Ne Plus Ultra – Ultra Naté Sets Vegas Free (Part 2) |
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| (07/04/2010) | ||||||||
As I mentioned in my last post, Las Vegas’ premier LGBTQ promoter, Eduardo Cordova, decided to celebrate Independence Day with a live performance by the divine dance-music dynamo, herself, Ultra Naté, who can be seen, this Sunday night (July 4th) at The Beatles REVOLUTION Lounge at The Mirage. Part 2 of my interview, continues, below: Shulman: Tell me about Hero Worship…
Ultra Naté: I’ve been working on Hero Worship for the past two years. It’s gonna be a very pop-dance oriented record. I’ve written a track with the Nervo girls, called “Unconditional” that’s really fun. Todd Terry and I are collaborating, for the first time, on a track called “Right Now” with background vocals done by Jonathan Mendelsohn, who has this talent for creating these beautiful, harmonic layers and coming-up with these unbelievably dope ideas. I’m really so excited about working with Jonathan, and people just need to remember his name because Jonathan’s gonna be coming through, really fiercely, in the next couple of years. I’ve worked with Inaya Day on the album; she’s also done quite a few background bits for me, on a few different tracks. One of the songs I’ve done with David Morales will be featured on the album; a song called “I Really Love.” I worked with Tony Moran this year, for the very first time – that’s also a new track that I have coming out, called “Destination,” that we’ve done together. That’ll actually be out in the next couple of weeks, but it’ll also be featured on the Hero Worship album.
SS: Yeesh! You don’t sit still! UN: No, not at all. (Laughs) I also worked with Chris Willis on this album. We wrote a song called “Radio” and it’s really exciting; one of my favorite songs from this album. I mean, it’s a really good work. And it’s really hard to say “This one is my favorite,” because they’re all your babies, and they’re all favorites for different reasons and in different ways. But, I’m really proud of this album as a body of work, in the way that the songs congeal together. It just makes sense.
I feel like Hero Worship is a really cohesive work; even more so than Grime, Silk and Thunder. I’ve been working on it over a shorter period of time, so I’ve made sure that everything kind of gels together, more fluidly. It’s coming together in a very interesting time for me, as well. There’s something spiritual about 2010, in terms of it being the beginning of the next decade, and I think that musically there’s a cycle and a transition happening, out there, and I’m really glad to be a part of it. I really wanted to have a lot of specific things happen in 2010, because I think this is going to be a jump-off point for what’s going to happen over the next ten years. SS: I completely agree, that we’re at a turning point; and thank God for that! Meanwhile, I’m in bed, last night. I’m virtually asleep, in that hazy place. Then I sit bolt-upright in bed, give myself a V8-headslap and say (out loud, mind you) “Oh! Independence Day! Freedom… “Free!” I get it!” Now, am I just slow? Is it a happy coincidence? Or was that the impetus for your coming to town on the Fourth of July? I was sitting there, with my dog not at all amused by having been woken up, and I’m thinking that I’m just a little late getting to the party, or… I mean, I’m all “Oh my God – Ultra Naté: Genius! Love her…”
Ever since “Free” came out! I remember where I was when I first heard it: in the Sullivan Street Lounge at LIFE where Voula Duval hosted her fabulous weekly VIP lesbian party, Life’s a Bitch (and I know I’d make a rather horrible lesbian, but I’ve always aspired to be one). And there were always these glamorous women, there, like Carmen D’Alessio with Ivana Trump and Donatella Versace, and Larissa with Edwige and Pat Field. Anyhow, Jackie Christie was the resident DJ, and she played “Free” and “Found a Cure” and I remember everyone just looking up, and slowly getting up to dance. And then seeing that album-cover, where you were mid-acupuncture, and thinking “Huh? I don’t get it, and I’m a little bit scared, but the music is fierce.” [Ultra has been laughing hysterically, throughout my entire trip down repressed-memory lane…] And of course, none of us thought that was your real name. I mean, everyone just assumes it’s made-up.
UN: You’d think after twenty years, people would, I don’t know, realize that it’s really my real name. SS: Now, I read that your mother was obsessed with Ultra Sheen and Jean Naté?
UN: That’s where she got the idea from. Yeah. SS: That. Is. Hot! UN: (Shrieks with unbridled glee) SS: God love ‘er… I think that is just brilliant. Because it’s one of those things that’s like “Okay.” I mean, you’re setting your kid up for major-ness, right there. It’s not like “Semi-tepid Naté.” It’s “Ultra Naté!” But this weekend; the whole “Free”/Independence Day thing. That was deliberate..?
UN: I don’t know! I can’t say. You know? Maybe on the part of the folks in Vegas who had the great brainstorm to bring me for this event (which I think is wonderful)... But then, the beautiful thing about a song like “Free” that has been a defining moment in my career, is that it has an extensive lifespan. It won’t die. You know?
Get into it! |
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