Tatum Rush is an intriguing artist. It will be for his Italian-Swiss American origins that give him that something cosmopolitan, of course, but it is also and above all his decisive aesthetics and his mestizo pop that stimulate a certain interest.
After a series of singles, Rush has finally come to his first record in Italian Villa Tatum, a mix of pop and r&b with disco grafts, an artistic mash up of the various influences that surround the artist’s universe. Refined and kaleidoscopic, with this album Rush embarks on a modern journey but with an 80s flavor (with a touch of 70s that never hurts) in which elegance and the portability of the groove keep the thread. Past, present and future, but also Italy, America and the rest of the world, in a game of pop references and contaminations.
For the occasion, we let Rush take us by the hand and take us on a tour of the world in search of his inspirations.
Algeria
I discovered Rashid Taha while traveling through the dunes of Qatar, years ago, when we were going to shoot a scene for a film in the Doha desert and I could see the smoking oil wells from afar. All that Qatari adventure left me with an indelible imagery, which partly inspired my piece Bonjour.
France
A group that few suspect originates from the south of France, the Gipsy Kings, a musical obsession of my grandfather. Every time I went to see him he showed me their absurd live where there are twelve of them with the guitar. They seemed so strange to me. A few years ago I rediscovered them thanks to this song, which then inspired my song, Gypsy Queen.
Japan
I like cultural copies and perhaps my favorite is Frank Nagai or the Japanese Frank Sinatra, who in an almost heroic way manages to be even more elegant than Sinatra himself. Just choose any of his covers to understand what I’m talking about: even the most bland suit is worn with the honor of a samurai who looks you straight in the eye while sipping a Tom Collins. I had to make a Japanese version of Sparring Partners I would quote him.
India
A deep inspiration for me was the sound of Jai Paul, especially the song which alludes to his Indian origins, Str8 Outta Mumbai, which imprinted itself on my brain like a lesson in music and style: real daggers in the jungle. He inspired me on a production level, pushing me to experiment with dirt, groove, rotten guitars, silence. Invaluable to be able to write black Moon.
Italy
I can’t leave out a song strangely Italian, Maracaibo, now a true party anthem. If you ask me, the text is very strong, with an imagery almost like Almodóvar that makes me think that texts like this are no longer heard on the radio. I drew inspiration from it to look for the right energy to put into Valentina.
