Artist: Goldie Locks

From Starbucks to bucking up underground stars with her electro-synthised beats, we take a look at the new heroine from the latest inner-city fairytale. This Goldielocks though is more likely to be spitting raw sewage than eating another mans porridge.
Words by Laura ‘Hyperfrank’ Brosnan

Trading in make-believe folk stories for smiley faces and Logic, this 21 year-old blonde bombshell is one of the latest British rappers to be taking the UK underground scene right by the balls - and Goldielocks isn’t about to let go just yet. Performing sets from Shoreditch to New York, she’s been working with everyone from Frisco and Tinchy Stryder to Kate Nash and Blackstorm Blemish, which isn’t bad considering she never meant to rhyme in the first place. “The rapping only came about when I had to hand in a project for college and all the tracks had to have vocals,” says the young beat-maker, who grew up playing random instruments like the flute and drums. After the project was finished, she uploaded it to her addictive-space and was overwhelmed by the amount of interest in not only her productions, but lyricisms too. “It was never like ‘I’m going to be a rapper!’ Production was always my main focus and the rapping just came about, half as a bit of a joke, half just messing about,” laughs the girl who still works part-time in Starbucks to support her soon-to-be-stellar career.

Her direct, tongue-in-cheek couplets have had many pigeonholing ‘Locks as a Nu Rave act, but she knows better. “It’s predominately electro, very synth based, but then with hip hop and grime influences,” she decides. “Some of it is pretty commercial, some of it is quite underground; it’s a nice little mix rolled into me.” The main aim for all of her lyrics is for people to think “‘What is she talking about’ because then it makes them listen properly.”

With tracks ranging from the political (Stereotypes and Kids) to Dust Off Your Classix, which sounds like something out of the early ‘90s rave scene, it’s hard to imagine the inspiration behind the multitalented golden locked music machine. “Waste Man was about some guy who messed my sister about. To try and make her feel better, I thought I’d write a stupid song for the idiot.” Although she grew up listening to TLC and Tupac, Americans aren’t her only lyrical influences. “I’ve always really liked The Streets and a lot of UK artists like Dizzee Rascal. Wiley for me is the best producer to come out of England in a long time.”

With so much success at her fingertips, there’s bound to be some negative blows aimed at her; but does being a young, white, blonde, female increase the hate? “I’ve had countless people say ‘Oh, I don’t believe you made them beats’ or asking if it was through a collaboration, not believing that it’s all down to me.” Insisting the hate doesn’t mean a thing, she’s as determined to knock down doors like her namesake – bears inside or not!

So what’s next for Sarah Akwisombe? “I'm focusing on getting my album finished,” she tells us. “I’ve done a couple of tracks with Future Cut who worked on Lily Allen’s album and tracks with Dizzee Rascal. I’ll be rapping on most of it and will feature a handful of collaborations.” RWD couldn’t go without asking the most essential question; will there be a feature with Bearman on the album? “Ha ha ha,” she laughs before shaking her head. “That might just be a bit too obvious...”

MySpace.com/goldielocksmusic

Best Festival Memory?
I was sitting at the camp site and someone came past with a blaring ghetto blaster. It started with one guy and then two more drunks came along and then another three attached to the chain until it became some huge mobile rave. I went to my first festival two years ago in Reading, with Foo Fighter and Kano, I think. I can’t actually remember the experience that much due to excessive drinking!

What are your Festival Essentials?
Toilet roll, Baby Wipes as a shower, inflatable bed and Wellington boots.

RWD Magazine

Goldie Locks Official Site

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