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Cape Town – On the day of release of her brand new single, Good Good, we got to sit down with Lakota Silva and ask her some questions.
The local singer and rapper from Cape Town first made waves when she featured on Locnville’s single Closer and got to perform with them as the opening act for Justin Bieber’s tour in 2013.
Her SAMA-nominated debut album, titled POP - The MixTape, was released in 2015 and produced hits such as Do Re Mi, Sweatt and Teeth.
We got to know Lakota a bit better with these 24 questions:
1. What was the first thing you did when you woke up his morning?
Say, 'Oh my word it’s release day! What am I doing?'
2. How did you react when you heard yourself on the radio for the first time?
I was kinda like, 'is that my voice? Is that what it sounds like to other people?' So I was bit taken back, but very excited!
3. What is your new single about?
My new single is actually just about the way that my faith makes me feel, it makes me feel super-good, and super-enriched and super-strengthened, and I wanted to share that.
4. What local or international artists do you still want to collaborate with?
I want to actually collaborate with Goldfish and I’d like to do a track with Black Coffee. And I feel like the most underrated person that’s out there, that hasn’t really popped off yet, who I’d love to work with is Ross Jack. And internationally Eminem and Kanye West, because honestly everything he does is like super-cool.
5. What’s the most exciting thing in your life right now?
My mom’s getting married! Obviously a lot is happening and I’m so happy with life in general, but my mom is my rock, she’s everything.
6. Where does the name Lakota Silva come from?
So I did a photo shoot once and then the photographer just said, because I had this tribal print, you look like someone out of the Lakota, and immediately I was like, wow what is that? Like that just shook my soul a bit. And I sort of banked it, like that’s it, that’s my daughter’s name, if I ever have a girl that’s the one. So basically I stole it from her, because then when Closer got big I needed a name and I was going as Silva. That was just a start-up, and I was like, I’m not going with my full name, so I went with Lakota.
And I actually did some research and googled it and it means to walk in beauty and a friend to all, and I was like that’s perfect! Because music is that to everybody, we can speak different languages, but a song can put us all in the same mood you know. So then I was like, Silva from my actual name, and Lakota because of what it means to me and how it would bless other people. So I basically stole it from my daughter.
7. What is the last movie you watched?
Oh my gosh, seriously? This is so difficult! Probably La La Land.
8. What’s the one thing no one knows about you?
I really like tomatoes. Like really, like I crave them. That’s why my teeth are so small, when I was little, my whole family, it was so weird, we would bite into tomatoes like apples, and that would be the meal. So the dentist was like ,you guys drink way too many fizzy drinks, and my mom was like, I do not give them fizzy drinks, and we discovered it was the tomato eating, so then we had to cut the tomatoes up, and it sort of lost its swag.
9. How old were you when you performed in front of people for the first time?
When I was born, there was a series called Living and Loving that our parents probably know about, and they needed a newborn, and so they went into the ward and they picked me out of the ward of babies. And my mom was like, yeah, sure. And I still have the poster today that says, you’re baby’s a star, because they used me in their real programme.
10. What’s the one song you don’t like to sing live?
It’s actually Sunshine.
11. What’s your fondest memory from your childhood?
I actually have a very cute memory. When I was very little I once woke up while I was sleeping, and my mom’s boyfriend at the time, had poured her a bubble bath. It had lots of bubbles and it was candle lit and she had a glass of Amarula in her hand with ice, and then I jumped in the bath with her in the middle of the night and I remember sipping Amarula and thinking, this is so nice!
12. What’s been a career highlight for you so far?
Lots of things are highlights, because any achievements are a blessing, I don’t take it for granted. But definitely an outstanding moment for me was Bieber, when we opened up for Justin Bieber. When I came out, there was just this moment, I remember when I was singing, having this moment of, this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. Like this is it, this is what you worked for.
13. What’s your favourite beverage?
Bubbles.
14. What do you order at a drive-through?
It’s usually like a small cheese burger.
15. What do you never travel without?
Passport.
16. Do you have any rituals before you go on stage?
Yes, I warm up. It’s important to take care of your craft and take it seriously. So I definitely warm up. I also, I pray. And I get myself in the headspace.
17. How do you keep fit?
I do Muay Thai training. It’s very cool, it’s very badass, I feel like Tomb Raider!
18. What’s been the best advice you’ve ever received?
Okay, so the Bible is full of advice, like the whole Bible! Uhm but I would say, like my mom’s always said, the one thing is look after your reputation.
19. What does your perfect date night look like?
Wine, there must be wine. Fire, so either candles or fire, and just really good conversation and maybe nice background music. Maybe even some classical music would be great or some Lana Del Rey… ja I’m quite a romantic.
20. Have you ever googled yourself?
Probably. I think I’ve googled myself. Like a lot of stuff came up with me and Locnville, and it was actually quite fun.
21. What’s your favourite TV show of all time?
Of all time? I don’t really watch a lot of TV… My mom and I used to watch series sometimes, and we watched a series called Spartacus. We really enjoyed it together!
22. If you weren’t a singer, what would you be doing?
Probably presenting. My mom always thought I should be a presenter. She’s still like, 'hey, do you wanna go present?' I’m also really good at planning, I’m very good at organising, so I got told last night that if my career doesn’t work out I can be a wedding planner.
23. What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received?
I hear this a lot, but I quite like it. Once I got called an energiser bunny, that was exciting. But I think the best thing is, people say I bring them a lot of light. I know, it’s weird. Like they always say, thanks for your light, or like bringing so much energy into the room.
24. If you could go on a holiday right now, where would you go?
Probably Berlin. Like right now where I’m at, the music scene in Berlin and I’ve heard it’s very beautiful and that I’d love it. But there are many places I want to go. Italy, Barcelona, Vietnam, Paris, come on, a croissant on the Eifel Tower, I know it’s cliché, but come on?!
Click here to stream or download Lakota Silva's new song, Good Good.
For more info on Lakota like her Facebook page or follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
