Upcoming 100: Can you start by introducing yourself and telling us a bit about your musical journey so far?
Little Manitou: Hello! We are Little Manitou! Little Manitou is a global music project based in the Highlands of Scotland, originating from Africa, Iran and the States, fusing Rock, Trance & Dance into live electronic music. Brother/sister duo, Surya and Neile, moved to London in 1996, frequenting the open mic circuit and DJing on various radio stations. 10 years later, Dorna came on the scene, met and married Surya and eventually the electronic trio organically formed and produced their first album Universal Dust.
Surya and Neile grew up in a musical family playing guitar, singing and writing original folk/rock songs from an early age. Dorna was classically trained in piano and flute, also from a young age. When they got together, a unique sound was born, transforming their original skills into a more electronic feel, creating layers of sounds with lots of synthesizers, drum machines and electronic guitars, topped with original lyrics.
Manitou is a name used by Native American tribes to refer to the life force present in all beings, human and spirit. It is this energy that binds us together, connecting us to everyone and everything.
Little Manitou: Hello! We are Little Manitou! Little Manitou is a global music project based in the Highlands of Scotland, originating from Africa, Iran and the States, fusing Rock, Trance & Dance into live electronic music. Brother/sister duo, Surya and Neile, moved to London in 1996, frequenting the open mic circuit and DJing on various radio stations. 10 years later, Dorna came on the scene, met and married Surya and eventually the electronic trio organically formed and produced their first album Universal Dust.
Surya and Neile grew up in a musical family playing guitar, singing and writing original folk/rock songs from an early age. Dorna was classically trained in piano and flute, also from a young age. When they got together, a unique sound was born, transforming their original skills into a more electronic feel, creating layers of sounds with lots of synthesizers, drum machines and electronic guitars, topped with original lyrics.
Manitou is a name used by Native American tribes to refer to the life force present in all beings, human and spirit. It is this energy that binds us together, connecting us to everyone and everything.
Upcoming 100: Can you share a specific moment or artist that inspired you to pursue a career in music?
Little Manitou: There are so many moments and so many artists that have inspired us! Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, the Beatles, the Cure, the Pixies, Depeche Mode, Royksopp, Faithless and various Trance artists to name a few... Also, the rave scene in New York and London sparked a lot of inspiration. There has always been in innate desire to express our creativity and to help change the world in a positive way and music became the vehicle for that to happen.
Upcoming 100: Are there any rituals or specific environments that fuel your creativity?
Little Manitou: Nature is a big influence… just listening to her sounds, seeing her expansive beauty, and witnessing the harmony between all living things is both awe inspiring and humbling. Watching live music from artists we love, DJing and dancing also fuels the creative juices!
Upcoming 100: How would you describe your unique musical style, and what do you think sets you apart from other artists in your genre?
Little Manitou: Our sound merges rock, trance and dance and folks who generally ‘don’t like electronic music’ have said they really like songs, as it’s somehow connects with them in a way that’s beyond a specific genre. We describe our music as ‘rock, trance and dance’ but these are just generic labels…depending on what’s inspiring us in that moment or what beat is playing, we could get more rocky or more trancey or more….?! We are not bound by a specific genre, which keeps us inspired and allows music to flow and allows us to connect with more people.
Little Manitou: Our sound merges rock, trance and dance and folks who generally ‘don’t like electronic music’ have said they really like songs, as it’s somehow connects with them in a way that’s beyond a specific genre. We describe our music as ‘rock, trance and dance’ but these are just generic labels…depending on what’s inspiring us in that moment or what beat is playing, we could get more rocky or more trancey or more….?! We are not bound by a specific genre, which keeps us inspired and allows music to flow and allows us to connect with more people.
Upcoming 100: What do you hope listeners take away from your music?
Little Manitou: Inspiration, feeling uplifted, joy, and enjoying a good groove... We hope that are music spreads happiness and helps to elevate others, as many of our songs have a spiritual & poignant aspect (we write a lot about unity/togetherness, love, forgiveness).
Little Manitou: Inspiration, feeling uplifted, joy, and enjoying a good groove... We hope that are music spreads happiness and helps to elevate others, as many of our songs have a spiritual & poignant aspect (we write a lot about unity/togetherness, love, forgiveness).
Upcoming 100: Can you share any challenges you've faced during your journey in the music industry so far, and how you've managed to overcome them?
Little Manitou: With electronic music, there’s no specific template to follow so it’s discovering the best ways to produce and to perform live, especially with lots of different kit. Timing/midi is always a challenge and trying to have a live rig that’s completely ‘plug and play’ that is also stable has been an ongoing journey…!
Its important to research what the best kit out there is for what you’re trying to do. Not all devices are for everyone. Trial and error are how you’ll know if it works (Top tip: buy from places that have a 30 day money back guarantee on devices, especially if the kit is costly and doesn’t meet your requirements in the end so you don’t lose out!).
Flexibility is also key to being in band and working out how you will all play in-time with each other and making sure your sounds don’t clash (guitar and synths not in the same range for example). Sometimes we can’t take all the synthesizers to a live gig, so we need to work out what are the critical sounds/elements that captures the essence of that song, and then play that one.
Upcoming 100: In a competitive industry like music, how do you stay up-to-date with trends and ensure your music remains relevant?
Little Manitou: Keeping our music relevant just happens. As long as you do your inner work and keep practicing, finding inspiration and enjoying it, the music continues to flow, at least this has been the case for us. We don’t really stay up to date with trends. We stay up to date with ourselves and our own inspiration and creativity. We like finding new music and playing together and being open to trying new things.
Little Manitou: Keeping our music relevant just happens. As long as you do your inner work and keep practicing, finding inspiration and enjoying it, the music continues to flow, at least this has been the case for us. We don’t really stay up to date with trends. We stay up to date with ourselves and our own inspiration and creativity. We like finding new music and playing together and being open to trying new things.
Upcoming 100: Can you give us a sneak peek into any upcoming projects or releases that your fans can anticipate?
Little Manitou: We are excited to release a couple of new singles towards end of the year and do a some live performances here in Highlands and also on YouTube.
Upcoming 100: What are your long-term goals in the music industry, and how do you plan to achieve them?
Little Manitou: We want to play live more often and continue producing new songs/albums; there are so many songs to get out there!! We would really love if our music was showcased in the tv/movie space as we’ve been told our tracks are ‘cinematic’. We’d love to play at festivals across the UK and beyond.
Good old fashion hard work, focus and dedication will help us achieve our goals (and enjoying the journey along the way, that’s what it’s all about right?!).
Upcoming 100: How do you handle the pressure that comes with being a new artist in the spotlight, and how do you manage expectations from fans and the industry?
Little Manitou: It’s important to not take things too seriously and to be fully present. Having a yoga/mindfulness practice helps to keep us grounded and healthy along with being in nature regularly. A dip in the North Sea for example, is highly invigorating and reminds us of what’s important in life; our happiness, being present and literally, taking a leap!
Upcoming 100: What advice would you give to aspiring musicians who are just starting their journey in the music industry?
Little Manitou: Dreams don’t have deadlines, keep working at it daily and never ever compromise your artistic/creative integrity. Keep going no matter what anyone tells you. Continue learning and aligning your inner inspiration. Be open to the possibilities, be flexible and collaborate.
Little Manitou: Dreams don’t have deadlines, keep working at it daily and never ever compromise your artistic/creative integrity. Keep going no matter what anyone tells you. Continue learning and aligning your inner inspiration. Be open to the possibilities, be flexible and collaborate.
