* En anglais uniquement
Sega Bodega is a London-based producer, songwriter, vocalist, and co-founder of the NUXXE collective. Inspired by cinema as well as contemporary club culture, he began making complex, sometimes abrasive tracks during the early 2010s, releasing several EPs and two mixtapes of deconstructed soundtrack music. Later in the decade, he became highly active as a producer, collaborating with label co-founders
Shygirl, Coucou Chloe, and
Oklou as well as singers and rappers such as
Brooke Candy and
Zebra Katz. His debut album, Salvador, entirely produced and sung by
Bodega himself, appeared in 2020. The inward-looking concept LP Romeo followed in 2021.
Salvador Navarrete was born in Galway, Ireland, to Chilean and Irish parents. Raised in Glasgow, he briefly studied at the Royal Conservatory of Scotland, but largely taught himself to produce music using online tutorials. He started creating tracks using the name Peace in 2010, but he settled on
Sega Bodega in 2012. He began releasing EPs in 2013, and relocated to London the following year. Reflecting his cinematic influences, he issued a mixtape of reworked movie themes, SS (2015), and started a monthly program on NTS Radio called Sega Bodega's Soundtrack Series. Also in 2015, his EP Sportswear was released by
Slugabed's Activia Benz label, in conjunction with a tracksuit designed by
Bodega. He collaborated with online collective
WWWINGS and Chicago rapper Mikey Dollaz, in addition to forming a project with Coucou Chloe titled Y1640.
In 2017, Bristol-based grime label Crazylegs released
Sega Bodega's Ess B EP, including the attention-grabbing single "CC" (featuring
Shygirl). An additional single for the label, "Nivea," followed later in the year.
Bodega also issued a second cinematic mixtape, SS (2017), and co-founded the NUXXE label/collective, producing numerous tracks by his labelmates. A solo EP titled self*care appeared in 2018, signaling a move toward more vocal-heavy tracks. After producing
Shygirl's acclaimed 2019 single "BB" and releasing two more solo singles,
Bodega issued his first full-length, Salvador, in 2020. The intense, deeply personal album focused on
Bodega's struggles with mental health, relationships, and alcoholism. "Make U Stay," a collaboration with British singer/songwriter
Låpsley, appeared later in the year. 2021 saw the release of the concept LP Romeo, which included collaborations with
Charlotte Gainsbourg ("Naturopathe") and
Arca ("Cicada"). ~ Paul Simpson