[Hear The Curator Mixtape here]
For our first curator mixtape of 2023, we’re traveling to the serene island nation of Mauritius, a lush, turquoise-water lined country east of Madagascar. It’s got lagoons, reefs, an illusive underwater waterfall, and of course, an incredible Sofar team of sound engineers, architects, and entrepreneurs. The team’s leader, Sam, has put together a dynamic playlist. Take a listen, and hear a little more from Sam.
Do you have a creative outlet outside Sofar?
Being a teenager, keeping a diary under the mattress was a way to confess my struggles and fears. I always felt a deep sense of relief when putting pen to paper. For some reason, people tend to stop using a diary in adulthood. I cannot emphasize enough how the benefits still apply, and probably even much more now. Simply writing down my thoughts and feelings helps me to understand them more clearly and that helps!
What’s your favorite thing to do in your city?
Relishing local food – ‘mine bouillie’ + ‘boulettes’! It’s basically boiled noodles with chicken, accompanied with our local version of dumplings.
What’s something special about your city only locals might know?
Danced and sung by slaves originally, the Sega is an integral part of our folklore. It consists of the beat of the ‘ravane’, a circular drum, and other instruments like the ‘maravane’ and ‘triangle’. It is usually sung in our mother tongue, creole. Check out this mixtape and maybe you’ll come across a new favourite type of music!
Thoughts on a couple standout tracks from The Curator Mixtape?
Natty Jah | “Vanité”
‘Vanité’ is a song that my dad used to sing to us at home years ago. Although I was a bit young and oblivious to the lyrics at the time, I loved the song. I think the song depicts the strong message that humanity is the biggest religion.
Gary Mach | “Koze Fami”
Gary is one of the three artists who performed for our first show in Mauritius. He blew us away that night! Gary is now part of the Sofar Team and aims at giving the long-gone era a new meaning by passing down the culture, history and stories of our people, thus in line with his slogan, “the music I make is my DNA.”
Interview by Sofar Editorial Team
