Just last month local singer / songwriter Karina Azzopardi aka Rima released her debut EP Madre Mía on all digital music platforms. The album in itself is a fusion of genres and allows the first time listener as well as those familiar with her music to embrace how fortunate we must be to be raised around so many different cultures and even languages.
Just last month local singer / songwriter Karina Azzopardi aka Rima released her debut EP Madre Mía on all digital music platforms. The album in itself is a fusion of genres and allows the first time listener as well as those familiar with her music to embrace how fortunate we must be to be raised around so many different cultures and even languages.
If there is one thing to admire about Rima throughout, it is how she can captivate with her flow and not only that, she is a very diverse musician as evident throughout her setlist when I went to see her perform a few weeks ago. She was able to grab me via her new EP by the first note and take it from someone who has seen her perform quite regularly across the Gibraltar Music Scene, it is very refreshing to hear and witness the mashups as well as her own original material.
If there is one track that stands out in the album, at least to me, it is definitely ‘Que Suerte La Mia’. The track is absolutely breathtaking and is a beautiful tribute from Rima to her mother. It brought tears to my eyes and that is when you know that a fine song has been penned.
Truthfully and honestly every time I have seen she was performing, the timing was never right but on Saturday 15th I guess luck was on my side so I headed down to see her do her thing.
Accompanied by Anselmo Ochello on guitar and Charles Noguera on cajón from local band Wave and also accompanied by the summer sun was sublime.
Shortly after the gig, I was fortunate to sit down with Rima to ask some questions about the album and beyond.
The album: “My new EP, like all my songs are based on experiences. Not just my own but also from experiences from others which I have expressed into song.
This album is worked around an afro beat flamenco style, so I am hoping it reaches not only our local audience but also Spain and Morocco which I believe could have a good impact. I feel Gibraltar has a great diversity of cultures and mixing these genres and languages is a good way to represent who I am as a “Llanita” personally. My songs are mixed between languages specifically because I feel the “Llanito” language is being lost in our younger generation and Spanish is being used less and less.”
On her future: “The future is not planned! I will continue to release more music whenever I can and will continue to work hard for it! As for live shows I am the first to say yes whenever I am welcome.”
Who to thank? “I guess I would say thanks to everyone who has supported me since day one when I started live performances at the age of fourteen. It’s now been fifteen years since then and I am finally taking this on as a career. The support from the community is exactly what motivates me to continue on my journey.”
Be sure to follow Rima; https://linktr.ee/rima__oficial
