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The Sputnik // Wednesday September 148

A&EKiley Bell // arts@thesputnik.ca

Not many musicians would allow you

to interview them in a bathroom, especiallyone situated in a nightclub, but after an in-terview with Kay, I got the feeling that the

female hip-hop artist wasn’t like a lot of musicians.

Each September, rst year Laurier Brant-

ford students ock to club NV to enjoy aconcert promised to them during O-Week.This year, Laurier Brantford snagged These

Kids Wear Crowns as the main act, with To-ronto trio Candy Coated Killahz and NovaScotia native Kay opening.

I had already been snubbed earlier byThese Kids Wear Crowns for an interview

 because- well, I’m not really sure why. And

at this point I was remaining doubtful that Iwould get the chance to interview anyone.

That is until an hour went by and I

found myself standing in a quiet, club NV bathroom upstairs with Kay and her man-ager, ready to begin an interview.

“Did you want me to sit on toilet?” Kaysays, already taking a seat.

My rst thought looking at the white,

female, Nova Scotian rapper that was nowsitting on the throne in front of me washow bizarre this interview was quickly

 becoming. My second, and probably moreimportant thought, was how difcult itmust be for her to nd her voice in a male-

dominated rap world.“Guys can be kind of harsh, but it’s nice

to be an adult now and have grown men

around me that are really nice and respect-

ful,” Kay explains. “Truthfully, I’ve come toa point where I don’t bring anyone aroundme that doesn’t respect me. Most times I’m

the only girl in the room, but they all treatme like a sister.”

While I found it smart that Kay only

surrounds herself with males that take herseriously as an artist, I still wanted to knowwhere she could nd inspiration to contin-

ue her style of music as a woman.“Growing up I was super inuenced by

Nelly Furtado and Missy Elliot. For the lon-

gest time I thought I was Missy Elliot,” saysKay. “But then I looked in the mirror andhad a reality check,” she laughs.

Not only does Kay have a unique voicein the rap and hip-hop world, but she alsohas a style that is all her own.

“My closet always looks like a rainbow,I’ve been super colourful since I was a kid.And I take a lot of inspiration from 90s hip-

hop,” she explains.This much is evident from her massive

gold chains, black and white leggings, and

Adidas cap and sneakers, all of which area denite throwback to the 90s look madefamous by the likes of Master P and Left-

Eye.“No matter what your style is, if it’s heels

and booty shorts or if it’s baggy shirts, just

 be yourself because that’s the most attrac-tive thing,” Kay says. “The older you get,the more you really come into your own.”

Already impressed by her honesty andeasy-going attitude, I found myself wish-ing that I could say something on behalf 

of Laurier that would equally impress her.

Although she was already one step aheadof me.

“If I were to go to a school right now

with Blue Wizards, it would totally be theright school for me!” she says as we discussthe different O-Week teams. “Frosh week is

the best because I know I could be anybodyup there on stage and everyone would be

 just as supportive. It’s the perfect situation

for me as a new artist.”As I noticed the time on my tape record-

er nearing the 10 minute mark, I immedi-

ately apologized for taking up more of hertime than I had anticipated.

“It’s totally okay!” she says. “I’m on the

can so I’m practically multitasking,” shelaughs.

As it turns out, I’m glad that These Kids

Wear Crowns denied me an interview. If they hadn’t have done that then I wouldn’thave had the chance to hang out in a bath-

room with the down-to-earth, and extreme-ly talented Kay.

With a new tour underway, and her

single “My Name is Kay” garnering someserious airplay, it’s obvious this Maritimemusician has a bright future ahead of her.

Kay: Nova Scotia’s newest hip-hop sensationKiley BellSection Editor 

Kay, an up-and-coming Nova Scotian hip-hop artist, played NV last week. (Photo by Venetia Bodanis)

“When he said that I was the win-ner, I did that beauty queen thingwhere you put your hands over yourmouth and I didn’t cry but I felt a little bit tearful. Oh, that’s so lame. But I’m just so pleased!”

These were the words spoken byMarilla Wex last Thursday, as Gus &Guidos opened its doors to both bois-terous laughter and drunken heckles by hosting the Brantford Comedy Fes-tival’s Rising Star Competition.

The stakes were high because the

winner of the competition was granted

a spot in the upcoming Brantford Com-edy Festival’s Saturday show, openingfor heavyweight comedians Tom Greenand Sean Cullen.

It was an extremely close competi-tion with the British-born Wex onlywinning by one point. Going up againstve other strong competitors, Wexwasn’t sure where she would place.

“It was very close, there was onepoint between me and the other guysso I’m pleased to be in really great com-pany,” says Wex. “I am really blownaway. I totally thought there were acouple of other comedians that weregoing to win.”

One of her competitors in particular,

17-year-old Mayce Galoni, won overWex and the crowd over the course of the evening with his self-deprecatinghumor and fresh material.

“I honestly loved what Mayce did.He was my absolute favourite,” praisesWex. “I can’t believe he’s 17 and he hasthat material he has written himself. Itotally thought he would win becausehe was incredible.”

While wonderkid Mayce Galonididn’t win the Rising Star competition,he did tie for second place earninghimself an opening spot for the come-dy festival’s Friday night show. Galoni,along with other second place winner

Mike Takacs, will open for Trevor Wil-

son, Mark DeBonis and Gilson Lubinon Sept. 23.

Now that Wex has just over a week to prepare for the upcoming Festival, italso means she will have a week to rstfeel nerves and then overcome them asshe prepares material to open for someof Canadian comedy’s biggest names.

“I’m a bit intimidated. It’s interest-ing, terrifying, amazing, and I’m just blown away right now,” says Wex.

You can check out Marilla Wexnext on Sept. 24 when she performsin her well-deserved opening spot forthe Brantford Comedy Festival at theSanderson Centre.

Marilla Wex stands up as Brantford’s Rising Star

Kiley BellSection Editor 

Hopeful comedians performed at the Brantford Comedy Festival’s Rising Star Competition last Thursday. (Photo by Venetia Bodanis)