LYNKS AFRIKKA @ The Windmill
The unique synthy joy bringer who aims to "empower queerness and mock the joyless stoicism of contemporary club-culture" is on everyone's radar at the moment... We made our way down to Brixton to see what all the fuss was about.
Photos by Tilly Pearson
Arriving at the Windmill Brixton around 30 seconds into a Lynks Afrikka set is definitely the best environment to pop your Lynks Af cherry in. The glorious South London venue has hosted hundreds of memorable gigs and is a regular haunt for most 20-something year olds that grew up this side of the river. Admittedly we are usually listening to some variation of a four-piece-indie-come-post-punk-band (as brilliant as they may be), so being met with Lynks Afrikka & his Lynks Shower Gels was extremely exciting.
"I don't know how everyone else's New Year's Eve was but did YOU release a song?"
After a show of unprecedented energy, confetti canons galore and learning how to STEP-BY-STEP make béchamel sauce, it became clear why there was such a well-deserved hype around LA.
We caught up with the man behind the mask and talked all things from Queer Eye and finding your confidence to podcasts and lasagne...
LB: Where does your musical inspiration come from?
LA: I listen to a shit-ton of female rappers. M.I.A, Doja Cat, Little Simz, Azealia Banks etc. So even if it’s not conscious I feel like that’s sunk in a bit. Production wise I’m super inspired by Little Dragon’s Ritual Union album with the whole crunchy analog synth thing. Love it. LCD too! And Diplo’s early stuff.
What sort of music were you brought up on?
Honestly not much music… I only really started listening to music properly in my mid-teens. There was a lot of guiltily listening to Robyn and other hella-gay stuff. Loved Florence + the Machine too. A slightly weird amount. Like a lot of kids I got into dance music through Disclosure, which is massively uncool, obviously. But through that I started listening to more old school house stuff and then acid and tech and eventually started trying to mimic the sounds I heard. And now here I am!
Why do you think your act is important and relevant now?
We’re seeing queer representation properly breaking the mainstream for the first time, I think. And that’s awesome, but we need to make sure it’s authentic. The queer representation we get is often one that appeals to pre-conceived stereotypes of what LGBT+ people are. Look at Queer Eye - it fully appeals to the whole gay best friend, fairy godmother kind of schtick. And that’s a role queer people in TV and films always seem to inhabit. It’s pretty rare we see queer people as actual PEOPLE. We just end up as archetypes. So I hope I’m showing a slightly weirder, crunchier, more imperfect side of queer culture. Less polished, less refined, but hopefully a bit more authentic.
How would you describe LA to someone who’d never been to one of your shows?
Queer industrial drag pop with a side of amateur choreography.
Do you make a lot of béchamel sauce now that you know the recipe off by heart? (Listen to 'How to Make a Béchamel Sauce in 10 Steps (With Pictures) if you're confused.)
Honestly, no. I’ve found it doesn’t have a huge amount of uses… I don’t really go for lasagne and if I want a creamy sauce I just use like… cream or something.
You seem so confident within yourself. Does this come naturally to you? What nuggets of advice would you give others ?
Well bless you, but that’s not accurate at all. I think once you put yourself in a crazy costume and force yourself on stage you don’t really have a choice to be confident. I used to do music just dressed as me, and I was a nervous wreck. But if you put a mask on it changes everything. Because you aren’t worrying about people’s perceptions of you. Because you’re not you! So I guess that would be it - if you wanna go on stage, but are nervous about it, find a way to separate that person from yourself. There’s a lot of ways to do it - a mask is a good one, though.
Your shower gel ladies are wicked. Do you ever perform without them?
I have, but it’s a bit lame. I feel bad making people pay to watch me essentially do karaoke. Plus it’s a million times more fun with them. We really look out for each other on stage. Sometimes if they can see I’m floundering a bit, they’ll take the pressure off. I love them.
Have Lynx Africa reached out to you yet? We see a collaboration of some sort happening...
Not yet!!! I’m waiting to be sued... I reckon it’ll be great publicity.
Who are you listening to at the moment?
After resisting for years, I’ve finally got into Cardi B and Death Grips. I have a playlist that’s just them. Also 100 Gecs, George Clanton, Richard Dawson and Angel Olsen. I tend to get into things about 6 months after anyone cares about them it seems… But tbh I mainly just listen to podcasts.
And finally, what do you listen to on your Last Bus home?
Podcasts. Always a podcast. I’m addicted to 'Beyond Today'. Also at the moment loving 'Talking to Actors' with Anna Mann and 'Do the Right Thing'.
Follow Lynks Afrikka on Instagram here to keep up to date with new music (and recipes?).
Words: Lily Carr-Gomm
Photos: Tilly Pearson
