Interview: Bebe O’ Hare | Soaring High
[one_one]Growing up in Chicago, how did that influence your taste in music?[/one_one]
[one_one]Growing up in Chicago influenced my taste in music tremendously. Chicago is such a melting pot full of diverse people and sounds; I think that has allowed me to not limit myself when it comes to the music that I listen to and make. I feel like Chicago benefits from its location because we pull inspiration from the East and West Coasts, as well as the South, which takes the music to a new level even before putting a signature Chicago sound to it.[/one_one] [one_one]If I had to choose five of my most influential albums I would say:[/one_one]
[two_three]
50 Cent | “Get Rich or Die Trying”
One of the first albums’ that really affected me and took me to another place. Even though I don’t personally identify with all the subjects he touched on, he made the story clear and so real through his words that I could envision it all. In my opinion, it’s like an audio storybook and I can see the character move from scene to scene within each song.
[/two_three] [framed_right img=https://swaggerareus.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/50_cent_grodt3.jpg][/framed_right] [framed_left img=https://swaggerareus.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/jay-z-the-blueprint.jpg][/framed_left] [three_four]Jay Z | “The Blueprint”
I’ve been a Jay-Z fan for as long as I can remember, he’s my favorite rapper, so I’m kind of bias when it comes to his music [laughs] but I think this album solidified his spot in hip-‐hop. Jay had plenty of hits before and “Reasonable Doubt” was a classic out the gate, but it was one that people had to go back and listen to again to determine that. I had to go back and listen to it just because I was so young when it came out but once “The Blueprint” dropped I was old enough to really interpret was I was listening to and actually appreciate it. Also by that time he had established himself so everyone took it in at the same time.[/three_four]
[two_three]Lauryn Hill | “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill”
This album is everything! She rapped bars that rivaled some hip-hop’s biggest names, sang notes that rivaled some of music’s biggest divas and did both extremely well. This album was ahead of its time and crossed all boundaries and genres. She related to both women and men but still remained true to self, which is most important. If I could choose only one thing to do with my music it would be to remain true to self. The album was so real because it was her story and while being her self, she related to so many others. I think the ultimate compliment in music is when people accept and embrace who you really are.[/two_three] [framed_right img=https://swaggerareus.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/miseducationoflaurynhill.jpg][/framed_right]
[framed_left img=https://swaggerareus.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/rock_steady.jpg][/framed_left] [three_four]No Doubt | “Rock Steady”
No Doubt is one of my favorite bands and biggest influences because they blend almost every sound possible within their music. Rock Steady had rock, pop, hip‐hop, punk and even reggae influences but it still sounded like one cohesive album and really showcased their originality. Gwen Stefani is a style icon, in my opinion, and everything involving the project from the visuals to the cover art was fresh and creative. To me, the album feels more like an experience rather than just listening to an album. They introduced me to a new world, sound and style unlike I’d ever seen or heard before.
[/three_four]
Kanye West | “Late Registration”
I may be biased because he’s from Chicago, but Kanye West is one of the most influential artists in music … period. His attention to detail and involvement with the production, writing, videos, style and overall finished product is what makes him special. Every Kanye West album brings something new and exciting to music but Late Registration gives me a certain feeling every time I listen to it. Every time I hear it, it’s like I’m listening to it for the first time all over again and there are not too many albums I can say that about. Besides all of that it’s super relatable to me because I know all the references he makes in regards to Chicago. “My homie Marley used to stay 79th and May…” gets me every time. I know where that’s at. I used to stay by there. This album makes me feel home.
[/two_three]
[framed_right img=https://swaggerareus.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/kanyewest.jpg][/framed_right]
If one designer could design your entire wardrobe who should you pick?
If I could choose one designer to design my entire wardrobe it’d be BAPE founder Nigo. BAPE caters mostly to guys clothing but I’ve always been interested in what a girls line would look like. I often get jealous that the guys have all the dope and the girl’s selection is so limited. I either have to buy guys clothing and have it tailored to fit me or just settle for the accessories [laughs].
If you define your style in one word what would it be?
If I could define my style in one word it’d be “comfortable”. No matter how “cool” or “un‐cool” someone may think my style is I’m always comfortable in anything I wear.
What projects do you have coming up this year or the next?
My upcoming projects include an EP entitled “The Poster Child” set to drop before the year ends, followed by a mixtape I’m hoping to drop around Spring of 2013 which is still untitled.
Explain the meaning behind your name Bebe O’Hare.
The name Bebe O’Hare took a lot of time to come up with because I used to go by Breezy, which is just a nickname my friends call me. However once, Chris Brown adopted the name it was over [laughs] and I wanted something that felt more definite and stood out. I started by making a list full of nicknames anyone has ever called me because they’ve all revolved around my real name, which is Brittany. So from there I chose Bebe because it sounded the best out of all the names. I knew I wanted to pair it with something else so a friend of mine asked me what did I want to do with my music, like when it’s all said and done where do I want to be. My response was that I want to make timeless music that still feels good and has meaning to it after a certain amount of time passes. I want to be able to look back and say that that’s the music that best represented me during that time. From there we thought about things that would currently be considered timeless before eventually coming up with the book/movie “Gone With The Wind” the main character’s name in the story is Scarlet O’Hara and being that I’m from Chicago I swapped the ‘A’ at the end of her name to an ‘E’ which made it O’Hare like the airport and just like that Bebe O’Hare was born.
Stay tuned for “The Poster Child” to drop soon from Bebe O’Hare. Connect to her on the follow links below:
Bebe on Twitter
Bebe on Facebook
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