UK-based punktry musician, DeLila Black, is set to release her 2nd lock-down single, “Accountability” on May 14th, 2021. The song is a classic country waltz with Black’s signature social justice twist. In following UK lockdown protocols, it was recorded, mixed and mastered remotely.
Black shines on the new track, serving up her punk-country sensibility, while still being topical and timely. It’s sweet country music, made even sweeter by the sounds of the mighty BJ Cole on lap steel guitar. “I’ve been developing my own Alt-Americana sound,” explains Black, “exploring what I call Electro-Mountain Music, Country-Noire, Punk-Country, and Roots-Rodeo-Rock.”
With roots going back to the mountains of Haiti and to the hills of Tallahassee Florida, the London-based singer and performance artist, straddles the spaces between both modern and classic styles to create her own distinct sound, blending her traditional roots with strong lyrical content and beautiful vocals. Black is also a recent recipient of a Color Me Country grant, which helped her pay to finish this song. Started by musician and Apple podcast host, Rissi Palmer, with help from The Rainey Day Fund, the grant was created to support the underrepresented voices of BIPOC artists in country music.
1. Explain the title of your new single.
“Accountability” is a kind of social commentary. Mostly directed at government leaders and those taking advantage of their positions at the expense of the rest of us. But not just our leaders. Over the past few years, watching the news, seeing some very disturbing stories and abuses of power -I’ve seen a trend in the way stories are reported. I noticed that the narrative sometimes changes to vilify the victims and excuse the aggressor.
I remember waking up one morning and reading a headline that said “Ted Cruz Blames His Kids For Cancun Trip During Texas Crisis.” Really dude? That sort of kicked it off for me. I’d been waking up to headlines about shooters who were presented as misunderstood youths, violent insurrectionists who were presented as misguided patriots. There was one story after another, ‘Georgia Officer Says Atlanta Shooter was “having a bad day”. I was following the Botham Jean story a while back. He was killed by Police Officer Amber Guyer. Her attorneys said that she made a “reasonable mistake.” I remember the images of the victim’s brother hugging Officer Amber Guyer as she cried. I remember images of the judge also hugging her, praying with her. There was a viral clip of the bailiff stroking Guyer’s hair. The way in which the narrative shifts, I find it very disturbing.
In my own life I thought about incidences, relationships, behaviours that I’ve witnessed or experienced. I’ve spoken to other people about their own witnessing of something that needed to be called out, but the narrative moved to a place which allowed that behaviour -and we all did nothing. We just watched it happen.
2. Who are some of your musical influences?
I grew up in a very sheltered household. I mostly heard chart music and my dad had a lot of records. We listened to all kinds of music. American, French, Spanish, Haitian. Music was always playing at our house. I really loved the sound of Bobby Gentry’s voice. I noticed how much my mother liked her. My mother was a big country music fan. There was something mysterious about Bobby Gentry and a kind of melancholy about her that reminded me of my mother. My dad loved Sam Cooke. Again, it was the sound of Sam Cooke’s voice that I loved and his phrasing. My brother had Louis Armstrong records. I liked the way the top line went anywhere it wanted. It played around the structure and came back when it felt like it. My brother also had an album by Cannonball Adderley Jr. There was a track on it called, “The Price You Got To Pay To Be Free.” I was very, very young but the message got into my head.
Later, I got into Bowie. I was blown away by what he had written at such a young age and also that he expressed whatever he wanted to. I loved the production of his different albums, his work with Tony Visconti. It amazed me how much depth there was to his songs. I was shocked to learn that all this music came from the same guy. He was doing more than just trying to get into charts. Not that I’m dissing anyone who’s doing that. We all are more or less, I just liked that there was so much more to his music than that. I’m convinced that Tony Visconti is an actual wizard with magic music powers.
I also love the sounds of George Clinton. There is a reason why he is one of the most -if not the most sampled artist. I really appreciate an innovative producer and a singer whose voice sounds different. One that you instantly recognize when you hear it. Chrissie Hynde, Patsy Cline, Joe Strummer, there’s no mistaking them for anyone else.
3. Who would you love to collaborate with? why?
I love answering this. I got a tweet from RSON from Gangstagrass about collaborating. I definitely want to make that happen. I love what they’re doing and what they’re about. I’ve been a fan for a while now. Anyone who is genre jumping and busting stereotypes, I’m definitely in!
Also, Bad Flamingo, I really like them. Sonically, aesthetically, they tick my boxes. There are a few people I’d love to collaborate with Adrian Utley of Portishead, Jack White. I would like to work with Josh Homme. I like the way he thinks about songwriting. I think it would be an interesting collaboration. I happen to hear some spoken interviews of his, not so much printed stuff, but the spoken ones. I could relate.
There’s also Pamela Woolford who is a filmmaker not a musician. I really like her approach. Again, I could relate. There are lots of people I would like to collaborate with.
4. Tell us about your favorite show you’ve ever played.
Some time ago I was singing in a band called Toffee and we were in between drummers. The one we had didn’t turn up and we were due on stage fairly soon. As we were getting on stage I announced to the audience that we didn’t have a drummer but that we called this guy who was basically going to wing it, he didn’t know the songs, this was if the guy could get to the venue at all! The crowd loved this. It was a loud venue. Loud music.
As we were setting up, the drummer guy turns up, the audience starts cheering, they all pass his gear (crowd surfing style) from the back of the room to the stage. The drummer guy sets up and we do our set with the guitarist shouting “VERSE, 4 BARS!” “NOW CHORUS!” “TWO BAR BREAK!” etc, so the drummer guy would know what came next. I don’t know what that drummer’s name was. I wish I did. We played a great set, I sang my ass off, it was loud, crazy and exciting and the crowd went nuts. They absolutely loved it. Ahh.. Camden days.
5. Have you ever been star-struck when playing with a musician?
This is an interesting question. Not that I’ve worked with a bunch of famous people but, I am totally starstruck anywhere else except in a studio or on a stage. I will fawn and ask for autographs and selfies and all the things that embarrass my friends but if I’m actually working with someone, to me the focus is to create something we’re all happy with. The music is king, we’re the vehicles. I’m not trained in any of this stuff. Whatever I’ve learned is from teaching myself. So I’m very respectful of people who are trained. I actually enjoy fussing over people. Being star struck is a laugh, but I’m quite focused when I work and everyone I’ve worked with long term, was exactly the same. For me, it’s always about the music.
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