Lynks Afrikka is a performer challenging gender and artistic norms

Lynks Afrikka, the brainchild of Bristol-based producer Elliot Brett, stormed onto the drag scene back in 2018 as, in Elliot’s words, “a performer, an entrepreneur, and now a religion”.

Despite being little over a year old, Lynks has established a cult following in Bristol and beyond: making regular Spinny Nights appearances, headlining London’s Off The Cuff, and most recently supporting Oh My God! It’s The Church at Thekla.

Much of this success can be put down to Lynks’s instantly recognisable and slightly madcap, “club-kid-esque” performance style, which resists both gendered and artistic boundaries – merging music, drag and theatre in a bold and unapologetically queer way.

In their debut single Don’t Take It Personal,  Lynks speak-sings their way through everyday annoyances. In the associated music video, Lynks appears bound to a chair, freeing themselves before ultimately murdering their doppelgänger.

The new single, Str8 Acting, comes out in May

Lynks talks about their sophomore single, Str8 Acting:

What’s the origin of Lynks Afrikka?

Lynks Afrikka is what happens when a generation gets tired of shit, boring club nights. There’s only so much Kygo one person can bear, you know? Eventually, something will snap. And when it snaps, voila – Lynks Afrikka. Lynks is my way of trying to bring some joy and humour back into dance music – a genre which I believe has started taking itself way too seriously.

How did Str8 Acting come about?

Any queer person will understand what I mean when I say ‘straight acting’. If you go on Grindr or Tinder as a gay man you will see every third profile saying “str8 acting looking for the same”.

I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that this is obviously bullshit; if you are gay then by definition the way you are acting is gay acting because you are gay. I think it’s bad enough that we, as LGBTQ+ people, get ridiculed by society without doing the same to each other. Society views gay culture as two things: sex and clubbing.

Straight culture, on the other hand, gets to be literally everything else. It gets to be music, TV, film, food, coffee and all the rest of it despite the fact that these things are just as much part of an LGBTQ+ person’s life.

I wrote the song to examine what it meant to be truly ‘str8 acting’ and to see what happens when you look at the straight world through the same warped lens that society views the LGBTQ+ community through.

What are some key influences on you as an artist?

Firstly I’d say LCD Soundsystem – James Murphy has the art of restraint down to an absolute T. There’s nothing in one of LCD’s songs that doesn’t need to be there and I really appreciate that – being able to pick out every single instrument in that audio file. Also, I love his rapping-not-rapping thing he does.

Then I’m gonna throw a curveball and say Kero Kero Bonito. Not sonically at all, but I love the way they take a single hugely specific theme like “waking up” or “having a party” or “graduating” and then have the balls to base an entire song on it. That’s what I’ve started doing since and it’s such a fun way to write.

Thirdly, I randomly happened on this artist called Mutsumi when lost down a Spotify hole. She’s like nothing else I’ve ever heard and yet somehow she’s only got like 500 monthly listeners? What I love about her is the way she subverts modern dance music but to be honest it’s pointless me trying to describe her – you need to listen and you’ll get it.

What’s been your biggest challenge working on Str8 Acting?

It’s scary being confrontational as a queer person. Gay men aren’t really allowed to be angry. We’re only allowed to be “sassy” in the same way women are only allowed to be “bossy” or “feisty”. When it came to this song though, I was really fucking angry. I knew I needed to express that but it was tough getting over that instinct I’d been fighting for so long.

In the end, it felt amazing. Everyone needs to shout. Shout at people! Shout at UKIP! Shout at your mum! Actually, don’t shout at your mum, she sounds like a lovely woman.

What can audiences expect to take away from Str8 Acting?

Pride, energy and a hella catchy chorus.

Str8 Acting premieres on Saturdaym May 25 at Spinny Nights before its official release on May 28.

Lynks Afrikka can be found on Spotify, Facebook and Instagram: @lynksafrikka or by emailing lynksafrikka@gmail.com.

Photos from Lynks Afrikka’s Facebook page.

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