Meet Tamarie T. | Musical Shaman, Performer, Musician, Creator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tamarie T. and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tamarie, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I chose to pursue my musical path because it was something in my soul since I came to this earth no matter what other way I attempted to go I would always end up aligning right back to music and nothing makes me feel the way I feel when I’m in my true authentic self musically. My career path is something in my heart and one thing I’ll always do is follow my heart no matter what.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Following my own path has always been my thing no matter the environment. Whether it’s the way I style and profile my hair, drape a trench coat over my shoulders, create my unique style of music I call “Exotik Funk”, or even the way I perceive life. Standing out from the crowd has been my norm. I may come off as “out of this world,” but I choose to maintain a strong spiritual connection within myself in the light & dark times of being a Kreator.

My journey into music began when I was a young little brotha I danced and sang with my grandma to the tunes of some of the greats in Music. It was around that time I discovered my passion for music, especially Funk. This got me in the zone of a dedicated daily routine of dissecting and recreating the art form, which I was diggin on deep. I drew inspiration from legends such as James Brown, Little Richard, Fela Kuti, Jimi Hendrix, Rick James, Prince, Michael Jackson, Parliament Funkadelic, Bootsy Collins, David Bowie, Junie Morrison, Slave, Bob Marley, The Bar Kays, Morris Day and The Time, Miles Davis, and many others. Their influence remains integral to my life as I continue to evolve and learn. My mission here is to use Music plus Live Performance to give people that real powah, healing, and release they didn’t know they needed living in this realm today. What I live for is to activate you, break you free from constrictions/limitations, & show you how to keep that authentic, unique vibe about yourself No matter what. I wanna show you how to be “Exotik ” and do it by doing what I do like only I know how to do it. Empowahment through Music is what I stand for

Throughout my musical journey I’ve had the opportunity to perform and learn from a lot of legendary Chicago musicians at venues like Kingston Mines, The Elbo Room, House of Blues, Mothers, Chicago Blues Festival, Underground Wonder Bar, Pilsen Festival, City Winery &, CTA Redline Station just to name a few. With the many lessons I’ve learned on this journey and continue to learn I shape my music to be a reflection of my full essence on this earth and beyond. My music is Exotik Funk so I strive to embody what Ex
otik Funk looks like a vessel on and off the stage. I’ve left an inspirational mark on the live music scene in Chicago and will continue to expand beyond the cosmos to bring a nostalgic yet futuristicly in the present musical frequency.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Currently I’m in New Orleans so there would be a ton of spots I would take my people. I know for sure I would introduce them to several live music clubs on Frenchman St. and surrounding areas. Most likely I would take them out in nature as well to get that balance.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
During my journey I’ve had the opportunity to meet & learn from so many legendary Chicago musicians who have played with some of the best in music like Chaka Khan, EWF, Curtis Mayfield and more. I have a long list of elder mentors too many to name so as a whole I honor all of them for the wisdom instilled within me from the years of learning, watching, & growing.

Website: https://thizizexotikfunk.com/thiz-iz-exotik-funk

Instagram: @elektra_kumpany

Image Credits
Photographers: Katia Jackson Seed Lynn Rick Majewski