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Nov 20, 2015
Ms. Jackson here and happy Winter to you! It’s been a hot minute since we’ve done a “HER Sound” and I’ve got some musical fire to keep you heated. In case you don’t know about HER Sound this is a spotlight on the most talented DJs, artists, performers all around the world in the queer community. Peep some of our past features on Von Kiss, Skylar Love, Chelsea Starr and there’s even one on me Ms. Jackson!
I wanted to shine a light on an artist that I’ve been lucky enough to perform with, Blimes Brixton fka Oh Blimey! An ubër talented lyricist, singer and director. Some call that a triple threat I just call it pure talent and pure hustle game. Hailing from the heart of San Francisco, transplanted in Los Angeles, Blimes has blasted off this past year touring the globe with her BFF Gavlyn with her determination and love for lyricism feeding her.
Before Blimes set off for a trek around the country we talked about her music, being queer and her #FFF (Five For Friday) jams right now.
Hi (LOL)! I’m a recording artist and performer who runs a record label, and dabbles in film-making. I make contemporary hip-hop music, as well as sing chilled-out love songs, and incorporate wavy electronic production as much as possible. I think my drive and vision sets me apart from the pack. I love working hard and in doing so my skill set is consistently expanding. Shout-out to the heads taking time to read this. Shout-out to HER for putting this feature together. You guys keep artists like myself motivated to deliver you quality content to read and write about.
I try to identify as little as possible because of my awareness of how fluid my own sexuality is. But there’s no doubt that I’m queer. I’ve been with women, I’ve been with men and have never figured out the formula to what I’ll be attracted to. I don’t know how I could possibly expect someone else to wrap their head around it. I came out to myself and my friends when I was 12… I think that was 7th grade? I always wanted my spin to land on girls over boys when we played spin the bottle. And I came out to my family at 17. I had my heart broken that year and I wasn’t capable of concealing my emotions in that moment. I processed that heavily through writing music so being honest about my love to those around me was vital for that stage of growth as a creator and human being.
You’ve recently changed your name from Oh Blimey to Blimes Brixton. Talk about why you changed your name?
A lot of my long time supporters, friends and fam were all really curious about this and so I wrote something to break it down for them. I think its best stated like this…as humans we grow and evolve on a consistent basis. As creatives we are fortunate enough to see that carry over into our art and into our careers. As of late, I’ve seen that shift take shape in every aspect of my life and I’ve learned value that transition. The truth is, I haven’t felt like hyphy, little, freckle-faced, battle rapping Blimey in a long time. I feel like a woman. An experienced one, with miles on my odometer and stories to tell. If we’re not free to reflect on our experiences and share how they’ve shaped and changed us then we stay stagnant. So, I’m more than pleased to move forward into another chapter in my humble adventure with all of you as an evolved version of the artist I was before.
To be honest, it’s not easy. People are very guarded with their interests. The hip-hop climate is tense and if it’s not a conversation of sexuality, its gender, or skin color (which I’m not mad at, it’s real). These are the facts: In a time where creativity is driving so many of us, people are looking for reasons to discredit (other) artists. I’ve struggled with being out and vocal about my sexuality for a while because as I’ve experienced, to a lot of hetro-identifying folks, a queer artist being comfortable and vocal is still risky and controversial. People don’t want to take the risk to say they cosign you until someone else does. To me it seems like we live in a social climate that’s afraid to have their sexuality questioned and when straight people put their interest in my music, my vision, my brand, they run that “risk”. But shout-out to the folks that do take that risk and truly let their own personal taste dictate what they really fuck with.
I’ve never chosen to target an LGBTQ audience. I’ve wanted to appeal to people universally, no matter how they identify, because that’s who I surround myself with. My circle runs the gamut of various lifestyles why would I not want to make something that the people I run with can relate to? This is a huge part of my rebrand and growth…I want to connect. I want to make music people can feel on a fundamental level, not something that tells a story that is specific to me and only me. All that being said, it’s still very much a relief getting to play LGBTQ events. I love it. I love knowing that my audience has one less guard up against me. I have a lot of love and respect for our community.
I’m single. For the entirety of my dating life I’ve been a serial monogamist, but my last relationship was drastically affected by my career and it’s best I focus on the success of my business in its first year. I don’t want to give someone any less than what they deserve. In this line of work, I travel a lot. Sometimes I’m away from home for months and it’s extremely refreshing and fun to be completely open to meeting people wherever I am. It’s new, and I’m down. =P
Blimes is now on HER so you can see what she’s all about and hit her up here
In no particular order…
Tokimonsta feat. Anderson Paak “Realla”
https://soundcloud.com/
Etta Bond “Feels Like”
https://soundcloud.com/etta-
Gavlyn “Sad Grl”
https://youtu.be/FBYM80Uwr8w
Chance The Rapper “Sunday Candy”
https://youtu.be/R1h9bcrC6Q8
Drake & Future “Diamonds Dancing”
https://youtu.be/62cmqo4sGcw
Chance The Rapper. He’s got this vision, this perspective that I am so in awe of. He phrases things in such a new and refreshing way that other artists haven’t already and his thought process interests me so much. I’d love to feel his feelings, think his thoughts, and walk in his shoes for a day.
I’m focused on Peach House Records releases at the moment 🙂 Speaking of which, my business partner Gavlyn is dropping her new album “Make Up For Your Break Up” (out now) on our label. It’s a great body of work from a powerful female perspective so I highly recommend that you go out and buy it on iTunes here.But in terms of Blimes, I’m writing for my new album right now. I’ll be traveling, submerging myself in other scenes, gaining inspiration and perspective until early December then in the studio heavy through January. I won’t be touring until I’m finished. But keep up with me on social media and blimesbrixton.com to check for pop-up shows. I’ll be all over the U.S. in November so keep dem eyez peeled. I have an EP with Gavlyn and our British collaborators Bad Taste Records that we recorded while on Tour in the UK that’s also in the que for an early 2016 release.
Fellow heavy-hitter Gavlyn and the two have since established their own imprint record label Peach House Records on which Blimes will release a full length album in 2016.
You can follow Blimes, hear her music and videos all here Instagram,
Tell us what you think of Blimes and her music by posting a comment below.
