“We Always Feel Like The Bee-Gees”

Liv Walker talks to Bradford-based sibling electronic combo La La and the Boo-Ya, ahead of their gig in Leeds on Thursday.

It’s not often you get a band that shouts their Bradford provenance from the rooftops.
But then La La and the Boo Ya already dance to a rhythm that’s all their own.
The brother and sister combo craft thoughtful yet catchy songs, often underpinned by dirty jungle bass beats and laid over with soulful vocals and rap.
Their energetic live shows elegantly span the gap between club night and gig, and have earned them a reputation on the festival circuit.
With their first official release set for the autumn – and a live set at Wharf Chambers in Leeds this week – singer, rapper and lyricist Martha Cecilia muses on defying expectations.
“As a 30-something single mum living in Bradford, I’m quite proud of myself for persevering with the music. There are definitely moments when I stop and wonder who I’m trying to kid. But being able to put two fingers up to the norm is starting to pay off now.”
They take inspiration from living in West Yorkshire’s most-maligned town. They’re track “Stay” imagines how different Bradford might be if so many of its young people didn’t move away. “Just remember if they’d all stayed this might be a very different place/ so don’t believe that it’s a shithole/ I know it’s hard when a nation thinks so/ what do they know?/ It’s a beautiful place.”
The pair started writing songs with their cousins on family holidays as kids.
“There were always loads of our uncle’s instruments lying around to muck about with,” explains Martha Cecilia. “The first song I can ever remember writing was about the mess and random people left over from an all-night party. It was a pretty punky tune. ”
They see nothing unusual about writing across genres. “I was big into Drum and Bass from the age of 15,” says Eddie, who develops their banging rhythms and distorted sounds. “But from a compositional perspective, soul is my biggest influence.”

“My singing style is probably influenced by a combination of the West Indian culture we grew up around and folk music through osmosis,” chips in Martha. “ And the sarcasm and lack of ambiguity in my lyrics could have something to do with being a big Morrissey fan.”
And far from volcanic sibling rows, they reckon it works best keeping it in the family.
“It makes the music easier, because we put up with each other whatever,” says Eddie.
“When we’re working on something together, trying to describe a sound or an idea between us is much easier, quicker and properly understood than it would be with anyone else,” Martha Cecilia agrees. “After working with other producers recently, I realised how much I took that for granted.”
Despite writing songs supporting civil rights and the campaign to save the Bradford Odeon, they’re keen not to be pigeon-holed as making protest music.
“It can be frustrating being labelled as a political band – people tend to think that’s all you do,” says Martha Cecilia. “I wonder how many people have listened to something like ‘Stanley King’ (which is basically a recital of a badly written letter Eddie got from a Bradford Councillor) and then been disappointed to hear ‘Spangled Mornings’ (a song about me not being able to keep my pants on). These things both affect lives and are equally worthy of singing about.”
“I don’t think it’s important for music to do more than just entertain,” agrees Eddie. “There are songs that just go ‘dooby dooby do’ that are as brilliant as a song with a strong lyrical point. I guess the ultimate best song is something that does both.”
La La and the Boo Ya are headlining a benefit gig for PAFRAS (Positive Action For Refugees and Asylum Seekers) at Wharf Chambers, Leeds on Thursday 14th June. Entrance £4.
Their music is available at http://soundcloud.com/lalaandthebooya