School first, music second with Vagabon, Vieux Farka Touré, Mary Lattimore and Mereba

Vagabon, Vieux Farka Touré, Mary Lattimore and Mereba discuss the impact family can have on musical journeys, the perks and perils of collaborating with other musicians, and how cultural origins can mean that a musical life is looked down upon.

This week’s host is Laetitia Tamko, better known as Vagabon. Born in Cameroon and growing up in New York City, Vagabon’s music fuses pop, indie and punk. Her debut album Infinite Worlds was released in 2017, taking influence from a huge span of genres, everything from post-punk to dream pop. She performs in both English and French, and recently released a track with Courtney Barnett.

She’s joined by Ethiopian-American singer, songwriter and producer Mereba. She released her debut record The Jungle is the Only Way Out in 2019, and has since collaborated with 6lack, J.I.D and other breakout artists from America’s exciting hip-hop and R&B scenes. Vieux Farka Touré is the son of legendary Malian guitarist Ali Farka Touré, and has carved out his own legacy as a musician, taking influence from West African rhythms, blues, and rock. Finally, Mary Lattimore is a harpist from Los Angeles who has played alongside Thurston Moore, Jarvis Cocker, and Kurt Vile. Her music takes simple components, often just a harp and loop pedal, and creates vast, experimental soundscapes.