Wavo shares an interview with Jai Nitai Lotus of No Bad Sound

Tell us about No Bad Sound: what led to you working at a community studio space? What’s been the most meaningful part of the NBS journey for you?

In it’s simplest description NBS Studio is a non-profit music studio for youth 11-18 years old, based out of Chalet Kent (Maison des Jeunes, Cote-des-Neiges). But for many, it’s also considered a creative hub, a home, music bootcamp, and a safe space for young creatives to build and expand their potential.

The studio started in 2007 by local artists and community workers who saw Hip Hop as a powerful tool to uplift the youth in the Cote-des-Neiges borough. I got involved around 2016 when an artistic collaborator of mine, and one of the founding creators of the program, Vox Sambou (the legend!) asked me to work at NBS. Hip Hop had given me so much, and as an active multi-disciplinary Hip Hop artist of many years, I knew I had a lot of experience and skills to give back, and the timing was right. As humans we should be striving to share and help strengthen Community, which is something we actively cultivate and encourage at NBS.

After a few years, we eventually moved the studio, updated and expanded the program—both physically and in its fundamental operations, by making it based on a “for youth by youth structure.” This means that, as opposed to me doing majority of the recording, mentoring and producing, I began to train and we were able to hire the most qualified young artists to be in those roles (such as Yama//Sato, well-known as the Producer for Skiifall). The impact and relatability of hiring young creatives who had come through the program has been integral and very empowering for everyone involved. With this new structure it also allowed more time for us to build the program in other areas, such as building our online presence, creating content, and doing more artistic direction and one-on-one mentoring.

Seeing young people develop confidence, skills, purpose and understanding, and then actively implement that in their daily lives has been extremely inspiring to me. NBS is a free space (no money is exchanged), so the act of giving is without monetary conditions, which has been taught and passed down through generations of youth at this point. They are actively giving back and investing in each other’s growth, which is a big part of what Community is. It’s very beautiful!

What are some of the popular programs offered at the music studio, and how do you ensure that they are accessible to the community? 

We have really cool programs like “Producer Mondays” (a Producer-driven day of learning, networking and exchange), and on Tuesdays, where we prioritize young female artists. The heart of our program is that youth book in advance for 2-hour slots, which they can use to either record a song or learn how to produce, write, mix, or perform. This allows us to focus our attention on their unique, individual desires and needs. We are heavily active on our IG platform where the youth are engaged, and the word of mouth is very strong. So much so that our waiting time can sometimes be over a month for one session.

What do you think are the most important skills or qualities explored by community members as they make music at NBS, and how does that equip them outside of music? 

Outside of the professional music-related skill sets that they learn, they also pick up many skills that are transferable to their daily lives and futures outside of music. They learn to think ahead and be punctual (with booking sessions in advance and showing up on time); strengthen their drive and focus; learn how to express their wants, needs and ideas; learn how to collaborate and interact with others; learn how to deal with constructive criticism; deal with high-pressure circumstances; build relationships and networks; and most importantly find purpose, confidence and value within themselves. As we know, confidence goes a long way...

How do you balance the creative and artistic aspects of music education with the practical and technical skills that students need to develop in order to succeed?

I feel like they are seamless. In my teaching style, they co-exist constantly, as the youth are being taught and mentored. They are learning hands-on, technical skills as well as communication, creative and expressive skills all at the same time, while being exposed to a variety of experiences and perspectives. We push heavy to acquire a multi- disciplinary approach to almost everything, which seems to be the way of the future.

What are some of the biggest challenges you face in running a community music studio, and how do you address these challenges?

We are very grateful for the funding that we do receive. That being said, we can be limited when it comes to financial resources, which can hold back some of the potential and vision. The music industry is very gate- keeping by nature, so some of the connections can be quite hard to reach. We also deal with age limitations. We deal with a lot of youth that are facing a variety of racial, social, and economic oppression and barriers that are very challenging, and we are also there to provide support, opportunities and resources. This can carry with it a great sense of responsibility and commitment that can bear heavy on you. We address these challenges by being extremely resourceful, creative and fully committed to the community in which we serve. It’s our community, passion and dedication that sees us through.

NBS is a huge part of the youth music scene in Montreal. Can you tell us a bit more about how the success of NBS alumni like Skiifall encourage the next generation? 

Skiifall’s success is inspiring. He dedicated himself, and took every opportunity to develop his craft. The sound that him and Yama//Sato created here at NBS is refreshing and original. It is a great example for artists to not be afraid to be themselves and stand out. It is exciting that doors may open for others to go through, in their own ways. Skiifall sharpened his skills and found his sound in our music program, so it’s directly relatable for the youth. For me personally, I’ve known and mentored Skii since he was 14 years old, I have mad love for him and am very proud of him.

How do you measure the success of your programs or classes? 

Generally it is measured by the amount of youth that participate, as well as their commitment and enthusiasm. We also look at the skills they learn and develop through our program, the quality of their interactions and dealings with each other, and their drive to acquire further knowledge via school or online information.

What’s the role of supporters and benefactors to NBS? How can someone reading this contribute to the organization? 

There are many ways. We are always in need of financial contributions towards the upkeep of the space, new equipment and the sustainability of the program. People can also give in the form of access and opportunities for the youth. Anyone who wants to support can reach out to us at [email protected]

Montreal’s youth community has an incredible asset in NBS. What are some initiatives or exciting projects that are coming out of NBS’s engagement with our youth community? 

There are too many to list! I would encourage everyone to keep a close eye on our IG page (NBS.Studio on Instagram) for upcoming events and initiatives, and keep an eye out for our ‘We Out Here Live’ performance series, showcasing some of the talents from our studio.

What advice would you give to young up and coming musicians in Montreal?

Get out of the basement and network. Build with like-minded people, who may know more than you know. Be honest with what you don’t know, and always be open to learn from others. Find your voice, your story, your sound. There is no avoiding putting an excessive amount of hard work in. Show support for others, and you will receive support. And on a mental health note, don’t value the level of your creativity based on likes and follows... that is only a sign of how many people have seen it, not how good you are at it or how important you are as a human being or artist. Stand out. Believe in yourself. Be fearless in your art. LOVE! 

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