interview with FANGA

What´s the name of your band? Hillary Sargeant FANGA

How was the band formed? FANGA is basically myself working with an extension of various musicians.

Can you tell about your band? I can tell you about FANGA. FANGA music born…..2007

The word FANGA! Originates from the West African Mandingo lingo.

Literally it translates: Power! - It hits you to the core, in its multifaceted, powerful

meaning: everybody has his or her own FANGA! - To me it is resilient, not only

powerful, in essence the African rhythm in FANGA! inspires me with a spiritual

enlightenment which has become the matrix of my soul identity.

Where was your first gig? In Tel Aviv, Reading 3.

Where was the latest gig? Tel Aviv, Shablul Jazz Club

Who writes your songs?/Who writes the music who writes lyrics? I do

Who has the best sense of humor in the band? Me.

What's good/bad with the band?/What genre do you feel you are? I don’t belong to any genre or try to fit into any specific genre. Hence the reason I call my music FANGA music as it’s a mix of many genres.

Why did you pick that particular style?/What are your songs about? My songs are about what’s happening today in our society. A big part of it is also telling the

stories of my ancestry and touching base with my roots.

Do you write your own material or mainly covers? All my music is original

Have you made any albums?/If yes what are they? Yes, I’ve done a few singles and an EP. Still working on my album.

Do you have any clips on YouTube? Yes /www.youtube.com/watch?v=olcoCz0Gvjs

How old are you?/What got you started in music? Age is something I do not discuss. My music says it all. I come from a world of musicians. My father, uncles and many others were/are all musicians

At what age did you start playing? I started at around 11.

How old were you guys when you first stood on stage? I was 6 years old when I first stood on stage. However, it was a poetic performance. But withthe FANGA Band we officially began performing in 2009.

What year was the band started? 2008

Best/worst gig you've played? This is a tricky question because often the performances I think are the worst my audience think are the best. And those I think are the best might be the worst. So I always leave it up to my audience to make that call.

What places will you be playing in in the immediate future? I do have several performances booked in Tel Aviv and working now on performances for

Germany and Japan.

Which band is the best you´ve seen? For me every band has its magic and I don’t try to judge as that’s part of the FANGA law.

Is it always the same songs live? For the most part yes but I always try to include a few surprises in between ;)

What has been the best/most promising gig so far?My performance in Ra’anana Israel at the Opera House was one of my most memorable.

How big crowds do you usually play for? My most recent performance for Bob Marley’s 70th Birthday was for 4,000 people.

What are the plans for the rest of the year? CREATE! CREATE! CREATE! I would like to be more creative, and also perform in a few

International Festivals

How do you get psyched up for a gig? It’s imperative that I MUST have a massage the day before and REST. I spend the preceding

24hrs before any show in solitude and deep meditation all to hit that first note.

What are your goals with your music? For it to be legendary. My aim is to leave a legacy of good music so whenever it is played it is relevant and will be enjoyable. That’s why I have not pursued the commercial route of music. It’s not about it being relevant for NOW but for it to be long lasting.

When did you decide to go all in for the music? Since I know myself I’ve been into music. I eat and sleep music. But I would say my bigger decision was when I decided to commit myself to MY music – the FANGA music!

Is it easier to get your inspiration from older bands or from bands more modern? My inspiration is not external. My inspiration comes from meditating and dealing with my subconscious awareness. That doesn’t say I have not been influenced as there are some bands I loved both modern and past but where FANGA comes from is much deeper within.

What's the first step when making a new song? The first and foremost step for me always will be the content.

How do you feel about the downloading of music instead of buying albums? You can’t fight technology. You learn to swim with the sharks.

What would be your dreams for the band? Like every other band, my dream is to play throughout the world in major performances.

Besides your own music, what genres and bands do you listen to? I listen to everything – from Arabic to Indian music. You name it, I listen.

What do you hold most dear? My intuition first and foremost and the ability to share my wisdom with my loved ones –

family and friends and anyone who I’m fortunate to be in contact.

What would be your greatest fears for the future? FEAR- False Things Appearing Real. Therefore I don’t hold any fears.

When you are on stage, what do you fear most then? I fear most when I let go because then anything could materialize from this subliminal

existence.

Have you been in any other bands? Yes many. I’ve been a part of a Fusion Band, called the Common Bond where I wrote a few

songs with them and travelled through Eastern Europe. I was also a part of Hip Hop Band

called Asymetrix and Leonid Pathshka, a famous Russian Jazz pianist with whom I travelled

with throughout Russia. I even did an off-Broadway play in New York at one point.

What would you do if there was no music? I would most probably do poetry. It’s the closest art form to music and expressing oneself.

How important are your fans? VERY important. They are the VIPs of my world. Without them for whom shall I perform?

What's the funniest/most memorable thing a fan has done for you? The most memorable was when a fan once gave me a diamond ring. And the funniest was when someone came to give me flowers in the middle of my stage performance.

Name 2 of your own songs you like at the moment? Who I am – Back to Blackness and Butterflies

What drives a band that isn't all that famous and renowned to try to make a living on their

music and to keep playing? Their passion and the willpower to succeed.

Do you have any webpages? Yes www.hillarysargeant.com

Any pearls of wisdom for all other bands out there? Never Give Up.

What are the biggest obstacles for a band? Too many people with differing opinions.

What is best/worst with playing the clubs? The worst would be their lack of investment in a proper sound system. The best would be

those that have a good sound system ☺ The management is also very much a deciding factor

in a band’s experience.

How would you describe your sound in one sentence I can do it one word – FANGA! Sentence – The Power Within Me!

What was one of the most quarrelsome times for you in the band? Trying to get them to sit on 1 song for 20 mins to get it tight.

Do you have anything to add?

FANGA is a blend of several different genres in terms of sound, but the things that put them

all together is the powerful message behind each tune.

Through my experiences I learnt to view things from a different perspective as I encountered

different environments, situations, people and cultures. FANGA therefore is the result

of this melting pot of different ideas, taking shape into something absolutely unique and

wonderful.

Its purpose is to impact or empower listeners to a stratosphere to be more aware of their

purpose on this earth.

FANGA is more than music. Its messages can also be found in word by visiting our Blog at

https://hsfanga.wordpress.com/tag/hillary-sargeant/

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