Babs announches new EP Half and club tour

Babs announches new EP Half and club tour

On May 3rd Dutch rapper, producer and songwriter Babs will release her fifth EP Half on her own label Op De Beat Records. From May 10 on her club tour across The Netherlands will start. Her single Ze Waait Weg was released last November.

Musically, Babs takes a new path with Half, the EP is rhythmic, energetic and narrative. While her previous EPs mainly consisted of electronic music, she has now started working with organic sounds and (acoustic) recorded instruments. On this EP Babs uses influences from the black culture for the first time. The title Half refers to the two halves of Babs' roots, the Dutch versus the Surinamese.

Her previous songs mainly contained socially concerned lyrics around (gender) diversity, sexuality and identity, but this EP is a lot more personal. Thematically, Half is about the search for her roots and identity. Babs about Half: “I am half Dutch, half Surinamese and I have never felt the space to investigate how I relate to the Surinamese side of me, because - although I am often seen as an immigrant in the Netherlands - in the eyes of Surinamese I am white. I recently went to an exhibition with my (Surinamese) grandmother and twin brother about how black culture has influenced R&B, jazz and hip hop and that really inspired me to experiment with musical elements from the black culture. Additionally, I hope to highlight my versatility with Half and provide some female representation in a male-dominated scene, so I can be a role model for young female or non-binary producers.”

The latest single Ze Waait Weg is firstly about her search to her roots. On the other hand the song is about flying past yourself and the fast-paced life of today. “I like to play with contrasts, literally like I also did with my hair (half blond, half brown). I often talk about 'black and white thinking', which I would also like to bring color to my music. On Ze Waait Weg I discuss how it is to be seen as an immigrant by those around you and at the same time grow up with all kinds of white privileges. Sometimes I worry that I am too honest in my music, but I believe there is strength in vulnerability!”

Babs' first EP Ruimtevrees was released during the pandemic in 2021. In a short time she then released three more EPs and twelve singles, including the song Altijd Tijd together with Willie Wartaal. In 2022, the song Vermijd ‘t Verwachte was in the international, award-winning hiphop series Atlanta. She performed at Noorderslag and was nominated for 3voor12 Song of the Year with the song Bennie Boos. Babs is also a candidate in the Dutch TV program Wie is de Mol? which starts on January 6, 2024.

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