by John Murph

For almost two decades, Marie Daulne has rocked her own funky, cosmopolitan style, first as the leader of the pioneering, all-female, a cappella ensemble, Zap Mama, and later as the solo incarnation of the group.

The Zairian-Belgium singer, songwriter and conceptualist continues to incorporate hip hop, funk, jazz and pop in her Afropean ethos on her new disc, Supermoon, which features performances from Meshell Ndegeocello, Tony Allen, Dave Gilmore and a host of other international heavyweights.

Daulne, a spectacular performance artist, who easily ranks among Björk, Grace Jones, Madonna, and Erykah Badu, for her theatrical uniqueness, explains the concept behind her new disc. She also explains why she hasn’t made it into the movies, despite her talent.

BET J: Exactly what is a supermoon?

Marie Daulne: There’s a major focus on being a superstar. And the model for a lot of people is to have a certain look. I propose something different: Why not try being you.  Do what you were born to do. “Supermoon” is to be who you are. There are a lot of superstars in the sky that look alike. But there’s only one unique moon and that’s you.

BET J: What songs on the new disc are closest to your heart and why?

Daulne: “Princess Kesia” and “Moonray.” But all of them have places in the heart. Maybe now, because my daughter turned 13, and she’s starting to detach from me and think for herself that I like “Princess Kesia.” It’s great; I’m very happy and proud, because it says that the little girl is gone. That’s pretty hard for most mothers. But the sadness can be flipped into a new happiness, because now, hopefully a nice young lady evolves. That’s what the song is about.

I composed “Moonray” with one of my best friends, who passed away. The sadness is still there, which touches my heart. The other songs on the disc are fun and happy. I enjoy singing those. But when I’m alone, I go more into my sadness. I can feel my heart when I’m sad more than when I’m in joy. Because usually when you’re all happy, you tend to forget to think deeply.

BET J: You’ve done so much music under the moniker, Zap Mama; where do you feel you are in your career now?

Daulne: I feel very much “here” about what I do. I’m enjoying it more than before, because I can look at myself from the outside. Before, everything seemed to happen too fast. Now I can cut back from being Zap Mama and be me – Marie – and look at things from an outside perspective. There’s a maturity.

BET J: When Zap Mama hit the scene last decade, it was an all-female, a cappella ensemble. It’s no longer that, and you’re pretty much a solo artist. Why have you kept the name Zap Mama instead of going under, Marie Daulne?

Daulne: When I started Zap Mama, I was alone. When I composed the music, I was alone. Then I decided to create a group and to share my compositions with other singers. I named it “Zap Mama” because it was a conception; it was not especially me. I’m Marie, but the artist behind the creative conception is Zap Mama, bringing people riches from the Afropean world.

BET J: For someone as beautiful as you, and for someone who’s known for giving very dazzling, theatrical performances, you’ve yet to make it on the silver screen. Why is that?

Daulne: They’ve tried to me invite into movies in Europe and England. But I didn’t like what they were offering me.

BET J: What were the offers?

Daulne: It wasn’t a money issue; it was the roles. They wanted me to play these really hard, strong and violent people.  I know – maybe it’s because of my physique. I’m very athletic. And because of that, they want me to be some tribal chief or a villain. And if I start to say “yes,” I’ll have all of these movie directors asking me to be the bad person. I prefer being a “Mary Poppins,” something fun and for kids; not the violent stuff. I keep asking, “Why do they keep proposing that? I’m not like that at all.” They just see my body and say, “Oh that would be great for her” and they hear my broken [Afropean] speech.

BET J: So what’s next move other than touring in support of the new disc?

Daulne: I have a lot to do now. I’d decided to move to the countryside. I’ve always lived in the city, where I’ve tried to organize everything and be on tour. I hope this new CD prompts new creativity. I’d love to do music for an animated movie. I would also like to produce other artists.