ARTIST TALK: Ravi Kuma
Af: Kathrine Alby
Ravi Kuma is hard-hitting electronic rap duo. The industrial bass lines, dusty beats and gimmicky samples add an exotic edge to their music. In 2018, they won the big Danish showcase contest Karrierekanonen and at this year’s SPOT festival they are back with more explicit bangers full of societal topics served with a well-portioned self-deprecating humor shouted out on top of their catchy hook lines.
Why did you start making music together?
Basically because it was a lot of fun. We have started various projects together, just to try out different things. We have done everything from singer-songwriter to German retro-futuristic techno, before we found our own take on rap and beats. With our current sound, we feel like our different inputs fit together just perfectly, by balancing each other out, and with strange industrial beats being held together by sharp catchy hooklines.
Your music has a very international vibe. What are your sources of inspiration?
We come from very different musical backgrounds and both of us have travelled a lot to find inspiration. Sharon is inspired by artists such as Nicki Minaj, Peaches and Santigold. Aske finds inspiration in SOPHIE, Vince Staples and Brockhampton.
What does rap do for your sound and lyrics? Why do you express yourself through rap music?
With rap, you get to say a whole lot in a very short time. Rap music has a strong tradition of going head to head on social issues and observations, which is a strong inspiration for us.
What is your ambition playing at SPOT?
To experience the Scandinavian Congress Center hotel bar at 5 am in the morning.
If you could pick another artist to work with, who would that be?
Who doesn’t want a taste of the Kanye experience?
Do you have any acts you must see at SPOT?
There’s no way we will miss out on seeing Kr4n, Monti, Fravaer, Dengue Dengue Dengue, Professor Pus, FRAADS, LISS, KOPS, Espichicoque and of course the new 2019 generation of KarriereKanonen.
What are your Ravi Kuma-dreams for the future?
We have always loved hitchhiking together, seeing and experiencing different subcultures around the world. Our biggest dream is to become an international act and travel every crazy country there is with our hand-luggage-size gigbag and golden sneaks, to give everyone from industrial workers living in Bratislava, to the angry demonstrators in Bahia a WTF-experience.
