Sweetnighter: Mandy Entrikin

"Sweetnighter." Amanda Entrikin, Washington, D.C., U.S.A., 9 October 2016.

"I hang out with the people I love because it brings me joy. I will do something nice for the person I love because it brings me joy. It can be selfish or selfless, and it can still bring you joy.  It's about being honest with yourself and pursuing the right path for yourself. That is what will ultimately fulfill you. This pursuit of joy is, I feel, what drives most of us, and I think it's at the root of why we're all here."

IT ALL STARTED WHEN...

Mandy and I have been friends since we met in Grade Five at the Bishop Strachan School, and, over the years, it's been a real pleasure watching her incredible adventures in academia, her humanitarian pursuits, her travels around the world, and, of course, her falling in love.

Today, Mandy is doing immensely meaningful work, lending her intellect and incredible sense of social justice to an international medical humanitarian organization working in over 70 countries globally, where she is a Humanitarian Affairs Researcher.

Music has been a common thread throughout our relationship -- whether we were singing together in the school choir, on the coach bus to basketball tournaments, or up at the cottage in the summers. When Mandy married Devin in 2012 and asked if I could help out with the music for their special night, I was beyond honoured. That playlist evolved into Eats, Beats & Tweets, a mixtape I created to DJ the lunchtime set when I worked at Twitter’s SF headquarters back in 2012.

Mandy and I hopped on the FaceTime machine the other day to chat about life and music.

Mandy and Devin on one of their many adventures.

I feel like so many of the friendships I have with people -- music is such a core part of it. So it's fun for me to ask these questions to the people that I love and hear what they have to say.

For me, music is such an emotional thing. I remember being in choir with you. And I don't remember the words, I don't remember the names, but I know exactly how the music goes. And it has, like, an emotional reaction.

And how it feels, right? There's something about singing in a choir, especially with people that you know really well, and to harmonize with someone -- I feel like that's such a core human thing. And there's science behind it. When you sing at a different frequency in harmony with other people, that actually bonds you, that's why in so many cultures music is such an important part of religion, in a tribe -- and different rituals, whether it's a wedding, a marriage, different rites of passage, whether it's a when a boy becomes a man -- there are songs that the group will sing together.

That's so awesome. I remember we worked so hard on harmonies when we were in [BSS] Folk Group together. But they were easy -- it was just fun, it came naturally.

And we got to arrange them with [Folk Group conductor] Mrs. P and [guitarist] Henri. We would have the words, and the chords, and then it was like, "okay, what are the altos going to sing? What are the sopranos going to sing? Who's going to take the melody? Oh, let's switch that up" and it was very improvisational. It was cool.

I don't sing anymore! It's been years. I haven't sung since high school!

Not even in the shower?

No, not really...well, a little bit. But again, I don't know the words to anything.

Oh, I feel like you would like this: so, last night we're out at the bar and I'm in the washroom washing my hands and this girl in the stall starts singing Usher -- oh, what song was it? -- "Nice and Slow." 

Oh my God!

🎶 It's 7 o'clock, on the dot // I'm in my drop top, cruisin' the streets. 🎶

And then everybody else started singing with her, and I felt like I was in a music video or something. It was the funniest thing ever. But everyone sounded good, and the bathroom had really good acoustics.

Of course it did. That's amazing.

And then, like, Usher, "Nice and Slow?"

Obviously.

🎶 Now, baby, tell me what you wanna do. 🎶

Usher is on my list, by the way.

Do you want to get to the questions?

Yeah, let's do it!

What's your passion/hustle/profession?

I kind of avoided answering that, in my head, because it's such a hard thing to answer.

Saving the world?

[Laughs] No. So, I work for an international humanitarian organization. I work in US foreign policy. I'm attracted to it for its core values, which is essentially “what has the biggest and smallest footprint of something good,” which is to put it most simply. A simple example is seeing others do something meaningful for another person who is having a hard time. Whether it's at the massive scale, like providing aid in a conflict zone -- which I don't actually even do, I don't do operations in the field -- or helping a member of your community carry bags down the street or getting ducks out of a sewer grate -- those videos make me freaking cry, a stuck duck! -- those things. There are basic truths about what bring you joy, as an individual. And I got that sense of what brings you joy from that silly little book, great little book -- oh, what was it called?

Oh, Marie Kondo's Spark Joy?

Yeah, exactly. Which, you know, I looked at as a way of getting my life organized, when I was too busy to really think about it, but the biggest thing I took away from it was to focus on what brings you joy, and that's the essence of everything. I hang out with the people I love because it brings me joy. I will do something nice for the person I love because it brings me joy. It can be selfish or selfless, and it can still bring you joy.  It's about being honest with yourself and pursuing the right path for yourself. That is what will ultimately fulfill you. This pursuit of joy is, I feel, what drives most of us, and I think it's at the root of why we're all here.

Amen. I agree.

So, I mean, that drives me in my personal life and in my professional life, more and more. I thought my professional life was driven by what brings you success and that can be defined in a lot of different ways. But now I'm finding -- how can my professional life and personal life overlap to be something that actually can bring me real fulfillment?

I like that philosophy on life. That's really beautiful.

It's tough, though, you know? Seeking a career and then being at this age, and being like, "wow, I'm going to start having to start having kids at some point." And how do you measure success? But then, the joy of having a family, and how are you successful at work at the same time? And it's a little overwhelming so I think it's just a day-by-day endeavour.

And there's different ways of being successful professionally, it doesn't necessarily have to be about getting in the C-Suite, it could be that you mentor someone informally at work, or the relationships you have.

Or changing something -- it would be so cool to be a teacher. It was something I never thought about. You can have a lot of success in your life by doing that.

And you can be a teacher in anything you do, right? You don't have to have a class, literally, of people that you speak to every day.

That's true. That's my passion.

What kind of music helps you focus at work?

At work, I do research -- lots of reading and writing, so it takes intense amounts of concentration, and I do research, so if I am not able to concentrate I go into deep rabbit holes about -- I don't even know what -- like, B-list celebrities that tweeted about something they don't understand in the humanitarian realm. These are the circuitous routes I sometimes go through to being productive, especially without my music. So, I need music in my workplace, and that's probably where I spend the most of my time actually exploring music. Because I'm not listening to lyrics, I don't care who it is. I either come off of a busy day and I need to concentrate so I need some acoustic folk tunes. Or it's the morning and I need to listen to some intense house music. Or I'm feeling a little bit nostalgic and I need to listen to something that's a reminder of my Dad, something jazz. My Dad was a huge influencer of my music growing up.

Right now, my obsessions are Iman Omari, the High-Loops & Higher-Loops album, which I recently discovered and I totally listen to on repeat. Because I work for a French organization, I also try and mix in some French music, so Coeur de pirate -- she's Quebecoise.

She's so good! Béatrice Martin, I love her.

When you called, I was listening to "Place de la republique." Awesome! What else? Then I get into some actual house, legit just house -- Kygo and Goldfish. And my brother just introduced me to Pete Rock's instrumentals, which is not house.

The Petestrumentals album is in heavy rotation in this house. "The Boss?" Really good work music or late night chill vibes.

Or just cooking dinner, whatever. What else? Then Anderson .Paak, he's so freaking good. I specifically love the "Dang!" song.

With Mac Miller!

I was listening to that this morning, it's so fun. You can listen to it all the time.

For 13 years I have been listening to Four Tet, specifically the Rounds album. It's emotional and makes you feel all kinds of things, and it's like jazz, but not. It's amazing. I love Four Tet.

That's work. That's when I listen to music the most.

When you’re winding down?

I don't really listen to music at home as much but if I'm just by myself and need to chill, to make me feel whole again, I'll sometimes listen to Weather Report, specifically the Sweetnighter album, because that's what I was born and raised on. That is everything. That is the beat of me, my Dad, and my brother. It's amazing. That's it. Sweetnigher, Weather Report, it's beautiful.

Or Ladysmith Black Mambazo, they are really eclectic and totally driven by mood.

Or the Romeo & Juliet soundtrack, for a real dose of teenage nostalgia.

I saw Ladysmith Black Mambazo live when I was probably sixteen with my Dad at Massey Hall. Everything for me growing up musically was my Dad. My Dad explored music, had no capacity to be musical but he was driven by it. You would drive with him and he would put on -- I asked my brother because I couldn't remember the name of the song -- "Stolen Moments" by Oliver Nelson. He'd put this on and we'd drive to this song and that's my childhood. And Weather Report. And Paul Simon. And Jamiroquai. Van Morrison reminds me of my Dad.

I always think of you when I think of Van Morrison. And Nick Drake, I think of you. One of the the songs I chose for you is "Pink Moon."

Yes, Brittany! That's amazing. Amazing. I love that. So, it's really dependent on the feeling.

Working out?

I will listen to Top 40. I don't want to think about it, I just want to be motivated. And I'll listen to house too, honestly, like Kygo and Goldfish, whatever's on Spotify.

Cooking?

All that stuff that I listened to with my Dad. Plus, I'll throw in the [Tragically] Hip, or Hiatus Kaiyote.

Yes! That one song with Q-Tip, "Nakamarra." So good.

I love her. She's amazing, she couldn't be cooler.

Iman Omari, I'm listening to all the time. Or America. I was listening to "A Horse With No Name," which is also my childhood. I remember very specifically, I was living on Forest Hill Road, and we had this burgundy carpet with a black trim, and the living room sloped into the dining room and the stereo system was right there, and I would sneak in, and I was five or six, and I would press play and it would be "A Horse With No Name," and I would run around the house and my parents thought it was hilarious. It was the best. The best. We always had pre-bedtime dance parties with my Dad.

It's so nice to think about that, with your kids, instilling that love for music in fun ways.

It's going to be fun to see what it is. You know, what is the music? Is it going to be pop hits, or...?

Hopefully it's not that Frozen song.

Or the Red Hot Chili Peppers? Are they going to have a deep appreciation for them? Because, I do.

What do you like to listen to when you're kickin’ it with friends?

When I'm getting ready to go out, it'll be Bruno Mars, specifically "Uptown Funk." It's 100% ripped off, but I love it. He dances so well in his music video, I'm just so inspired.

Drake and The Weekend -- obviously, Toronto -- and Rihanna. That's fun, but I also love, for just getting ready by myself I'll listen to Sia, I really like her. That's kind of pumping-up to be social, because sometimes it takes an extra little bit of effort.

I hear you. I recently discovered this song by MØ from Denmark. It's a cover of "Say You'll Be There" by the Spice Girls. I've been listening to that every morning in the shower to wake me up and get ready for the day. It's really cheesy but it's really good.

I love Northern European bands. For years, I was obsessed with trentemøller. It's like dark house, I don't even know how to describe it. Electronic? I listened to him when I lived in Europe. He's got the funky "ø." Totally dark. Danish, obviously.

What’s your most memorable musical moment? This could be a live show or festival that really stuck with you, meeting a music icon, etc.

I mentioned Jamiroquai. This is the nascent stages of cognition as a young adult, so I was probably 11. [My brother] Adrian and I talk about this all the time because we both remember it so well -- he was 8, I was 11 -- and my parents took us to a Jamiroquai concert, I think it was at the Molson Amphitheatre.

We didn't stay for very long, but I remember Jamiroquai was one of the people we listened to before bed to get us all riled up before sleeping, and then we all went to this concert and it was one of those early memories of how music can bring you joy at your core. It was an amazing family moment where we did something so cool -- like, we went to a Jamiroquai concert! I told all my friends about it, he was so weird. I think it was around the time that he had that crazy music video for "Virtual Insanity," which, I think, made him so popular. It was on Much Music and it was so awesome. Now it's probably a good "Pop-Up Video."

It was an early days musical moment, which involved two people that influenced my musical tastes so much: my Dad, who influenced my understanding of good music for so long; and then, my brother, who continues to do that for me. He's so musical, he's so talented, and he's so interested in music. He mixes all his own stuff all the time, he plays all the instruments, he'll sample something and make something beautiful, and he also plays the drums and taught himself the bass. He's a huge influencer, but he also knows my tastes.

It's nice when you have a sibling and they are an important part of your musical relationship and they not only know your tastes but can also put you on to something new that you may have never heard before, whether it's because they're younger and they are a little more dialed into that or whatever. It's really special.

Favourite love song? Slow jam? Between the sheets track?

I recently, very recently, just learned that Devin knows all the words to the Usher songs from the late 90s and early 2000s. I wouldn't say it's officially a love song but it's kind of hilarious to know. We were driving across the country and I turned on Usher and he knew every single word. I had no idea -- 7 years together and I never knew -- it was a secret I had never been privy to. An intriguing surprise!

Another song that is a love song, it isn't a song I would call my own, but became the song of the summer, is "Falling Faster" by Andrew Riff. I don't even know where I found it, but it makes you want to dance and it was a great driving across the country song when you're feeling tired. You're driving ten hour days and you don't always love your partner during these long drives. So putting it on and motivating you and feeling reconnected and jumping up and down a little bit. Loving your partner.

But then the other thing that I actually started listening to when I was young because of my Dad, was this woman named N'dea Davenport. I was listening to it a little while ago, because I totally forgot about it, but my brother reminded me. And there's this song called "Whatever You Want," [sings], she's so good. I was talking to my brother earlier this week, he was like "do you know that we were listening to J Dilla before J Dilla was a thing?" Because he produced N'dea Davenport's song "Bullshittin'" and it was one of her top songs. And she's just soulful, and sexy. You can listen to it with a nice, heavy glass of wine.

You need to hype up the crowd at a house party real quick. What do you put on next?

It really depends on the crowd. This summer, it's only this summer, I know nothing about this band, but it's the guys, Devin's friends from California, they are obsessed with this song "Cut It," by OT Genesis. It's so over the top, but if I am with these guys and put it on they'll freak out.

Otherwise, it's Drake, "One Dance." Or The Weeknd, "Can't Feel My Face," because that really gets me going these days.

If you were stranded on a desert island with only one album, which would it be?

Fleetwood Mac, Rumours. Something about that makes me feel melodically at peace, and reminds me of being outside in northern Canada. I think I could live with that for a while on a desert island.

Dinner with any artist, dead or alive. They're paying. Whom do you choose?

I thought about this for a while. First I thought Beyoncé, because -- um, obviously Beyoncé. Then I switched it to Adele, mainly because I think she's such an interesting and awesome person -- not that I know -- but she would bring all her friends that are powerful women and it would be this powerhouse, totally hilarious group of women having a grand ol' time and drinking so much wine. You would laugh, you would sing, you would feel empowered. It would just be the best night ever. Jennifer Lawrence would be there, obviously, because they're best friends. Amy Schumer, Emma Stone. It couldn't be better.

Best format? Cassette tape, CD, iPod, Vinyl, etc.

That is way too advanced for my musical capacity. I'm going to have to go with streaming. I don't have the patience or physical space, up until now. Living in New York means if you're going to have a vinyl obsession, kudos to you. That's a commitment.

What’s the most prized album/mixtape/musical memento you own?  Your home is on fire and this is the only thing you can grab before it all burns down. (Sorry, that one’s grim.)

I am an anti-packrat so I don't really hold onto things. I totally "Kondoed" my life. I've moved seven times living in New York and you just have to purge, so I think the one thing I would take would be my Bose speakers because they were a really pricy set that were gifted (slash stolen) from a friend. I mean, he left them with us, and he was like, "you guys can just keep them, I guess." He's a jazz musician so he bought himself some nice speakers that now are in our possession.

Also, though, the little on-the-go speaker that you gave me gets so much use. We use it all the time, even thought we have beautiful Bose speakers. Like, I'm on the move, I want to carry it with me from room to room. We used it on our road trip too, all the time, and the sound quality is actually really good.

That was really fun. I learned more things about you than I knew before. So many new artists to check out. I want to listen to Jamiroquai all day now.

I was really trying to think about the answers. I don't organize my music because I don't have it on my computer anymore, so I really had to reflect on what is meaningful, what makes you feel good. I feel, musically, satisfied today.

Merçi, Mandy!

"Sweetnighter" Track Listing

1. Weather Report. "Boogie Woogie Waltz." Sweetnighter, SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT, 1973.
2. TLC. “Waterfalls.” Crazysexycool, LaFace Records LLC, 1994.
3. J Dilla, N'Dea Davenport. "Bullshittin' (Remix)." Jay Deelicious 95-98 - The Delicious Vinyl Years (Originals, Remixes & Rarities), The Bicycle Music Company, 2007.
4. Next. “Too Close.” Rated Next, Arista Records, Inc., 1997.
5. Montell Jordan. “This Is How We Do It.” This Is How We Do It, Rush Associated Labels Inc., 1995.
6. The Notorious B.I.G. “Mo Money Mo Problems (feat. Mase & Puff Daddy).” Life After Death (Deluxe Version), Bad Boy Records, 1997.
7. User. "Nice and Slow." My Way, Arista Records, Inc., 1997.
8. Mary J Blige, Method Man. “I'll Be There For You/ You're All I Need To Get By.” I'll Be There For You/ You're All I Need To Get By, Def Jam, 1995.
9. Kygo, Marvin Gaye. "Sexual Healing (Kygo Remix)." Sexual Healing (Kygo Remix), Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment under exclusive license to Ultra Records, LLC, 2015.
10. Iman Omari. "Addicted." High-Loops & Higher-Loops, Fresh Selects, 2015.
11. Van Morrison. “Into The Mystic.” Moondance (Deluxe Edition), Warner Bros Records, 2013.
12. Nick Drake. “Pink Moon.” A Treasury, Universal-Island Records Ltd., 2004.
13. America. "A Horse With No Name." America's Greatest Hits - History, Warner Bros. Records Inc., 1975.

For more Mandy, follow her on Instagram.