First Listen: Lavaud - The Anticipated Debut EP And Video Premiere, ‘King Vaud’

For this First Listen feature we speak to the talented breakthrough artist Lavaud about her new EP and single of the same name, 'King Vaud' and give our perspective on the four-track release and reflect on her epic premiering music video.

Hailing from a household, rich in culture, with an eclectic music blend of Zouk, Sega and Seggae, the fusion genre home to the island of Mauritius, British-Mauritian songstress Lavaud, having already created her own unique path, was destined to follow in her fathers footsteps. The trained musician taught her how to play the guitar and encouraged her to develop her passion for singing and songwriting from an early age. Citing inspiration from R&B titans such as Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson, with the rising power of Afrobeat legends Wiz Kid and Tiwa Savage making a cultural impression on her, Lavaud is emerging onto the scene, with the world as her audience. The Hackney native has worked with multiple Grammy-nominated producers as well as gaining recognition from The MOBO's. Lavaud has released a plethora of hit singles such as ‘In This Room’ - an acoustic single that she wrote, produced and recorded from her bedroom during lockdown. Her feature on the remix of Reekado Banks’ popular song, “Rora,” and 'Oh My' showed her capacity to flow effortlessly over afro-fusion songs and saw her prove that the she can tap into the ethos of self-expression. Having explored her passion for singing and song writing from the age of 20, figuring out her sound and sharpening her skills, the now 26 year old has unveiled her debut EP ‘King Vaud’ today, and is ready to bring her own flavour to the music industry.

“My music is a representation of my culture and my foundation as an artist. I am inspired by the rhythms of Africa mixed with diversity, energy and originality of London” - Lavaud.

First Listen

The bold project opens with the title track 'King Vaud' produced by Nigerian hitmaker Tuzi, a slick, sensual dose of Afrobeats that sets the tone for the rest of the EP. Followed by the most recent Afro-tinged R&B jam, ‘Oh My’, also produced by Tuzi, a collaboration with Nigerian superstar Reekado Banks sees Lavaud demonstrate her slick linguistic prowess as she effortlessly switches between English and French. The second half of the EP is no less seductive, with Lavaud’s sensual vocals taking centre stage on 'Fast Lane’, before things are closed out with the tropical romance of ‘Sweet Lies’. I got a strong sense of female empowerment when first listening to new single release ‘King Vaud', the mixed elements of Afro-Swing paired with soul convey a true message of authenticity from Lavaud. When speaking to Lavaud about her own thoughts when hearing the full song, she stated "I was happy that I made something unique, musically different and something that felt empowering. The song exudes energy which I loved from the very first listen. I’m still like, “wow is that really you yeah Lavaud lol” I couldn’t believe we made such a banger, so quickly and effortlessly." She further said in our conversation “As a woman I wanted to create something that was not only real and authentic to me but something that would empower others and change perspectives." It's rare to feel connected to a brand new artists and gage their true essence, but for Lavaud this is far from the first impression she wants to make, she explains,"In my opinion there is no greater title than ‘Woman’, so why not also have the option to be ‘King?’".

Artist’s Perception

"In King Vaud, when I said “Bitch I hold my weight” it’s a representation of me being undermined as a young woman but never holding back or being afraid to show up for my art. I always want people to feel empowered when listening to my music, including myself. I try to make sure the truth of my experiences are at the forefront of every message because people have a way of connecting to authenticity. My favourite songs are the ones which inspire, so to think that any one of my songs could ever help someone feel more confident or inspired is a special thought to me. As for taking inspiration from my life, yes, my life experiences are the spark to every song. When writing ‘King Vaud’ the song demanded an anthem that would empower, it is about being the head of your own kingdom. I want all women, especially young girls to feel this way"

Lavaud doesn't want to be boxed in when asked if she would put herself in the Afro-Swing category and to define her sound - "Yes, I would agree that elements of my sound are definitely Afro-swing. I grew up on Zouk, Sega, Jazz, Soul, Gospel, R&B, Hip-Hop, Grime, House (the list goes on) I am actually a product of so many genres so I wouldn’t want to limit myself to one sound. When I create, I’m really free in my approach, I try to follow my instinct and whatever feels the most honest." For Lavaud, there's definitely a difference in working with real instruments but she isn't opposed to using new technology - "I was brought up in a very musical home as my father is a musician himself so maybe I’m biased but, in my opinion, you can never beat having real, live music or elements of live music on a song. Real instruments do something to the soul, it’s why the live show will always be the heart of our industry. However, I also like a blend of both worlds. Music technology is so advanced nowadays, it’s all about capturing the right feeling."

When asked about her final thoughts on her EP, and inspirations behind compiling all the songs, she gave us more of an insight into who she is as an artist - "This EP is literally like my baby. It's my first complete project to ever come out and I feel like it represents me well, I want people to be lost in the music, experience the layers of my culture, be inspired and connect with the lyrics and vocal arrangement. My goal was to create a short, concise body of work that was authentically and unapologetically me, every single song on the EP represents a culturally diverse, well traveled and experienced young woman. I hope people listen to it and gain more insight into me as an artist and a person."

First Watch

The track is accompanied by a stunning visual, shot in Jamaica by British-Nigerian director Christina Nwabugo, which perfectly captures the exotic vibe of the track.

Lavaud feels the music video exudes 'Empowerment and Royalty’ - "I wanted to have beautiful women in the video looking like they come from many different kingdoms, all celebrating together. The director Christina Nwabugo really captured the essence of this vision. I was proud of what we accomplished. A lot of hard work went into filming and editing the video, it was beautiful to see the end result and to know that so many incredible black women came together"

"So much effort went into making sure we found a way to embrace each girl's natural aura. The vibrancy was important to create the range in energy and I think we all really complimented each other nicely. I can’t wait for the world to see what we have created. " - Lavaud.

The closing scene of the video is majestic, with afro-centric hairstyles which is refreshing to see. It's clear Lavaud aims to incorporate her own background and culture into her craft and we both shared a likeness to that scene being our favourite. - "This scene shows solidarity, power and femininity in an unbreakable unity. I think it’s very important to incorporate my culture in everything I do or it won’t be ‘Lavaud’, it’s a part of me. I’m happy you liked the afro-centric hair styling. For me, natural hair is beautiful and I want to always show the diversity of beauty."