I find it very difficult not to write in any sort of Sudanese style. With Sudanese music, there are very specific things that happen with the syncopation of the drums, melodies and stuff. And whenever I write, that's always the first thing that comes out, because I grew up listening to it. It's a part of me, so I try to bring that out in the music. I think that you have to be honest with what you do, and that's the most honest thing that I can do, is to write that way.
When you go into the whole realm of creating your own music and seeing the project through, it's increasingly difficult because nowadays a lot of people are making music all on their own - the individual instead of the band. And when you have such a solid vision and you spend so much time working on one idea and allowing it to manifest in your mind through a record, and then you have to go and find people to help you see it through live, it gets really overwhelming, to have to project and really clearly state what you're trying to do and how you want them to do it.
When you're trying to make people believe in what you want to do, you have to be really careful to figure out how you'll make it work, how to maintain the momentum that you're getting without sacrificing much. It's a complete learning process.
I love touring. If I could tour every day of my life, I would. It's my favorite thing to do.
Maybe I'm just a freak of nature, but I like every aspect of touring. I like it when you play amazing shows and everyone's in high spirits, I like hating everything and wanting to be alone, I like the days that are boring and there's nothing to do, I love the time wasted. I love everything about it.
