MYSTIC
The Life: An Interview with Singer/Songwriter Mystic
by Julia Laricheva

Mystic is an emerging artist represented by San Francisco-based Goodvibe Records (home also to another notable female talent, rapper Bahamadia). Her scorching debut CD is titled Cuts for Luck, Scars For Freedom. Mystic's strong but graceful voice is capable of delivering both a fluid song and a hard rhyme. Her stilo is authentic and original, with lyrics that are vivid and cathartically candid. She is not afraid to take you to a place that may be a little unsafe. Her song "Fatherless Child" is a testament to the heavy, triumphant grasp she exerts upon painful life circumstances. Other songs, such as "The Life", "Neptunes Jewels", and "Once a Week", are more playful, but not without a sharp edge as well. This is a record you will never grow numb to, if you listen to it a million times.

To see Mystic perform live is to witness the true magnitude of her creative energy. Onstage, her soft, diminutive physical form belies the forceful animation and magnetism of her spirit. Even the non-initiated in the crowd were reverently bobbing their heads and pushing their way closer to the stage shortly after her set began. To catch a glimpse of the phenomenal Mystic, watch for her debut video "The Life" on MTV.

What is your real name?
The name that my mother gave me is Mandllyn Ludlum.

How did you pick the name Mystic?
I don't know if I found the definition first and chose it, or chose it and then looked it up. You know, it represented a couple of different things to me at the time. One of them was that as a female artist they didn't think that people understood me.

Where were you when you first heard your song "The Life"
on the radio?
Goodness.... She turns around to address her entourage, waiting patiently in the lobby. Her friends recall a few scenarios. She then remembers. [One time I was in the car with my roommate.] We had the stereo on and were engaged in conversation when my roommate said, "Hey, isn't that your song on the radio?" Suddenly I realized that hey, oh my god-it's my song on the radio! It still surprises me when it comes on the radio. MTV2 has been playing my video. Due to the tragic few weeks regarding the World Trade Center attack, MTV started putting it into rotation.

Do you think that in the wake of the World Trade Center tragedy, musicians are taking advantage of the situation and are using it to promote themselves?
I don't know-I think that it's such a traumatizing, tragic, shocking event that it stirs us all from the very depths of ourselves to want to come forward and speak, to be involved and participate. I think that the people who are over on the corner selling American flags, when they were just selling watches a few days ago, are definitely taking advantage of the situation.

Your new CD Cuts for Luck, Scars for Freedom just came out.
Talib Kweli worked with you on it. Are there any people you are interested in collaborating with?
I want to work with OC, Devon the Dude, Bebel Gilberto, Fiona Apple,
Dave Matthews, Lenny Kravitz, Pink Floyd, Portishead...

What's your next move?
Well, no, not anytime soon. I have the concept [for the new album] together. We actually just wrote a new song in the back of the tour bus. I am not in any rush.


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