AGAMA: The Self Taught Sound Poet
Composer and performer, AGAMA, is making her mark through the ever evolving sound poems she creates with the intention of unifying people. Inspired by the crossover of cultures she grew up around in Birmingham, AGAMA’s work is full of multi layered compositions. Scores ring out with the influence of jazz, Afro-Carribean choral traditions and electronica, brought together by lyrics that speak of a spiritual, otherworldly presence. Having spent a decade teaching herself the ins and outs of music production and business, AGAMA launched her solo career at the beginning of 2020. With such a powerful presence of personality witnessed in her work, I asked AGAMA about her journey to owning such a unique sound, asking her to shine a light on the secrecy that too often exploits artists and excludes women of colour from the industry.
I arrange to meet AGAMA in Hackney Marshes, an area which has brought much comfort and solace to her creative practise during the lengthy months of lockdown. As her music suggests, AGAMA is full of character and self awareness in all the best ways. Early into the conversation she tells me how she was labeled as being disruptive and hyper as a child when, in truth, she was simply in need of more engaging activities. Looking for an outlet, AGAMA’s mother suggested dance classes only to find it was the singing lessons happening next door that stole her daughters attention. “Singing started as a self soothing thing, it allowed me to channel my concentration and became meditative.” This joy of singing continued through her teenage years leading her to join heavy metal bands before moving to University to study English literature. Despite her love of language, something which shines through in AGAMA’s lyrics, it was her additional education of choral conducting and classical singing that presented a clarity for her real passion. Music.
““My art is catalysed by a restlessness within me, it was that restlessness that was labelled bad behaviour as a child and I now channel that into art.””
In a bid to pursue a musical career, AGAMA moved to London and started singing with jazz bands. Alongside this, she took jobs as a top line singer for electronic musicians, providing “the ooh and the ahhs” on tracks which are renowned for never crediting the artists involved. These experiences gave AGAMA a 360 insight into the realities of the music industry; the good and the bad. Sitting in studios, occupied predominantly by men, AGAMA witnessed the process of how people made music from the production and digital audio workstations to management skills and creative leadership. AGAMA took this opportunity to learn, recognising what kind of creator she wished to be before taking charge and stepping into the role she now claims confidently as her own. “I want to be a conscious leader, move myself out the way and let others come in and do their thing with my direction.”
Venturing out into her own solo career, AGAMA took a leap of faith, aware of the challenges she was about to face. “I knew I wanted to make my own music. I could hear melodies, and production, but I didn’t have the knowledge to articulate what I was hearing.” Refusing to be deterred, AGAMA taught herself the piano and spent hours relentlessly learning how to compose and produce, developing a sound that moved beyond the confines of what formally trained musicians are often taught in conservatories or music theory courses. “When you study music, you’re usually studying Western classical music when in fact, that’s only 300 years worth of composers. There’s a whole spectrum of countries, influences and cultures that should be more of a feature within music syllabus.” For AGAMA, her knowledge and sound is a result of the culmination of the activities and people she grew up around. “My education was influenced by what I learnt in heavy metal bands, raving to dubstep and drum and bass, singing in jazz bands, and learning classical music and musical theatre. But it was also from going to a Nine-night with my mum (a Caribbean tradition held in memory of someone dying) and listening to women singing. I learnt so much through these experiences and I can hear it come through in my work.”
When listening to AGAMA’s debut EP, aptly titled Safe in Noise, it is clear how this rich diversity of genres weave together. Explosive cinematic horns skip alongside ethereal jazz inspired keys that accompany the powerful swell of her poetic singing. The lyrics heard in tracks such as Samsara are as dynamic as the music, delivered with raw emotion and denoting a sense of spirituality. When mentioning this out to AGAMA, she explains that “the reason I think a lot of my lyrics sound sacred is because my first experience with music came from church and worshipping.” Religion played a prominent role in AGAMA’s childhood years with her father running a group called Birmingham Faith Leaders bringing different faiths together to spread a message of peace. “I grew up with the privilege of having Imams, Rabbis, and Buddhist Monks in the house so spirituality has been a big part of my life. It continues to be - but living an intersectional identity and knowing the history of Religion and colonisation means that I engage with spirituality rather than Religion. And do so in an intuitive way on my own terms.”
““My music represents growing up in the nineties in Birmingham with parents from different cultures, having these contrasting experiences and it all being in one person. That’s what being British is.””
These experiences give context to the role AGAMA places in her music, telling me how her creative vision is to guide people to oneness, and bring people from different perspectives together. This unity is something which she has also found within her own character. “There are two parts of me. On stage I can have my mind clear and be really engaged, hyper. When I’m in the studio I’m the opposite. I don’t talk much, I just listen. I’ve always had that dichotomy in my personality, and the studio and the stage gives them both a space to shine.” Reflecting on what encouraged this, AGAMA tells me how “experiencing an intersectional life and identifying with different groups on a spectrum rather than in a binary sense, means that there is a feeling of belonging to everything and nothing at the same time.” It is through her creativity that AGAMA has allowed herself to occupy different spaces on her own terms.
““I hope to be an asset to young women and femme identifying people in the future because otherwise what’s the point. You’ve got to pass it on!””
With her new album due to be released this coming year, AGAMA is looking forward to sharing a sound that is more refined and about having fun, making music that people will want to dance to and enjoy. “Before, AGAMA was the whole thing, showing all the sides to me as a composer. Now, I have separate projects for making film music and choral work which has allowed my work as AGAMA to shed those additional layers.” AGAMA expresses how this process has been accompanied by a sense of letting go of insecurities. “I’ve learnt a lot about the arts, about standing in your truth and not listening to what anyone else has to say about your creative vision but instead, just doing it.” This reflects the fearlessness that AGAMA possesses to make work that moves beyond the confines of mainstream musical genres.
When asking AGAMA about her access to funding so as to control the creative direction, licensing and branding of her work, she explains “There are lots of pots of money out there to help you to build your career but no one tells you that. Organisations such as Help Musicians UK, PRS Foundation and AIM have helped me. So I’d say, get really good at making budget sheets for income and expenditures, get good at writing these applications for funding, and touch base with arts organisations who will back you so you have money to pay people what they’re worth so you can be incharge of the project.” So as to enhance this autonomy, AGAMA made it her mission to access more information about the music industry. “I’d tell younger artists to network like crazy and engage with conversations online. Get into zoom rooms with people from the industry so you can learn about record labels, institutions, manufacturing, distributing deals and marketing. This way, when your time comes, you will know exactly what to do, what to say and how the industry works. Most importantly, get a shit hot lawyer! Because people will take you seriously and it will protect you from being screwed over.”
Witnessing the progress of AGAMA’s work, it is clear how research, self knowledge and confidence in her own creative vision is what has helped her navigate the career she is building for herself. Whilst I sit in awe of AGAMA’s abilities and the purity of her intentions, it’s with excitement that we can brace ourselves for the sound poems she is soon to share. Certain that this artist will never fail in taking music to a whole other level.
Follow Agama on Instagram @agama.music.
Interviewed by Bethany Burgoyne / Photography: Ciaran Christopher
