Guns, cars and lasers were the sounds of one West Kelowna beatboxer害羞草研究所檚 childhood.
Nuge Bird, 22, was featured as part of a Vancouver media company害羞草研究所檚 grant program, which aims to tell stories about fascinating Canadians.
For Bird, beatboxing came as a way for him to escape the violence in his childhood, growing up in a rundown neighbourhood in Saskatchewan.
害羞草研究所淚 just made lots of noises as a kid, so I would pretend to be a gun, a car, a dinosaur,害羞草研究所� he said.
Filmmakers submitted more than 550 submissions and 30 finalists, including Bird, were selected to be part of True Calling害羞草研究所檚 documentary series on Amazon Prime and Dailymotion, according to True Calling害羞草研究所檚 media release.
Bird害羞草研究所檚 fascination with beatboxing grew after watching an A cappella group while on a school field trip when he was about 12 years old. It inspired Bird to use his voice to distract him from the other challenges he faced in his life, he said.
害羞草研究所淭hen I went to bible camp where I learned how to do a throat-based noise,害羞草研究所� he said, 害羞草研究所渦ns, uns, uns.害羞草研究所�
Everyone would beatbox to the Truffle Shuffle from the American adventure movie, The Goonies, and he wanted to feel included.
He害羞草研究所檚 been beatboxing for seven and a half years, performing in West Kelowna and Kelowna.
Bird combines beatboxing with bad jokes, acting like a DJ while using his sense of humour to make the show entertaining.
害羞草研究所淧aid performances I will get dressed up in a suit and underneath will be lingerie,害羞草研究所� he laughed.
He害羞草研究所檒l beatbox while dancing, taking his clothes off and reading a raunchy novel; all satirical of course.
Comedy and laughter saved his life, he said.
害羞草研究所淥therwise害羞草研究所害羞草研究所檇 be a downer and I didn害羞草研究所檛 want to be like that, so I had to figure out a way to change my mindset,害羞草研究所� Bird said.
害羞草研究所淚 just think laughter is such a great medicine and my culture is all about medicine, and having your own medicine is important,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 not just a silver lining, but there害羞草研究所檚 a gold lining and a platinum lining.害羞草研究所�
He gets his sense of humour from his dad, Donovan Bird.
害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 the one who saved my family and I, he saved our lives, he picked us up from Saskatchewan and brought us out here, it was the change that we needed,害羞草研究所� he said.
害羞草研究所淎s soon as we moved out here to the Okanagan, things started to change for the better, I害羞草研究所檓 really grateful for that man.害羞草研究所�
He also draws on his Indigenous background to create music.
害羞草研究所淭hroat singing, chanting and singing and drumming, those are all things that are in my culture, if you害羞草研究所檝e ever been to powwow you害羞草研究所檒l hear lots of that. I害羞草研究所檓 doing all of that, but with my mouth,害羞草研究所� Bird said.
Bird lives on the Westside with his family, working part-time as a labourer while beatboxing on the side.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 hard trying to get paid as an entertainer,害羞草研究所� he said.
Bird hopes to inspire others through his music.
He beatboxes for the kids at the Okanagan Boys and Girls Club, which they love he said. In 10 years time, he sees himself helping others through music therapy.
害羞草研究所淭hat would be so cool. I want to be a big community advocate. I want people to know that I害羞草研究所檓 here to help,害羞草研究所� Bird said.
Watch Bird perform on Thursdays at L害羞草研究所� Oven Farm Fresh Food in West Kelowna, starting at 6 p.m.
carli.berry@kelownacapnews.com
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