“Celaviedmai’s guiding principle is to “Always stay ready”. The Galway-based hip-hop artist has over the past five years transformed into a captivating performer, excelling in bringing complex music to life, particularly seen in the songs from her recent EP, Issa New Era!, a mix of five tracks revealing her versatile music tastes.
She’s currently gearing up for a performance at Ireland Music Week, where she is set to end the event with a gig at the Grand Social in Dublin on Friday night. She shares her excitement about the event, looking forward to offering an unparalleled experience with her band. Assuring they are all in sync, she expresses their determination to offer a spectacular performance.
Living her childhood in Galway, she mentions that her fondness for music was nurtured by her parents who regularly played music while taking them to school, over weekends and especially on Sundays. She recalls their household filled with musical vibes. While they may deny it now, her parents used to host house parties where music was at the centre. Her father was a keen music enthusiast and played in a band in his youth, which tickled her interest in music.
Celaviedmai, also known as Maimouna Salif, had a significant musical experience that originated from the most unforeseen source. She gained inspiration from mimicking the “Shabooya, Roll Call” scene from the teen movie Bring It On: All or Nothing with her sister. Although they weren’t allowed to watch the film initially, later in secondary school, they watched it. Feeling alienated, the sisters believed that music could help them fit in.”
Seeing Missy Elliott on television marked a pivotal point for her. Her appearance on TV made her think, ‘Yes, I can manage this as well’. It was the first time she had seen a woman who wasn’t thin on television, let alone a female rapper. She began dreaming of making her own music someday.
Her musical taste at that point revolved around pop, with artists like Shania Twain, Britney Spears, N*Sync and Justin Bieber on her playlist. She also dabbled in reading an assortment of books. Enjoying “The Spiderwick Chronicles” gave her a taste for the fantastical. She was an avid fiction reader, with a particular interest in Greek Mythology, from which she drew considerable inspiration.
She gradually transitioned from writing poetry to creating lyrics and rhymes. Soon, her rhymes resonated beyond her mind and found home on the streets of Galway. “I spotted this cool group of guys, slightly older than me, freestyling on the streets. I approached them confidently, claiming my ability to freestyle rap. Subsequently, I was granted a chance to perform for them. Their awe-struck expression and invitation to their studio was what kick-started my career,” she recalled.
These impromptu freestyle sessions helped boost her confidence. The acknowledgement she received from established artists was gratifying enough to assure her of her talent.
For a while, she was torn between her academic pursuits and the allure of music. As a biochemist degree holder, she knew she could obtain stable employment and lead a comfortable life. She considered deserting her music aspirations for a moment, however, a performance opportunity at the Electric Picnic made her reconsider. Her performance was remarkable and she couldn’t help but think she was destined to succeed. “I truly trust in fate. It felt like I was just where I was supposed to be,” she mused.
The year 2019 saw Celaviedmai’s track, Confessions, making waves, despite lasting less than two minutes. Incorporating Mozart’s Lacrimosa, the song marked a dynamic entry of Celaviedmai at the 45-second interval, brimming with vigour and wit, and not missing her opportunity to rap: “Never had I donned Louis [Vuitton], donned are counterfeits!” she spits out the verse.
In the same year, she broke new grounds by teaming up with Louth-based singer and rapper Alicia Raye for the Feelings track. Fast forward to 2020, she released additional tracks including Reckless and Love Wins, again in association with Alicia Raye, and Questions in cooperation with Nealo and Alan Mckee.
Of late, her music has taken on a more fascinating flavour, resonating in a joint venture with Ben Bix from Meltybrains? in the extended play, Issa New Era! “He brought back to me who I was and who I aspired to be as an artist. Frankly, had I not run into Ben at the right time, I’m not sure if I would be in the music industry today,” she admits. For a long time, she struggled to find someone who could grasp or align with her vision, which proved to be exasperating, “I felt wearied. Connecting with Ben helped in establishing the sound I had in my mind for a long while, but didn’t quite materialise. He’s played a monumental role in the transformation I’m currently undergoing.”
Her rapping style too, she intonates, has evolved to be more polished – “I seldom use foul language these days!” – and, in terms of lyrics, she’s been delving deeper, embedding concealed meanings. “My tracks call for careful contemplation. It’s not all evident at first glance. The import lies beneath. Sometimes, I relate to OutKast’s ‘Hey Ya!’. If you genuinely tune into that song, it carries emotional depth. But at first listen, it seems like a track you’d simply dance to. As André 3000 rightly puts in his lyrics: ‘You aren’t here to listen to me, you’re here to groove.’ That’s the essence of my extended play – it’s enigmatic, but it also encourages you to dance.”
In addition to her performance at Ireland Music Week, Celaviedmai has remixes ready for launch, and an impending new EP. She states that her principal motivation for creativity is a drive to unify. “Our aim should be unification. The foundation of existence lies in this. What we should seek is a genuine love for individuals, a love for community.”