Lido Pimienta returns to Halifax

The 2017 Polaris Prize winner Lido Pimienta is back in town tonight, six weeks after her Halifax Pop Explosion show—during which she made her standard request for women of colour to move to the front, followed by white women and then men—became national news due to some audience members' reactions.

Pimienta is here as a part of the New Constellations tour, touted as "the first of its kind: a music and literary, national tour travelling to cities, towns, and Indigenous communities, and featuring a core roster of Indigenous artists alongside a rotating cast of some of the country’s most celebrated musicians, writers and poets." It takes place at the Spatz Theatre tonight.

Why did you want to be a part of New Constellations tour? And why did you want to be involved as a mentor in the mentorship program? What is your approach to mentorship of youth?
I trust the people behind this project and I have worked with them before. I know I will be in great company and I know that this is the beginning of something bigger than ourselves. I teach youth in my personal life. Children and youth are my favourite energy to be around. One learns lessons about patience and empathy in a very particular and focused way. I am excited to share the space with people still not jaded by this industry and it is important to teach them to be aware and protective of their music, which is something I never got when I started in music, so my approach is complete honesty, love and fun! Fun is a MUST!

 I’m really interested to know about your own musical tastes—who are you excited about working with, who is in your headphones these days? Is there a collaboration element to this tour that goes beyond performing together?
In general I am listening to a lot of Gucci Mane’s new album Mr Davis. I listen to a lot of Afro Indigenous to Colombia sounds and artists. I work with everyone, I get invitations to participate with great artists all the time, it is something beautiful and something I am quite good at: To escape my own mind and enter another’s. For this tour, I am excited to work with everyone and learn from everybody, I want to particularly teach womxn about my experience as an immigrant breaking through perhaps one of the most difficult industries there ever was. I live my life day by day, awaiting eagerly for my next musical adventure!

What are you hopeful for in 2018?
I am hopeful for the rights of womxn in all industries to be at the top of every list in the world. I am excited for the RISE of Indigenous Sovereignty, and I am hopeful for the imminent VIDEO that will impeach Trump.

I get the feeling you’re through discussing what happened at HPX...but it seems hard not to mention it since you’re coming back only six weeks later. How do you feel this time, versus your last visit, coming to Nova Scotia?
I am excited to let myself go, cry on stage, get myself together and then: Kill the stage with love and righteousness.