Worldwide Festival: LeftO's got soul

A seasoned radio DJ pushing candy soul through his radio show The Hop in Belgium, Lefto (or more affectionately known as LeftOoO) started out propogating his love for all things hip hop (including graff art) more famously as a deck DJ for Stones Throw and Rawkus Records artists. Now embracing a groovier essence with everything from soul to samba, Afro beat to broken beat and jazz funk, LeftOoO will satiate even the most discerning of audiences. He performs at Singapore's Worldwide Festival Opening Night at the Singapore Art Museum on 7 May. We have a chat with the deej before his debut in the Lion City...

Hey LeftOoO! You're quite an eclectic soul. Who are your major influences?
I think my major influences started with jazz music when I was a kid. I was used to waking up in the morning with my dad's jazz music–he was a fan of Stan Getz. Then I grew up and started listening to the stuff I liked, which was "new beat" (definitely Belgium's biggest music back then) and hip hop, but more the MC Hammer and King Bee style. From there going more deeply into hip hop with De La Soul and the Native Tongue generation and the original sampled music, and of course funk, soul and jazz. Today my major influences are still sample-based music. I really love the warm feelings it gives me. From hip hop to broken beat and dubstep, why not...!

Your name means "gets up early" in French. What's the best part about the morning to you?
Well, my graffiti homeboys gave me this name because I used to sleep only a couple of hours after a whole night of train and wall painting. That's the main reason for that name, but I've always been an early bird because it's incredible how much work you can do in the morning. My best part of the morning is definitely getting to the kitchen, taking my box of Nesquick (chocolate powder) and mixing it with milk. I usually put too much powder in it so it becomes more chocolate than milk, haha.

What keeps you awake at night?
It depends on the period of the year. Like from January 'til May, I usually contact artists for a festival in Belgium I programme for, and I'm so excited at times that I just can't sleep. Other things that keep me awake are probably the internet and internet chat. It's hard to quit talking or sharing music with other DJs, but you forget that some of them are on the other side of the ocean enjoying the end of the day while you are here in the middle of the night, haha...

What's on your iTunes' "Most Played" list at the moment?
Probably Mitsu The Beats-related stuff, the producer from Jazzy Sport in Japan working with Gagle (a nice Japanese hip hop group) and Cro-Magnon, but that's because I was there for two weeks and just got back. But I think it's tough for us, getting so much music and having to stick to just a couple of tunes and make a "Most Played" list. That's why I love the "shuffle" function so much, because you can listen to everything mixed and I even think that's the best way to find the banger between all the tracks on your iPod. Because if you listen to albums all the time and only the good tracks you know, you are probably overlooking other great stuff. So that's a tip to everybody: use the "shuffle" function to find the banger. :)

The Worldwide Fest is expected to attract a regional audience. What can the people of South East Asia expect from you at the fest?
I think that first of all they can expect a variety in genres mixed in a way people call "smooth". I also like to quick-mix and prefer to be called a performer rather than a DJ. I like to come to a place and go hard for an hour, like "in your face", haha. Expect a wide range of beautiful and funky music, a whole spectrum of black music mixed smoothly. I hope you guys will enjoy, and I ask everybody down with the funky music to come down and make it a fantastic party with me.

www.myspace.com/lefteezymusic

Catch LeftO at the Worldwide Festival Opening Night!

Worldwide Festival Opening Night
Date: 7 May 2009
Venue: Singapore Art Museum, Bras Basah Road, Singapore
Time: 8.30pm - 1am
Price: S$18 (advance), S$25 (at the door)

Lineup
Gilles Peterson (UK)
Taylor McFerrin (US)
Simbad (FR)
Lefto (BE)
Stoned Revivals (SG) Live Acoustic
Funk Bastard (SG)

More info on our Worldwide Festival blog, or check the WF official site or its MySpace.