Performing Artist - Bodine Victoria Johnson

PERFORMING ARTIST

Bodine Victoria Johnson

For this July-September 2022 issue of Up and Away, Caprice Spencer-Dames caught up with Bodine Victoria Johnson for an in-depth conversation about balancing entertaining, recording, socializing and entrepreneurship. Sit back, relax and enjoy their one-on-one conversation.

By Caprice Spencer-Dames Photographs courtesy of Ferrreno Ferguson, FTX Off The Grid and Bodine Victoria Johnson

Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where were you born and raised?

I’m a city girl with roots in Exuma. I grew up on Balfour Avenue on the island of New Providence near my paternal grandmother in Pinedale and, later, my parents moved to Winton in the eastern part of the island. When I was old enough, I spent weekends with my grandmother, Mama Aggy, as she was called, helping sell cup, benne cake, tart and plates of food to neighbours. That’s the inspiration behind my YouTube channel, #BodinePot. I teach people the world over how to cook authentic Bahamian food step-by-step.

Weekday afternoons were spent with my mom at Toya’s Typing and Computer School on Balfour Avenue, which is where I learned to type, computer skills and office procedures. Those free afternoons and holidays I spent with my cousins climbing trees or learning how to plait straw and decorate straw work with my Aunt Maud and my Grammy Zerline, who worked at the world famous Straw Market, are childhood treasures.

My childhood had a lot happening. Some summers and holidays, we would take the mail boat and visit the family homes in Staniel Cay and Farmer’s Cay, Exuma. Before it was popular to swim with pigs, we caught fish on the rock using fishing lines, hooks and sinkers and ran around the backyard farm chasing chickens. If you didn’t grow up on an island, you would never understand.

At what age did you begin singing, learning music and performing?

Church and school actually played the largest role in this. Growing up in church, you had no choice but to learn how to sing. The Children’s Choir is an institution for any young entertainer.

At school, I was part of poetry competitions, rap groups or any opportunities to showcase my budding skills in writing. I won song competitions and often had the opportunity to travel and perform. This is why I always say education has the biggest role to play in the Arts. I was with the vocal ensemble at L. W. Young High School in the late 1990’s in the music room learning my vocal scales and being part of the choir led by Sonovia “Novie” Pierre.

As an entertainer, you are dynamic on stage. Tell us what the experience is like when you are performing in front of a live audience?

Live performances give me so much energy. Part of being a great entertainer is ENGAGING an audience, so I try to read their energy and adjust according to that when necessary. I get so much joy when I see the nostalgia on the faces of men and women when I begin “Rocka My Cherry”. That one song has bridged the gap between generations of Bahamians by reintroducing a bit of our Afro-Bahamian heritage of ringplay in a new way. I have so many songs at this point. Another one of my absolute favourites is “All Day All Night”. That won me a fourth-place finish at the first Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival Music Masters competition.

You have incorporated a few musical styles from rake-n-scrape, spoken word, R&B and a few in between. What musical style hits you to your core?

Believe it or not, I’m a hip-hop artist at my core. When I write and perform rake-n-scrape music, or something calypso-inspired, or something soca-esque, you’d hear a bit of rap influence in the way the lines are delivered. If you listen to our Golden Age performers like Ronnie Butler, Count Bernadino, Maureen Duvalier or Eloise Louis, you’d probably hear how witty and sharp their lyrics were and, to me, that is very hip-hop. My single “Sugar in a Plum: Volume One” is a unique mix of Junkanoo, Afrobeat and hip-hop produced by Rik Carey.

The entertainment industry is unforgiving, especially when you have to balance family life, work life, onstage life, studio work and just everyday life. How do you keep everything balanced and stay centred?

Balancing is HARD, but it’s a matter of time, reality and passion. The number of hours one has in a day is finite, so I try not to bite off more than I can chew. Having worked as a teacher for almost 20 years, I also had to learn to leave work at work and pursue my dreams in my personal time. I take advantage of that, traveling to the Family Islands as often as I’m able and escaping into everything; diving in blue holes, taking in a regatta in Bimini, doing a hunting tour in Andros or parrot watching in Abaco. Even that turned into a job with our TV show on ZNS, “Fabulous Living, Bahamian Style”.

Working in this industry requires long hours, so how does this impact your family life and what advice would you give other artists and professionals in this industry on how to balance it all?

My friends and family understand. I try to show up for them in small and important ways and moments. When it comes down to it, that’s what really matters because at the start of my career, they sold the tickets, promoted me to co-workers and friends, defended my art, provided feedback and continue to support, share and purchase. I still have to show up for them.

Tell us a bit about some of your other interests inside and outside of the entertainment industry, where is it now and what do you see in the future?

I’ve found myself wanting to do more charitable work and use my influence to bring awareness to different causes. I’ve worked as the Bahamas Salvation Army ambassador for the past two years. To be honest, most of my experiences are still in the entertainment industry but sharing my travels and favourite moments as a domestic traveller is another joy of mine.

A still of Johnson on her cooking show preparing pork chops

In what way has the pandemic affected the way you approach your life, and your entrepreneurial and hosting ventures?

The pandemic has really forced us into a space of realizing that stage shows cannot be the only way we earn money as entertainers. We’ve learned that we must actively seek licensing and placement of our music, secure brand deals, use the influence and the reach of our platforms to do what celebrities have been doing since forever. Stew Fish

I started an entire show from the kitchen of my one-bedroom apartment during the pandemic. On #BodinePot, I teach food enthusiasts and Bahamians, who may have never learned how to make traditional Bahamian dishes, my way of making them, step-by-step. Some of my methods are unique and reflect the new skills, appliances and tools available to people the world over, but what is clear is that my way is ‘true-true Bahamian’. This showed me that my contribution to Bahamian culture goes beyond music and toward all aspects of Bahamian life. I can’t wait to launch the other projects I have.

What’s the latest in Bodine’s world?

I recently had the opportunity to perform at FTX Off the Grid for the Formula One Race Weekend in South Florida, one of the largest venues I’ve performed at, to date, in terms of scale and impact. What was surreal for me was seeing the patrons run to the front of the stage when my music, unfamiliar to them, played and them interacting and eventually singing the words of my songs. I have to say thank you to Valdez K. Russell and the entire FTX team for the continued support and commitment to Bahamian culture and their investment in its promotion.

I’m looking forward to the re-launch of #BodinePot for YouTube and mainstream television. New recipes are on the way. I have a NEW song produced by Rik Carey on the way called “Maintenance Fee”, I’m so excited for it! I’m also working with Calypso Don from Trinidad and Esby One of Burkina Fasso on a new release on the “Uber Love Riddim” as well. This year, my focus is on crossing continents even more than I’ve done in the past. Twenty-twenty-two is going to be the year of The Coconut Goddess! UA Crab Gravy Base