Recording on the island. Ziggi Recado.

St.Eustatius/The Netherlands

With four successfully released studio albums and outstanding performances on major European festivals and venues Ziggi Recado proves once and for all that he is amongst the top reggae acts. We caught up with Ziggi in Amsterdam and talked about his Caribbean home, Statia. We went back to times when he recorded his latest album “Therapeutic” and spoke about his plans for 2015.

Lately you spent a lot of time in St.Eustatius, the place where you grew up. Tell us a bit about this island. What is your favorite place to hang out? Best beach? Why do you like to go back there?

Statia is one of the smallest islands in the Caribbean with a population of about 3500. It’s generally a very laid back, easy going place. I have some close friends there from the time I grew up and we hang out at different spots. I think hanging out is more about the company than the location. Best beach is probably the one generally used for swimming.

There’s one beach on the island where the population actually swims. The beach has black volcanic sand, very different than white beaches you might be used to seeing on pictures.

Having lived there it’s always sweet to go back. To connect with people I might not have seen in many years and to see where the island is at now in terms of development… In May 2014 you released an album "Therapeutic", is this album completely a result of your stay on the island? How did island life influence your creativity?

One of the main purposes of my trip there was to record this album. I went there prepared to do that, and with no other obligations on the island my life was about that album for those months. It was a completely different way to work in the sense that for the first time I’d wake up every day and the only thing on my agenda would be to make music. So I started creating every day. Got into a great flow and was able to record the bulk of the album within the first two months. It’s obviously a different vibe sitting in the yard, in the sun, vibesing with some brethren about a track as opposed to being locked in a studio in Amsterdam. Personally though I think the biggest thing was having that time to devote entirely to music. In Europe where I live I’d have my regular life going on, shows, two kids etc. So I have to plan when I can actually make time to work. When I was in Statia I was ONLY doing that.

Walk us through your day on the island. Where did you record music? Who are the people you worked with?

I'd get up late morning. Have breakfast. Head to a friend of mine’s spot ’Bigs’ . I created most stuff at his place. We’d vibe there from midafternoon till evening. Often times I’d have a track completely written in that time. Sometimes a hook and a verse… stuff like that. Evening I’d get some dinner. Then head to the lab and record what we had been creating all day. Finish before midnight. Head to a next close friend ‘Jabby’ who runs a little fast food spot. Play the track I recorded there and check the feedback from friends and others passing through at the spot. Repeat the next day. Took some days off now and then to not burn out but that was my routine more or less. My crew was all the close friends I’ve known from a kid.

How do you find inspiration for the topics of the songs your write?

Often from the music itself. If I get a riddim usually I think it has a specific feel. Major or minor note, a lot of elements that give it a feeling. I try to work with that feeling and create ideas from there. I guess inspiration for topics comes in different ways. One time I could have some clear lyrics in my head already or a melody that I need to create music for, other times I get music and let it give me the lyrics. Whatever feels best…

Lots of music artists based in the Caribbean want to 'make it' in Europe and be popular here. Do you think you set an example for them with your work? And what would you like to tell them about this aspiration?

… I guess I could inspire some guys from smaller islands just with what I’ve achieved coming from a tiny island like that. I think every situation is unique so I inspire more than I actually set an example of how it should be done. In my situation I moved to Holland when I was 18, got into music when I was here. So by the time I started putting out music I was already in Europe. It’s nice to aspire to do grand things. I think if someone wishes to gain traction in Europe, as long as they know why they want that and what they want to get from it, it’s all good...go for it.

How is year 2015 shaping up for you? What are you looking forward to?

2015 for me is going to be unique. I’ve gotten to the point where I think I’ve learned a lot about the music industry and life. I'm trying to create something very special and unique, something unheard of. I don’t want to put any pressure on that process so I can’t say exactly when you’ll be hearing and seeing this new stuff. But when it does arrive I can guarantee you it will be worth the wait! I’ll probably be in Europe most of the year. At the moment Statia is not in the short term plans.