MCV 252
Inaya Day, Inaya Dollar
The Horny Nasty Girl takes time out of her Glamorous Life to tell us, I Am The One
Earlier this year, when writing about Inaya Day’s last awesome performance in Melbourne, it felt necessary to add qualifiers like ‘vocalist on Horny, writer of Nasty Girl’ and so on. Now? C’mon man, it’s Inaya Day! As if her earlier hits weren’t enough, she’s since slammed the charts with ‘Glamorous Life’ and is about to do the same again with her latest single – a collaboration with ATFC (‘Aydin, the Funky Child’) called ‘Reach Out To Me’.
And seems we truly are the lucky country – that last performance was in June; nary four months ago. Thanks to the Vinyl Pushers, she’s coming back one more time just to see you. Avoid the red cheeks of embarrassment and the isolation of being the only one who missed it; get to the Market on Cup Eve for the next explosive performance from the new queen of house. We spoke to Inaya ahead of her tour, and she certainly had a lot to say…
You've laid some vocals for some amazing artists, such as Michael Jackson, Sean Combs, Queen Latifah, Missy Elliot - what were those experiences like?
Great, of course. Michael Jackson and I were in two different countries so I didn't meet him. Latifah I know personally so it was a joy to do a duet with her - a ballad, at that! Sean Combs I know as well; [he’s] really easy to work with in the studio.
You're also a songwriter - what have your songs been about?
I write about love, life, music and God.
What do you think makes a good song?
A catchy hook and a banging beat. People don't really care much about lyrical content even though most songwriters do.
Could you tell us about your new record 'Reach Out To Me' with the legendary ATFC?
Reach is a remake of a song that ATFC really likes. He asked me to rerecord it and add a hook and here we are.
Why do you think it'll be a huge hit?
Well, [I’m] just beginning to realize it's a huge hit. I guess the disco element has a lot to do with that. ATFC is a joy to work with and a great talent. We've been working together for quite a while and we produce other artists together.
Could you also please tell us about your CD 'The Day Is Here'?
It's a compilation of songs that were already released and charted, along with Nasty Girl and a new joint called Lost In The Music......everyone, be sure to pick one up from
www.inayaday.com!'Horny' holds many memories for the gay people of Australia, as it was chosen as the official song of Midsumma the year it was released - what memories does it hold to you?
I remember most, the day Mousse T and I were in the studio recording it. We just had fun with it and I don't think either one of us expected it to go pop and become a world-wide anthem... but, whoopee!
Why do you think you hold so much gay appeal?
Not sure – it seems the gay audience is more likely to appreciate the arts as a whole. They don't just look and listen, they watch and hear.
You've been working with our very own mrTimothy a lot - what's that experience like?
The best! He's a lot of fun… My Australian brother!
You seem to have an astronomical level of fame in Australia - is that matched overseas?
Mmmmm, in some places... Australia, the UK and the USA are the strongest followings.... Although, I think people notice me in public more in Australia.
As a result of your fame, have you been spending a lot of time here?
Oh definitely... And I love it. Hell, if I could, I'd get an apartment here. Oh, and I don't think I've reached the ‘fame’ plateau yet.
This won't be the first time you've performed at the Market - can you tell us about the last time?
It was the bomb! The vibe of the crowd is so wicked. I'll sing for them anytime.
What are you most looking forward to at your performance at Market?
Vibing with the crowd and seeing David and Spiro (the leaders of the pack) - they're all such great guys!
What can we expect?
Just me and the music.
What else have you got coming up?
Going to Malaysia after I leave OZ, but, I'll be touring Oz for quite a while before I leave it.