Bandi glistens with immense vibrancy and glamour in her latest bubblegum pop hit, Ain’t Nobody and it’s such a dream.
Kiwi-Brazilian artist, Bandi recently burst back into the scene with her latest single, Ain’t Nobody. The track beautifully intertwines vibrant bubblegum pop with influences from her South American heritage. Shimmering with afrobeats and Latin American music, the track hypnotises you instantly. With throbbing heart-igniting infatuation, Bandi serves us Ain’t Nobody with pristine charismatic vocals and spirited beats.
Getting into her experiences of living in Sao Paulo and LA, Bandi opens up about how these places shaped her as a person and her musical style in two very different but expansive ways. Join us on the chat we have with Bandi about the synergy and connection she had with producer, Tom Lee while creating the single, and find out what she’d be doing on her ultimate day, as well as where she’d be on the last day of earth!
HAPPY: Thanks for chatting with us! What are you looking forward to this week?
BANDI: I’m currently in Brazil this week, visiting my family over here after 16 years. I’m immersing myself in the culture and getting inspired by the vibrant streets and commotion. It’s incredible how the people of Sao Paulo, regardless of how hard life is here, make the most of what we have. The people here are some of the happiest people I’ve ever met, and regardless of life’s struggles in a third-world country, they still manage to celebrate life every day. I’m looking forward to creating some music here in Brazil this week after being so inspired.
HAPPY: Tell us about your experiences of living in LA and Sao Paulo.
BANDI: Living in LA and Sao Paulo was such a drastic contrast. I’ve bounced back and forth from New Zealand, America and Brazil since I was a little girl. I moved to Sao Paulo, Brazil when I was 8 years old, as my mom’s whole side of the family is based there. It’s quite a poverty-stricken area where they are from, nothing fancy. We lived at my grandma’s house for 6 months and whilst being there my parents homeschooled my sister, brother and I on the rooftop of my grandma’s house. Reflecting on this now, being homeschooled in Brazil really helped me to learn the language and understand the culture quite fast. We’d go on trips and immerse ourselves in the culture and meet various people. I was there during the 2002 FIFA world cup, so seeing how lively and passionate everyone is about soccer and celebrating was so much fun. I had the best experience living in Brazil.
LA was super different from that. I moved there when I was 14, so halfway through the start of high school. This was strange of me because I was at an age where I was finding myself, so to move to a brand-new country where they speak the same language as me but completely different vibe threw me off. High school in America, being the new girl was a lot for me to handle. Imagine moving to a brand-new country at 14, to a new school where everything from the classes, culture and people are completely different. I remember buying a new cellphone the week I moved there and had no contacts to put in my phone except my parents and siblings.
The first week, I didn’t know which social group I fit in. There were literally the jocks, the cheerleaders, the drama kids, and I hate to say it but the different races, so where does a Brazilian-kiwi fit in? I spent a few days of my lunch breaks in the bathroom because I was too overwhelmed and didn’t know what to do. After a while, I started to make friends with people similar to me and ended up being friends with many different groups of people. The first year was incredibly hard figuring out where I fit in, and who I was, especially in a place where social status matters, but once I learned the ropes, I started to enjoy myself and make the most of it. I lived in the hills of LA, a small town called La Verne where people would drive Cameros to school, their parents would be acting in movies with Taylor Lautner, and everybody lived in mansions.
The contrast between Sao Paulo and LA was insane. A place where people barely had anything but were so happy and lively to a place where they had everything and more but only cared about social status. This was a lot for me to take in, and it really shaped who I am in a sense of caring for people, spreading loving energy and positivity, and hating social status because there’s so much more to life than popularity and money. So, my experiences were very different and taught me a lot from a very young age.
HAPPY: Tell us about what it was like working with Tom Lee on Ain’t Nobody.
BANDI: Working with Tom Lee on Ain’t Nobody was amazing. We are always on a similar vibe at studio sessions. That day, we wanted to start from scratch. I voiced that I wanted to jam a Brazilian beat and he was down. He created it so fast, then we wrote to it, and he recorded instruments, I sang, and it was one of those days where we were just on a roll and having fun, had no expectations and that’s the key to creating beautiful art, you just do. Best experience and we were both so happy with the outcome of this song.
HAPPY: What’s involved in your ultimate day?
BANDI: My ultimate day consists of getting all the key factors to enjoy my day and eliminate stress: Sex, coffee, trash TV, sun, food, friends, and swimming.
HAPPY: Tell us more about how you drew upon your South American heritage for this track.
BANDI: I drew upon my South American heritage for this track from the energy and excitement of the people, how much energy they bring, and their expression from the way they talk and what I’ve experienced here in South America.
HAPPY: Which book or TV show are you currently enjoying?
BANDI: I am currently watching Are You the One? Brazil. As trashy as it is in reality TV, I am obsessed, because it makes me feel at home, and it also incorporates a lot of psychology in the dating world in other countries, and I find it very interesting.
HAPPY: What did you listen to growing up that has fueled your inspiration for your music?
BANDI: The music I listened to growing up that fueled my inspiration for music was Rihanna, Ciara, Cassie, JoJo, Lupe Fiasco, Keri Hilson, Nicki Minaj, Christina Aguilera, Chris Brown, Briteny Spears, Kanye West, Mos Def, Gwen Stefani, Justin Timberlake, Lil Wayne. All these artists have impacted the way I create music.
HAPPY: What did you read or hear that opened your eyes and mind to the perspective you have within your music journey?
BANDI: A combination of music, but it was Doja Cat who inspired me to break through the norm. She is not only a great singer and entertainer. She is constantly introducing her fans to her quirky, real side. She brings people in and listens to their feedback. We are a subject of our surroundings, and nothing changes when you become famous, so listening to fans is crucial to success. I love this aspect of today’s music.
HAPPY: What is one of your favourite performances you’ve done?
BANDI: One of my favourite performances was at the tuning fork for OD sounds show. It was the most comfortable I’ve been at a show, I knew everyone performing and had a few vodka red bulls before I went up. First time I had sang the majority of my songs, and I just had the best time being able to perform to my friends and fans and really give it my all.
HAPPY: It’s the last day on earth – what are you up to?
BANDI: I would be cooking with my grandma in Brazil. She loves to cook, and when she does, she constantly talks about her past and gives life knowledge. After so many years away from her, I want to absorb as much knowledge as I can before she is gone.
HAPPY: Thanks so much for your time!
Stream Ain’t Nobody by Bandi via Spotify below.
Interviewed by Olivia Adams.
Photos supplied.