GIRL TALK WITH RUDIE EDWARDS
With a strikingly soulful voice and a distinctly retro vibe, Rudie Edwards is a name you need on your radar. As she releases her sultry new single Lover Like You, we sat down with the star to talk female inspirations, filming music videos and what International Women’s Day means to her.
ON MUSIC…
For people who don't know you, how would you describe your music in two words?
“Ferocious funk”
Your aesthetic has a distinctly retro vibe. What eras are you inspired by?
“The glam of the 70s and the cheese of the 80s!"
Let's talk about Lover Like You. What were the thoughts behind making the video?
“I saw the Jamie T music video for "Zombie" that James Slater directed and thought it was sick. It reminded me of the music videos I watched growing up, when everyone wasn't trying to be so cool. I really wanted to collaborate with James. I knew I could make a fun video with him. So we sent him the song and he loved it. We jumped on the phone shortly after and he was telling me about this cool idea he had for a future disco themed music video, I thought it was great so we just ran with it. I got the opportunity to work with a killer stylist (Natasha Lawes) on set. She handmade a lot of the pieces that the dancers wore in the video too. Everyone on set was incredible, it was so much fun, I remember from the moment I first saw the dancers getting down to the song, I knew we were onto something great.”
Who were your female inspirations growing up?
“Nina Simone - she fought hard for what she believed in. She put the honesty in her music first, even when a lot of her audience didn't want to hear it. I admire that. Also Tina Turner - her story inspires me every day. Breaking free of an abusive relationship and going on to be one of the world’s best selling artists of all time. She's pure class. ”
Do you feel women are treated differently in the music industry?
“Yes, definitely and unfortunately I think women are treated differently in every workplace. ”
Did you encounter any hurdles because of it?
“Yes, I feel sometimes I'm not always taken seriously when I want my opinion to be heard. As a female vocalist I think a lot of people in the industry just expect you to only open your mouth to sing. There's no way you could know about a snare sound or have an opinion about the compression on your vocal. I hope moving forward this preconception will change. ”
ON FEMINISM...
How do you see the future of feminism?
“Bright!”
What does feminism mean to you?
“Equality. Everyone should be a feminist.”
How will you be celebrating International Women's Day?
“Like I do everyday, feeling proud to be a strong & independent person. ”
We’re asking the question ‘Women are.. ?’. How would you finish the sentence?
“Powerful!”