, but there is other people's art that is pure entertainment and that is important too. Sometimes you just want to have fun without having to think too much about political issues. But fundamentally I feel like I'm part of a tradition of protest singers who sing about things that directly affect them.
What do you see as the most important task for this generation in times of refugees, AfD and racism?
I think the most important task is to be well informed. I think you should really pay attention to where you get your information from. There may be two people sitting somewhere at this moment and talking about the same things. If we got together with them, we might not understand each other on a fundamental level. Because our opinions are based on very different information and we simply believe in different things without perhaps really questioning them. The task is also to stand up radically for our values and to put humanity before everything. So it's better to ask "What is a person like?" and not "Where does he come from, what does he believe in?"
Is this something you would also pass on to your children?
I try it. It's best to always set an example. Things like racism are not innate, they are taught. All the children get along on the playground, all these things don't exist there. That comes later and the children learn about it at home, in the media or at school. I think we should all travel a lot more and learn about other perspectives.
You also travel quite a bit, live in Paris, New York and Cologne, your mother is German and your father comes from Sierra Leone. What role does identity play for you?
I don't pin identity in one place. Identity equals human. I build my own culture from the things I like. Just because I was born in Germany doesn't mean I like sauerkraut. You do something and then it becomes your culture. I think we are currently working on creating a new culture that is modern and compatible with the future. Unfortunately, there are other people who cling to the past or to some books that were written 3,000 years ago, where an image of God is preached that is not questioned. We should rewrite history.
By other people, do you mean more conservative people?
I mean all people who are indoctrinated by something. Even religious people, for example. I think religion is something totally personal, something that shouldn't be propagated. Whatever you believe in is totally fine with me, but it doesn't necessarily have much to do with me. More importantly, does it make you a better person or not? Does this work for you or not? What you call it is completely secondary to me.
Music probably works better for you?
Music is the easiest way for me to express myself. It's a language that suits me. The great thing about music is that you can connect words and sounds. You play live, you're in the studio, you write and then you're lonely for a long time because you have to. These are very different processes that lead to an album being finished and then being played live. That's cool. Music is not one thing, but it is all these phases, similar to seasons.
If you made a mixtape for a friend, what three songs would you absolutely have to put on it?
Definitely “Sinnerman” by Nina Simone, then Bob Marley with “Natural Mystic” and 2 Live Crew with “We want some pussy”.
When did you discover music for yourself?
At 12. I don't come from a particularly musical family, so it was something I had to discover completely on my own. At one point I tried to play guitar because everyone else was doing that too. And it worked. Then I tried to write something. That worked too. Then there was this one song and I thought, 'Performing that now would be great.' Later I got a band together, one thing led to another and today I'm sitting here and have made a lot of albums.
Was it clear to you after you graduated that you wanted to become a musician?
I had a record out before I graduated. I also performed as the opening act for the Black Eyed Peas while I was at school. So when I graduated, I went straight to the stage. I had to get rid of military and community service. I was even wanted by military police, but I was able to brush them off. Otherwise that would have really thrown a spanner in the works for me, similar to Elvis. (laughs)
Patrice is going on tour with his new album from November 15th to 30th, 2016. We are giving away 3 x 2 tickets for different cities! Please answer the following question by October 31, 2016: »Which three songs – by whatever artist – are part of the “soundtrack of your life” for you? And why?” Reply to gewinnspiel@uniglobale.com (keyword “Patrice”).
