Didi is a vocalist who's been performing in Seattle for five years. She's sung with jam bands, reggae group Nuffsed, and lately with Bethurum Collective.
You're from Portland. Why live and perform in Seattle?
Because the transportation system here in Seattle is much worse. And everybody knows that the more hours you sit in traffic, the more inspired you are to write tunes. Therefore, why live somewhere where you’ll get home quickly? It’s throwing away free inspiration, man! Oh alright, actually, I just found myself still here after college and haven’t been able to leave. Seriously, I’ve tried, but it’s too good here for the time being. I will though…someday….
When you look out at a crowd while you're singing, what do you like to see?
Well, I can tell you that the coolest thing I ever saw was to look out at the audience and count 3 people – that’s 1,2,3!- lipsynching to the song I was singing, “Snowblinded." I didn’t know any of them. It was a wee mini rockstar moment.
If you could sing with any combo of musicians, living or dead, still together or not, who would it be?
Alive and dead, that narrows it down. Well, I would kill do to a song with Thom Yorke. Preferably one where we would record ourselves playing backwards so we could reverse it later. He’s good at that. Have Janis Joplin add her voice and intensity. James Iha could play the guitar. Then maybe have Amon Tobin create the beats & product it. Hmm, I like it….what would this band be called?
How about Didi and the Mostly Alive Five?
Ha! Sounds good.
What's your memory of your first public performance?
It was the Spring School Concert of 1987. Theme: the Teddy Bears Picnic. I was chosen to perform the personalized solo “Didi has a Teddy Bear,” to the tune of “Mary had a Little Lamb,” clearly. I actually had to hold a teddy bear on stage and my mother had decided that I would wear this flower girl dress from a wedding I was in that was the longest biggest pink-reddest piece of chiffon you could imagine. I think I looked like what I would later come to know as Meatwad.
Both you and your brother are musically-inclined--what did you listen to as kids?
Oh wow, all sorts of stuff. Earliest music I recall: we had a couple of children’s records that boasted something like “Top 101 Nursery Rhymes!” Only the ones that topped the charts at the time, of course. We would spin ourselves around in circles until dizzy, then sit in laundry baskets and sing them. And my parents were into everything from 60’s psychedelic stuff like Iron Butterfly and the Doors to all the 80’s hits like NuShooz and Michael Jackson, so we got exposed to all sorts of interesting tunes. We were also forced to take piano lessons from age five through high school graduation. It’s something I hated at the time, but totally thank my parents for today.
How did Bethurum Collective come together?
the artist "Bethurum" is Benjamin, my fabulously talented brother, who produces and composes all of the tracks. He consistantly amazes me, writing new tunes every day. Back in the day, Benjamin would perform by crazily pushing buttons and keys himself. Then, he & I collaborated a bit and started putting lyrics and melodies to his songs to mix it up a bit. 2 of his good friends joined us - amazing jazz bassist Evan Flory-Barnes started ripping up the tracks with his own interpretations and DJ Jacedo started adding turntable scratches and samples – and suddenly "the Bethurum Collective" was born. The newest album, "Versa Vice," showcases both "Bethurum" and "The Bethurum Collective."
See Bethurum Collective next Sunday March 12th at the Chapel Bar, and at Chop Suey on March 26th.
top photo, B. Tate, bottom photo, P. Gibson
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Didi is a wonderful, talented person and Bethurum is really worth checking out.
Didi really is beautiful. I totally have a crush on her. I've had the pleasure of getting to know her, a little, and not only is she a total sweetheart, but she's freaking smart and funny, too.
I heart Didi.