Biggest urban music event: 1Xtra Live

Urban music’s hottest names have been confirmed to perform at the third ever BBC Radio 1Xtra Live, which this year takes place at London’s Wembley Arena on Saturday 25^th September.

N-Dubz will headline the biggest free urban music event the UK will see. Tulisa from the band said: “We can’t wait for 1Xtra Live. It’s going to be one of the best gigs of the year. I hope everyone is ready to party!” Read more

Christian Jules

The next RnB singing sensation from Hammersmith, London prepares to follow in his cousin and member of boyband JLS; Ortise’ footsteps this year with the release of his new single “Diamonds and Pearls” (November 2010, from forthcoming album Slow Magic.) Read more

Alors On Danse by Stromae

The latest hit making waves across European charts is Alors On Danse (So We Dance) by Belgian-Rwandan rapper Stromae.

While it has already reached No.1 in eleven European countries, Stromae’s depressing yet unique music video for Alors On Danse has picked up over 13 million views on YouTube.

‘Its blend of French flow, trance stabs, ravey sax and la-la-la vocals offer no less than four melodies perfect for drunken chanting…so it’s going to be massive. And yet, it’s about the awfulness of existence.’ Guardian.co.uk

Written and produced by Stromae himself at home on his computer with a desktop mic, Alors On Danse is currently climbing the UK iTunes chart so check it out below if you haven’t already! Kanye West features on the Alors On Danse Remix and you can listen to that here (right-click, save link as).

With roots stemming from French Hip Hop and also as a MC and producer, Stromae looks set to continue ’stormae-ing’ further across the globe with his blend of hip hop and electronic music.

The track’s UK release is on 6th September .

Lyrics English translation

‘So we dance,
Who says study says work,
Who says work says cash,
Who says money says spend,
Who says credit says debt
Who says debt says bailiff
Who says ‘you’re in the shit’,
Who says love says kids,
Said always and said divorce,
Who says relatives says mourning,
Because problems come in pairs
Who says crisis says ‘world’,
Says famine says Third World,
Who says exhaustion says wake up,
Still deaf from last night,
So we go out to forget all our problems,
So we dance.
Then you tell yourself that it’s over,
Because the only thing worse than this would be death,
When you finally think you’ve found a way out and there’s nothing left,
There’s more to come,
It’s the music or the problems,
Problems or the music,
It sends you tripping, does your head in,
And then you pray for it to stop,
But it’s your body, it’s not God,
So you don’t block your ears anymore,
And then you scream even louder but it goes on,
And so you sing…
And then only when it’s over
We dance’

www.stromae.net/blog

Britain’s Next Top Model Live at ExCel

The ultimate weekend shopping extravaganza comes to London for the first time Ever – Britain’s Next Top Model Live is here from 22^nd – 24^th October 2010. Read more

Nathan Watson

Nathan Watson is a real talent. He’s young, good-looking and he turned the corner just at the right time. His songs are refreshing and clear and once you’ve heard them you’ll know he’s lived every word. Nathan Watson… a name to watch out for.

A pure slice of soul/funk, “Reach Out (You’ve Got A Friend)” is the first release from the soul hipster. Out on the Strawberry Moon label on September 20^th it’s downloadable from Itunes, HMV, Amazon and all good music sites.

Taken from the forthcoming album “Student Of Life”  the new single shows exactly why this boy from Stevenage is being hailed as having a great musical future.

But it wasn’t always so. The odds looked pretty well stacked against Nathan succeeding at anything… from falling from three stories as a child, to being hit round the head with a lump of wood, to being involved in a 70mph car crash, he’s lucky to still be around.

Then later, hanging with the wrong crowd, getting into trouble. Saturday Night was indeed alright for fighting….until music came to the rescue.

“Reach Out (You’ve Got A Friend)” features Nathan’s band The Sound and is the result of a collaboration with long time musician/producer Steve Salvari. Nathan would work at Steve’s studio on Saturday mornings and it was, as he says, his salvation. (You can’t make too much music in prison and that’s where Nathan was heading had it not been for the regular Saturday morning input.)

Music had always been in his blood though. He started playing at the age of six – drums, clarinet etc – and even tried the trombone but gave it up as too small. From rapping under the moniker Dragonfly he progressed to soul and was soon writing his own material including “Reach Out (You’ve Got A Friend)”.

Part of the proceeds from the new single will be going to Childline Rocks to help other kids less fortunate than himself. This self-awareness is being put to good use.

Nathan is now something of a role model. In 2009 he was awarded the Cambell-Younge Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Community. Like Formula One World Champion Lewis Hamilton, also from Stevenage, Nathan may just be the next big thing in UK music.

He contributed to the recent Help For Heroes charity single alongside Paul McCartney, Ronnie Wood and Michael Bolton and he’s sung for the Princes Trust.

Nathan’s gigged with acclaim at the Jazz Cafe and Dingwalls as well as other venues across London and a tour of the UK is lined up for later this year. In the meantime he can be seen on September 25th and October 23rd at the Forge, Camden.

Zoe Saldana in Calvin Klein Photoshoot Video

Assisting your body to look great is also part of feeling great about yourself and Zoe Saldana shows how Calvin Klein underwear do it for her. The Takers movie star talks about the concept of adoring natural beauty opposed to changing it altogether with Envy underwear. In this video, we get to look at Zoe working her charm behind the scenes for the Calvin Klein photoshoot.

LZ7

Introducing LZ7 – a very legitimate contender to Black Eyed Peas crown through their brand of positive urban pop. The London/Manchester group have just released the video to their very catchy pop/rap track called “This Little Light”, and it’s set for mainstream success.

LZ7 are making an impact with kids in schools through workshops and shows, truly helping kids stay on a positive path and LZ7 are also extremely popular within the Christian community.

The single is out on Absolute Records on Sep 26^th and album will follow later in the year.

There will be a launch party concert at The Manchester Apollo on September 25^th. Tickets are on sale now. The single is also available to pre-order as a download by simply texting the word ‘SHINE’ to 81088.

www.lz7.co.uk

Fashion that reflects a rich heritage

Ohema Ohene is a London based boutique brand specialising in accessories and clothing which are ethnically influenced. Ohema Ohene translates both popular and future trends into affordable and easily wearable products for both men and women and is a reflection of today’s multicultural society; taking influences from Western Africa and the Far East with a modern British twist.

Her name meaning ‘Queen & King’ in the Ghanaian language of Twi was a play on her Ghanaian heritage and her love for all things royal and fabulous.

Ohema Ohene is thrilled to announce the arrival of our first menswear collection entitled ‘Voyage’. The nonchalant mix and match designs were inspired by today’s fashion forward male; stylish key pieces include fine cotton blend sweaters, cardigans, polo shirts and hooded tops using innovative detailing techniques, from batik trims. Nautical themed embellishments, fastenings, collars, panels and sleeves. ‘Voyage’ is classic tailoring with an edge.

You were born in Britain, but your designs are very heavily influenced by your Ghanaian heritage. What inspired you to go this route?
Ghana is a beautiful country with a wealth of inspiration, culture and heritage. I wanted to celebrate this.

How would you describe your designs?
Afrocentric chic with a British twist, wearable and trendy.

How would you describe your own personal style?
Flamboyant, colourful, practical, classic and feminine

Does your own personal style influence your designs?
Yes I myself am a customer and of course a woman, I always think, and      ask myself 2 questions in particular ‘what would my customers want?’ and ‘What do I look for in a product?’

Who is your favorite designer? Why?
I don’t have a favourite however I do admire brands such as Chanel, Marc Jacobs and Chloe. I would say Vivienne Westwood and Ozwald Boateng inspired me to become a designer. There use of colour and technique was of particular interest to me.

Do they influence your designs?
Not really from a design aspect but more from a commercial aspect.

What else besides your culture influences you?
Music, politics and people

At what age did you decide that you wanted to get into fashion?
I was in year 8 of secondary school, so going on 14 years old. I loved technology, textiles and business so decided that would be the route I would follow and here I am now.

At school, what else were you good at? Art? Technology?
I was a bit of a cool geek, I enjoyed  Technology Textiles, Art, and Spanish. I was also a member of the Gospel and Chamber choir and played the Violin lol. I went on to do Textiles, Art and Business at A-level.

If you weren’t designing clothes, what would you like to be doing?
Well for me it was either this or cosmetic science, I wanted to create a brand that could rival Lo’real or Max factor…yes as a young one I had BIG dreams! LOL

Typically African parents prefer their children to be doctors and lawyers. How did your parents react to your career decision?
My parents have always been very supportive. Fortunately for me, they have never had the ‘typical African parent’ outlook that people are accustomed to hearing of. However my dad did want me to pursue my Cosmetic interest, we came to a compromise and I did do Chemistry A-Level, but I didn’t excel. My heart wasn’t there.

Who is your style icon of all time?
Audrey Hepburn and Diana Ross; so opposite yet I believe, very similar. I always say that when possible, dress as though its your last day on earth, go out in a bang!

What’s it like being shortlisted for an O2 X Award Young Entrepreneur of the year award?
It was an incredible sense of pride. To have people, other than my family and I believe in me and my brand Ohema Ohene. It was definitely a great honour.

You’ve also been nominated for Best Creative Business and Young Entrepreneur of the Year. How did these nominations happen?
I have no idea! I had an email from The Precious awards who informed me that I had been nominated. Once again I say I am absolutely honoured and privileged.

That’s a lot to achieve for such a new label. What else’s do you plan to achieve?
I am currently working on upcoming collections, new products and additional lines. I intend on expanding Ohema Ohene internationally, so I am also working towards that too.

What are the best perks of being a fashion designer?
I would say there are more down falls!

For example; you have no excuses for fashion faux paux, you have no reason to justify extraordinary clothing purchases as you know that you can make it yourself and how much it really costs! But of course its great being a designer as you get to see people wearing your products and loving them.

Did you go to fashion school?
Yes, I attended the London College of Fashion.

And do you think that has helped or hindered your career?
I believe it has helped as it gave me the necessary skills and experiences to progress with my vision.

When was your first break into the industry?
I went to work in Asia for a fashion brand out there; I was able to gain a lot of insight into the industry and gained many contacts.

Did you ever train as an apprentice with another designer?
Yes I worked at Julien McDonald, Temperley and Fake London.

If you had a choice of all designers in the world, who would you prefer to work for? Why?
Moschino, simply for their love of prints, I think Ankra would work very well with the brand.

With styles from the 80’s influencing the ‘hip-star’ look and today’s fashion, what fashion trend do you think will be next to come round?
Fashions evidently come and go and these days very quickly. I think the 80’s phase will be here for some time, it’s definitely current. I think there will be a  return to period costume, referencing Romanticism, the Victorian, Elizabethan eras but with a darker edge; possibly an 80’s influence in there too. The 50’s is also a time fashion loves to revisit, endlessly so I do see a return to those trends coming in the near future.

Do you pay attention to trends when it comes to your designs, or do you just go for what feels right?
Yes in terms of colour and mood, I do like to keep an eye on what the forecast is where fashion is concerned. However essentially I do what fits into the brand and what I and my customers find attractive.

Do people recognize your designs?
Yes, I believe I am the first and only person in the world currently designing and producing Batik pumps, which have become a signature feature within the Ohema Ohene brand.

Describe your philosophy about the art of fashion.
Never be afraid of colour and print! Fashion is a freedom of expression.

What do you love most about fashion?
All the colours, prints and ever changing shapes!

What do you think about fashion industry? Is it as bad as they say?
There are always two sides to the coin. I just keep the faith and stay focused.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
A friend of mine once shared a quote with me “Success is the outcome of thinking, visualizing, planning and taking action.” I always try to stay positive!

www.ohemaohene.com

Words By Tolu Akisanya

Young London Designer Ivy-Scarlett

Another year in fashion and another set of winter collections to anticipate, though it may still be summer the fashion world are all set for autumn winter. With the new collections to look forward to comes the exciting new wave of designers. One budding young designer to look out for will be young London’s latest aspiring fashion print designer, Ivy-Scarlett.

The London born Ivy Scarlett has just completed an Art and Foundation Diploma at the prestigious London College of Fashion. On graduating Ivy plans to continue her study in fashion with a BA Hons in Fashion Textiles at Middlesex University, before that however she presents us with her own take of what we should be wearing this coming Autumn.

She will be wowing us with her bold, individual and unique prints. The first look at her designs were premiered at The Young Designer Fashion Show earlier this summer on July 17th at the Cockpit Theatre in North London.

The young Scarlett gives us her sleek, sophisticated and trendy styled collection of a variety of womenswear garments, mixing cottons, polyesters and chiffons for the collection. The womanly pieces include a mixture of dresses, skirts, tops and jackets. The interesting screen printed shapes take their inspiration from the old school 80’s kitchen, whisk.

Her colour vision for this collection see’s blends of different shades of Navy, blue, yellow, orange and black. Ivy on her colour choice ‘These colours work well together to create an edgy Autumn Winter look but still maintaining a feminine essence.’ Her statement sums up the collection, a womanly printed collection – creating a sharp, vibrant feminine autumn winter collection.

This enthusiastic fashionista, hoping to make an impact as a Fashion Print Designer plans to take part in many more Fashion shows, competitions and work placements, to ultimately make her mark in the industry. Starting with this collection, Ivy Scarlett will be another one for the fashion watchdog to look out for.

Words By Mandy Maloyi

Matthew Daniel gives us a personal insight into his thoughts and feelings on discovering he has autism

On the 29th March 2010, I was diagnosed with High Functioning Autism and Aspergers Syndrome. I’m not ashamed by this diagnostic action as some of the greatest musicians in the world had Autism. Mozart had it. Beethoven had it. In some respects, like how it’s cool to be black, it’s cool to be Autistic! The Autistic spectrum disorder can also be known as the “ASD spectrum” or just “ASD”. Everyday people won’t notice somebody with ASD because it’s not like having a broken leg or a bandaged arm. It’s not a visual illness, it is somebody who finds taking in information a problem and how they see the world. It is not a disability, it is not somebody in a wheel chair; it is somebody like me. Capable. Able. Bright. Creative. Determined. Brave. Brilliant…well maybe not the last one! People with ASD certainly find social relationships and communication with other’s a challenge.

Matthew Daniel

My family thought I had ASD from the age of fifteen but I denied any help because I didn’t know what it was, and it has taken until I am 23 years of age to get a diagnosis. But I am one of the lucky few that own a diagnostic report yet many people with ASD go through life without it being diagnosed. The sad thing about ASD is its monster when it comes to social issues as somebody who has ASD even after gaining high qualifications will struggle to keep relationships with their colleagues and hold down a job but fortunately for me most of my music interviews even when I was up front and told them I had ASD the majority said they couldn’t tell. ASD is a ‘spectrum’ disorder, which means it varies from person to person, and these individuals can be diagnosed alongside ASD with the following:

. ‘Classic’ Autism

. Asperger Syndrome

. High-functioning Autism

The DR’s diagnosed me with High Functioning Autism and Aspergers Syndrome, linked to my heart surgery at five years of age. My experience of ASD has caused me great depression and anxiety especially in my teenage years. For others with ASD it can affect them by experiencing Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and even digestive problems. However, I will re-affirm readers that people with Low/High Functioning Autism go through ‘triad of impairments’, which basically means they experience difficulties in social communication, social interaction and social imagination (not Pixar/Disney imagination). To go into detail about the ‘triad of impairments’ starting with social communication, an ASD person will not understand a joke or sarcasm such as a statement as simple as this “She has eyes in the back of her head” – and take it literally. As funny as this may sound to others, this actually causes a person with ASD great social confusion, social anxiety, and long-term depression. They can often have a monotonous tone of voice, and struggle to pick up non-verbal communication such as gestures, facial expressions or tone of voice and most probably misinterpret them. In some cases, ASD people find it hard to maintain eye contact, and might be considered rude to mention certain things. Now, lets go into detail about social interaction, developing friendships for somebody with ASD is like climbing the highest mountain, and specific social situations/starting conversation is often a difficulty. As silly as this also might sound someone with ASD might not even pick up when somebody is not interested in what they are saying! Social imagination, ASD people find it a challenge to put themselves in other people’s shoes. ASD people may be extremely talented in a particular area rather than be good with spontaneous situations/every day life. The list is endless of the negatives but there are ways to over come this complex mental health issue.

The National Autistic Society is out there to help, support and provide employment opportunities for people within the Autistic Spectrum Disorder. They run a programme called Prospects Employment Service, which can provide more information about options in employment and voluntary work in your local area! Below, please find an interview with Deidre Howley of Kings College London; she works in the research department at Kings College for families and those within families who suffer from Autism.

Interview with Deidre Howley of Kings College London

What is your role in the working world in terms of helping people with this condition?
I work as a Research Assistant on a project funded by the Department of Health. The project aims to explore the unmet needs of young people with ASD, and the needs of their parents/carers. So I visit families in their homes, and take a series of measures (through an informal interview). I look at indicators of physical and emotional health, service use, service needs, and the specific qualities of the individual’s autism. At the end of this research (it is a 2 year study, and we aim to recruit 80 families) a document will be formed and sent to the Department of Health. This way, people with ASD, along with their parents/carers, will have their voices heard and in turn, inform service development in the near future.

How does Autism vary from person to person?
Autism can vary due to a variety of reasons. Firstly, it depends on where somebody is placed on the autistic spectrum (which I will refer to in more detail on question 4). Briefly, a person may be classed as having high functioning autism, or they may be placed at the lower end of the spectrum (where some people describe this as ’severe’ autism, due to sufferers having a significantly low IQ). It is common for people with autism to experience comorbid conditions, such as learning disabilities, epilepsy, ADHD or ADD, anxiety related disorders, depression or symptoms of psychosis. To answer this question more generally, it also comes down to the individuals personality and circumstances. For example (using fictitious examples and names): Jen is 13 and has high functioning autism. She is not receiving appropriate support in school, and is falling behind in her classes. Her family and friends do not know a lot about her condition due to a poor amount of input from professional services. Jen has a predisposition towards low mood states. Due to the external factors surrounding Jen, she may experience low self esteem, underachievement and a lowered general well-being. So this is how her ASD affects her due to the combination of external factors. So lets now take the example of Sam, a 23 year old male with autism and severe learning disabilities. He had a key worker who unfortunately couldn’t identify how he communicates preferences. Sam used to vent his frustration by not eating or soiling himself. Since a social worker placed a new, skilled keyworker to spend time with Sam, he no longer refuses to eat, and his communication through MAKATON has improved dramatically. NB Makaton is a basic level of sign language, used in the learning disability field.

What made you want to get into working with families and those who have Autism?
From a very young age I always wanted to help people in need. I also took a huge interest in people and how we all communicate differently. I therefore studied a BSc in Psychology. I quickly realised that I was interested in developmental conditions. I began working for a charity supporting children and adults with ASD. The satisfaction from such work made me realise that this is the area where I can give 110% and be an advocate for young people peoples rights.

Please tell us all the different forms of Autism?
Autism is now referred to as ‘Autistic Spectrum Disorder’ or ASD. This is an ‘umbrella’ term, and it therefore is generic, and encompasses the types described below:

01. Autism

02. Asperger’s syndrome.

03. High functioning autism.

High functioning autism differs from Aspergers; those diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome typically will not have experienced lowered language development when they were younger. The National Autistic Society increasingly suggest the ‘Pathological Demand Avoidance’ (PDA) syndrome is part of the autistic spectrum. It will be interesting to see if PDA is included under ASD in the next Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (used and created by Psychiatrists and Psychologists). Autism and learning disabilities would be clinically described as ‘Autism with comorbid learning disabilities.’ So, for people suffering with autism and an anxiety disorder (for example, OCD), again, this would be ‘autism with comorbid OCD. PDD-NOS (Pervasive Developmental Disorder not otherwise specified) is sometimes called atypical autism. Many leading researchers and experts argue that this is not included in the ASD definition.In my department, some researchers have been discussing the possibility that Asperger’s may indeed be taken out of the ASD definition and treated as a separate entity. People I work fairly closely with, think that this should not happen. Again, this is an area of interest to keep an eye out for!! And the implications would be interesting too, if that did happen.

What is the worst experiences/best experiences you’ve had in dealing with people that have Autism?
Best experience: Learning MAKATON sign language to communicate effectively with a young child with autism and severe learning disability. As he got better at recognising signs (along with an improvement within myself, at using makaton), his challenging behaviour decreased over time, and his school teachers were very pleased with how much happier he was at school. Worst experience: Being at a care review meeting, putting forward my support, to obtain a male keyworker for a particular teenager (who was very strong and tall, and did not have any awareness of danger). As this case caused a lot of debate, the teenager did indeed, run infront of oncoming traffic (when he was in my care) and almost had an accident. I was very young at the time, and couldnt physically restrain the teenager from running away. Luckily, this experience created an emergency review about the future of his care. And various safety techniques were put forward for the family to use.

How long have you been working in the ASD department?
I have been working as a researcher at the Institute of Psychiatry,Kings College London, for one year. I previously worked at a charity for people with autism between the ages of 20-25.

Can medication vary for somebody who has Autism or does every one with Autism take the same medication?
No. It is extremely individual. For example, some people may take melatonin to assist with sleeping problems. Some people may take risperidone to help them feel calm, if necessary. Some people may take aripiprazole to combat symptoms of psychosis and depression. People with autism and severe epilepsy may take epilim to prevent seizures. Of course, there are many different combinations and types of medication, to suit the person concerned. It all depends on the degree/type of comorbidty experience

For those who have Autism but can’t get a diagnosis what do you suggest they do?
Contact the National Autistic Society. Contact your local GP. Contact a lead professional in your local primary care trust (the GP should be able to give guidance on this). If not, look up health centres locally online for phone numbers. Contact teachers or perhaps, special needs coordinators (SENCO; where possible and where appropriate). But there should be a SENCO in most schools.

And for those who have Autism but don’t know who to contact for support what do you suggest?
Try to find out if there are any local support services by asking your GP, school teachers, people in church groups, or through the consultant who is responsible for your care. Always contact the National Autistic Society and other related charities. Contact social services too, find a contact number which is responsible for your local area. This could be done simply by looking online or calling directory services. Sometimes, being involved in research studies can help an individual feel supported and listened to. People who conduct ASD research have usually been in the field for a long time and therefore, show a great level of understanding when it comes to your experience of autism. In addition, sometimes researchers can put you in the direction of suitable services but this cannot always be guaranteed.

Matthew – Thanks for doing this interview for Flavour Magazine.

Deirdre Howley – Research Assistant of Kings College London.

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