Discover Artists That Joined The 11th IMAs: Fely Tchaco

HOMEBASE: San Francisco, CA

DESCRIBE YOUR GENRE: World, Traditional (Tribal Pop, African)

CATEGORY ENTERED: World, Traditional.

SONGS SUBMITTED: Goba and America Land Of Hope in video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxO1Aec3CTk

ALBUM SUBMITTED: Maturite

LABEL: Self Released under Fely Productions/ZEWP

PLEASE LIST THE ARTISTS FEATURED ON THIS RELEASE: Fely Tchaco (Artist, Co Producer, Lead Vocals and Backup Vocals), Jerry Martin (Producer), Abou Diarrassouba (Percussions Djembe), Paul Sonnanbend (Conga), Freddy Clarke (Acoustic Guitar) Teddy Swall (Bass)

WHAT’S THE STORY BEHIND YOUR BAND NAME? In 1996 when I released my first recording, I was given an interview by a well known journalist “Mam Camara” of the magazine “Top Visage” in the Ivory Coast. During the interview, he ask me what was my artist name? Didn’t think of one yet at that time, then he stated, “why can’t you just use “Felie” which is the short for “Felicite”?
I embraced that idea with gratitude. Then to make it sound different then others, I combined letters from my first name Felicite (Fel) and middle name Leye (y) to create “Fely” instead of Tchaco Leye Felicite.

DESCRIBE YOUR LATEST RELEASE: Maturite is West African polyrhythms in dialogue with the world. The music on the album speaks a universal language that can be felt, with sweetness, simplicity and a quality that melts away all genre boundaries. The rhythms throughout float easily across the CD. The beautiful cover and inside artwork is designed by me, using my Fine Art and Graphic Design background. It is a must have in your collection for those who values art and music.

DID YOU USE ANY UNUSUAL INSTRUMENTS OR EFFECTS? Yes I used birds, elephant and Lion sounds to depict the forest sound. I also used a sort of sound that is close to the wood flute used in our traditional music for the Zaouli mask dance; There is none in today’s modern sound systems, because it is not yet known to most people.

WERE THERE ANY ‘HAPPY ACCIDENTS’ IN THE STUDIO OR DID YOU RECORD IT AS PLANNED? Not quiet as planned, but worked out well in the end. It took twice as long as I had planned for, some instruments I wanted to use could not be found here, nor on the synthesizer or on the market. Had to improvise and look for sounds like. No one could play that kind of music, so I spend weeks in the studio to try to match the rhythm and breaks as it would be normally played live in the village back home. Was getting very frustrated but worked out in the end.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO SUBMIT TO THE 11TH IMAS? A friend encouraged me to enter, didn’t know about the submission’s detail for IMA. I have always wanted to submit to a music award, but did not understand the procedure.

WHO IS SITTING IN YOUR AUDIENCE? My fans, business people, models, designers, producers, students, artists, children also love my music, but sometimes can’t have children in some venues!

WHAT MAKES YOUR FANS UNIQUE? They understand, appreciate and give value to good music without borders.

HAVE YOU EVER HUNG OUT WITH ONE OF YOUR MUSICAL HEROES? Yes. WHAT’S THE STORY? I was able to meet in person and have dinner with one of my childhood idols “Lougah Francois” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgM9UbzfigE) a well known artist singer songwriter of the 80’s from the Ivory Coast. We were planning to collaborate, but shortly after, he passed away. I also hung out with Martha Reeves in San Francisco with my best friend and her husband after watching her show at the Razz Room Hotel NIkko in San Francisco in 2008. I couldn’t stop looking at her, she fascinates me.

WHAT’S YOUR MOST MEMORABLE ACHIEVEMENT TO DATE?
My Songs “Toilata” and “Goba” have made it to the top finalists for the International songwriting Competition in 2009 and 2010, also my name is been in the honorable mention on their website. Also coming to America as a single mother, raising my daughter alone who has now graduated from high school and is attending college. I am a proud Mama!

WHAT’S YOUR BEST/CRAZIEST TOUR STORY? During my tour back in 2005 at “Reggae On The River Festival”, the MCEE announced my birthday while introducing me to the audience. Right after my show, a fan shows up to my door, looking for me, saying that he has a nice birthday gift for me. I was all exited, expecting to see a nice surprise, but instead, it was a big chunk of some herb in a zipper bag, didn’t know what it was, so I went asking around, soon to find out that it was Marijuana.  being allergic to smoke, I scream, freaked out and threw it on my road manager. He was happy to have it. That was the first time I saw Marijuana, it was very funny!!!

ARE THERE ANY SONGS YOU WISH YOU WROTE? Stand by Me (Ben E King), Non Je Ne Regrette Rien (Edith Piaf).

WHAT ARTISTS ARE YOU LISTENING TO THAT WOULD SURPRISE YOUR FANS? Mozart, Edith Piaf, Brenda Lee, Elvis Presley.

NAME SOME ARTISTS YOU ARE CHAMPIONING. I hate competition, I’d like to just be myself.

WHAT IS YOUR DREAM SHOW LINEUP? Lady Gaga, Sade, Rhianna,, Angelique Kidjo, Erica Badu, Ricardo Limvo, Yousou NDour, Baba Mal…

FINISH THIS SENTENCE: THE MUSIC INDUSTRY IS… not easy for African Female Independent Artists. The road can be long, but once you make it, it is a fun game!

WHAT DO YOU HAVE IN THE WORKS FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR? I am working on new songs and hopefully record them soon. My goal is to get a booking agent because I am tired of doing everything by myself, not that I don’t want to, but it’s just that I cannot be good at everything. I would like to focus on my art, singing and songwriting. Plus English is my 3rd language, it is hard to correctly communicate sometimes.

HOW CAN FANS FOLLOW YOU?
http://www.felymusic.com

http://www.myspace.com/felymusic

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fely-Tchaco/69851029801

WHERE IS YOUR MUSIC AVAILABLE?
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/maturite/id429524212
https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/felytchaco