INTERVIEW: Colours Miyagi - GigslutzGigslutz

With his brand new mixtape Sunshine & Rain out now and having just completed his Westwood Crib Session, Peckham rapper Colours Miyagi is set to end the year on a massive high. Matt Tarr caught up with Colours just before the mixtape was released to find out a bit more about both Sunshine & Rain and the man behind it…

MT: For people who aren’t so familiar with your music, how would you describe yourself as an artist?

Colours: For people that don’t know, I would describe myself as an artist that reflects on life and talks about my surroundings in a way that touches the people. I’m versatile and talk about different walks of life with different sounds.

MT: We’ve seen a number of releases from you over the years, most recently the two leading tracks from the mixtape, ‘No Vevo’ and ‘Faster Life’, with ‘No Vevo’ showcasing the hard, hood anthem side of your music whilst ‘Faster Life’ was still gritty, but a bit nicer. Do you always try and get a balance between the more gritty and softer sides of your music?

Colours: I think in my earlier days, I’d say everything was hard. Even if I was talking about certain struggles it would still be hard because of the choice of beats and whatnot, but I think when you get older, you kinda mature. Even with music you like listening to yourself, you don’t wanna listen to noisy music all the time, you want different elements. It’s easy to go on a track, make a load of noise talking about loads of whatever, that’s easy to do, but having versatility and dealing with any beat that’s thrown at you and any kind of hook, to me that’s an artist. I think there’s a difference between being a rapper and an artist and I think over the years I’ve become an artist. When you can paint pictures for different people and talk about things you’ve been through in different ways, it’s more creative without losing the essence and watering it down. I’m an artist who you can listen to at any time, some artists you can only listen to when you’re in a certain kind of zone.

MT: Having released underground mixtapes for over a decade, how do you feel the things you’ve been through in your life have shaped your progression as an artist?

Colours: First and foremost I’ve progressed as a person and that is what’s reflected in my music. I’m a shepherd rather than a sheep and I’m not afraid to take certain risks within my music. Some people just stay within their comfort zone but I think music is deeper than that. I like to talk about everything that I’ve been through; it’s not all positive but it’s not all negative so that calls for different sounds, different types of beats, different choruses and all these things. So I think me progressing as a man made me progress in my music.

MT: Are the tracks that we’ve heard from Sunshine & Rain so far going to be typical of the sort of sounds we can expect to hear on the other nineteen tracks?

Colous: I don’t think there is a typical sound. I think it will be diverse; as you stated ‘Faster Life’ and ‘No Vevo’ are totally different and there are other tracks on there that are totally different again. Certain things on there are gonna make people reflect on their own lives and loved ones etc and certain tracks you will wanna listen to when you’re happy and out having fun with your friends or whatever. I think there’s something on there for everyone and it’s quite diverse.

MT: What do you feel is the track on the mixtape that best represents you as an artist?

Colours: I think everyone has a deep side and everyone has a shallow side. When I say shallow, I mean a side that’s more materialistic and obviously there is music on there like that which is glamorising certain things or highlighting a glamorous lifestyle and there are certain deeper things. One of the deeper tracks is ‘Summary’ which features DVS and also ‘Before The Rainbow’ which features G Money. But tracks that maybe the youth might like and some adults in certain situations, are the tracks with Young Spray and Snap Capone plus ‘Trap and Get It’ featuring Young Don, Banks, K1 and Blade Brown, as that’s the trap kind of thing. So there is something for everyone and people who know about music can appreciate that.

MT: There has been a lot of talk this year about artists who left grime to make UK rap that are now going back to the genre due to the increased media spotlight. What’s your take on that whole situation?

Colours: I say different strokes for different folks. Obviously everyone is trying to do what they have to to stay relevant and I don’t think it’s anything more than that. At the end of the day, there are rappers making tracks with MCs and the other way round and it’s just what’s happening. Everyone wants to blow and stay relevant so what will be will be.

MT: You had the Westwood Crib session recently, how was the whole experience for you?

Colours: Yeah it was nice to be in there and it was great to be able to bring other people who really ain’t had a chance. Rather than just focusing on myself I brought Stanna, Dibs, Prince, Banks and other artists because it’s not all about me. Whoever else needs to shine, if I can help people then I’ll help them and that was a good feeling. To be able to be in a position where people, who were probably locked up listening to Westwood behind their doors, can have a chance to actually be in the building is a good feeling.

MT: Finally then, have you got an artist or band who you listen to that people may not necessarily expect you to be a fan of?

Colours: You know who I like!? I really like Emeli Sande. For years now I’ve been saying she was my favourite artist and even when I was away abroad on holiday, I was playing Emeli Sande and they were like “I dunno who this is” but I told them she was big. I proper like her music and I think she’s mad talented. Someone else, because people might think that all I do is listen to gangsta rap which ain’t true, someone who I think is doing big things for the UK is Wretch 32. I think the way he markets himself is great because he comes across neutral as his music is not too watered down and poppy and at the same time it’s still got an edge to it. People would probably think I don’t listen to Wretch but yeah I like what he does.

You can download your copy of Sunshine & Rain on iTunes here and make sure you follow Colours Miyagi on Twitter and Facebook to stay up to date with all the latest news and info.

Matt Tarr
@MattTarrJourno

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Matt Tarr

Urban Music Editor

With grime and hip hop being major influences on him growing up in South East London, Matt's passion is urban music but over the years he has gathered a hugely diverse taste, ranging from Wiley to The Smiths by way of Machine Head, that has made him a very open minded individual.