Music

SATE is a powerful, celestial force that shines both musically through my headphones and in person on our video call. As the daughter of Canadian jazz and blues icon Salome Bey, SATE has spent a lifetime immersed in music and has carved a unique path for herself along the way. Her soulful, gritty rock is presented with spiritual imagery rooted in astrology and numerology, which all culminates in an impactful art piece.

As we compare astrology signs (we both have Libra placements), SATE has me figured out within seconds of knowing my birth chart. It’s a great session of self-discovery, much like the theme of her new album. Named after a Tarot card, The Fool is an exploration of life’s unknowns and the need to take a leap of faith. It’s packed with emotions that I cannot wait to see screamed for a live audience.

Photo by Richard Ashman.

Evolution of Self and Sound
I started recording The Fool in 2018 — from that moment to finishing it, so much has happened. My father, mother-in-law and mother passed on. Then there’s the pandemic. So I was coming to music from a totally different space. I had to stay in, both physically and spiritually, and it gave me the opportunity to face myself. I allowed myself to surrender into the actual feelings rather than bypass them.

We’re All Fools
I started seeing the numbers 11 and 22 all the time — on clocks, transfers on the TTC. Eleven in Tarot is Justice, justice is Libra and that’s me. Twenty-two in Tarot is The Fool. I started to reflect on how I felt like the fool as I stepped into my music and the unknown. Then I realized we’re all fools on our own journeys. There’s so many unknown variables in life and we should live in the magic of “where is this gonna take me?” This is my fool’s journey!

Art Is All Around
I really love art that challenges and creates conversations. It’s not about genre, it’s about frequency. I have so many inspirations, from so many walks of life. There’s the filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky; visual artists Wangechi Mutu and Stylo Starr; Canadian musicians Zaki Ibrahim, Witch Prophet, The OBGMs. There’s wonder in everything and I just think we’re magical beings — we have so much to offer.

Delicious Mess of Live Music
There’s something so spiritual about being on stage and interacting with a crowd. You feel all of the love, the passion, the individual energy from everyone. It’s a beautiful, powerful conversation.

I would love to get on the road with The OBGMs. There’s also a lot of killer women that I would love to tour with. I wanna be crowdsurfing and sweating with people. It would just be delicious, messy, sensual. That’s what I envision post pandemic.

Destined to Perform
My mother said I came out dancing. She put me into dance as soon as I was walking and had me singing as soon as I was talking. She took me on the road with her to theatres and stadiums. Between her, her sister, her brother, my cousins, my sister, I saw performance all around me. There was nothing else that I saw myself doing.