Detroit Connections Spark New Ladi6 Album

Christchurch-born neo-soul queen Ladi6, real name Karoline Tamati, 31, has been described as “New Zealand’s answer to Erykah Badu” in her home country and listening to latest album Automatic, it’s easy to hear why, according to West Australian reporter Harvey Rae.

“Co-produced by J Dilla associate Waajeed in Detroit, Ladi6’s third album, Automatic, was released last August and displays a more mature sound than 2010’s The Liberation Of…, the upbeat breakthrough record that spawned New Zealand top 10 hit Like Water and earned her a string of awards,” Rae writes.

“Tamati put together a list of the producers she most wanted to work with. As a result she now calls Waajeed, who topped the list, a lifelong friend.

“‘He was the first to get back and we had a Skype and connected immediately,’ Tamati says. ‘From that chemistry we knew we had to get [to Detroit] and see what came of it.’”

Ladi6 performs in the Festival Gardens at Perth Festival on 13 February. She then tours the United States, beginning in Seattle at The Crocodile Back Bar on 3 March.

Original article by Harvey Rae, The West Australian, January 30, 2014.