After contemplating a career as a politician or ambassador, TIGARAH felt she could best speak her mind if she made music her life. So, shortly after majoring in political science at Tokyo’s renowned Keio University, she started writing songs on her own in her tiny room in Tokyo, inspired by the Baile Funk (“Funk Party”, which is, despite the name, completely different from regular funk) music from Brazil. In several trips to São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, TIGARAH immersed herself in Brazilian culture and recorded music together with local musicians. She is now collaborating on a regular basis with beatmaker MR.D. Since 2003, they have been recording tracks in Los Angeles and MR.D is part of the TIGARAH project as DJ and producer. Various remixes have appeared in UK clubs from Electro DJ Mat Payne who is fast using his own name after a period of four years making a name for himself under various low profile yet air playing pseudonyms.
TIGARAH’s songs are inspired by many different styles: Baile Funk music, UK Grime, Baltimore Club and Hip-hop, all blended together with clever rhymes in Japanese that cover topics from culture clash, fake friends, defending your own style or shallow money-minded-ness. TIGARAH is all about swimming against the mainstream in today’s world of mass culture, choosing your own goal in life and going after your dream.
A club tour in Japan and the release of TIGARAH’s first album is scheduled for summer 2006. |
