Life in 10 Tracks with Fatima Robinson
Life in 10 Tracks is a feature series that is all about being injected into a moment in someone’s life through music. In it, passersby reminisce on the tracks that remind them of bad haircuts, breakups, and all of the joyful, poignant moments in between.
For self-proclaimed "soundtrack girl" Fatima Robinson, the accolades are endless — from starting her career as a choreographer for Michael Jackson’s Remember the Time to lending her vision to numerous Super Bowl halftime shows and a Beyoncé Academy Awards performance. If you were watching music videos in the '90s, you've undoubtedly grown up on the influence of her work. We caught up with Fatima while on break from filming the forthcoming remake of The Color Purple in Savannah, Georgia. When asked what this playlist says about her, Fatima replied: "I think it says I love deep. And I like to have fun. It says that I enjoy life."
♫ listen to fatima’s playlist
This song brings me back to when I first discovered Michael Jackson. I think I was 11 years old at the time, and I thought he was so, so amazing. I just loved that Off The Wall album. I remember looking at the album cover and reading everything on it and just being so curious about everything: about him and about artists. I feel like it was my true introduction to music — or, not necessarily music, but to discovering in a new way.
“Rock with You” by Michael Jackson / Listen to the album Off the Wall (MJJ Productions Inc., 1979)
My mom played a lot of Sade in the house growing up, and I just loved the emotion in her music. I love her lyrics, the subtle way she could tell a story with a song, and I love using my imagination when I listen to her music. She sings, "is it a crime that I still want you?" and even as a young girl, I really connected to her whole point of view when it came to love and relationships. I remember her having another song called "Maureen," that I felt could have been about a lover or friend or relative — it was really sweet, and her connection to love was really powerful.
“Is It a Crime?” by Sade / Listen to the album Promise (Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited, 1985)
After seeing Purple Rain, Prince was my first crush. I remember watching it and my dad covering my eyes when the sex scene came on, so I watched through the cracks in his fingers. So, for me, it's definitely "The Beautiful Ones."
“The Beautiful Ones” by Prince / Listen to the album Purple Rain (NPG Records, Inc., 1984)
My mom also played a lot of Bob Marley in our home. "I Shot the Sheriff" always reminds me of cleaning up around the house on Saturday mornings with her and my sisters. My mom would make us get up to do our laundry, wash and iron our clothes, and so on — we couldn't be lazy in the house. Those were the days she'd put on some Bob Marley.
Also, I go to Jamaica twice a year, every year, and I just love it so much. When I go and play it there, this song has a whole different meaning for me — putting on Bob Marley's music in Jamaica is just like therapy.
“I Shot the Sheriff” by Bob Marley & The Wailers / Listen to the album Burnin’ (Universal Island Records Ltd., 2001)
I wanted to pick this song from my career because the music video for it was my first big gig — it was kind of what put me on the map. I was 21 and, at the time, had been dancing for a lot of hip-hop and R&B artists. When I got the call for this, I knew it was the time to take choreography seriously. From being such a fan of his, being in love with him as a little girl (and sharing a birthday with him), to actually be choreographing him was unimaginable.
It was a lot of pressure. I think I had 50 dancers on set, and I had never worked with that many dancers back then. It was intense. It was one of those moments in life where I really felt like, "you pull up, or you go home," you know? So I definitely pulled up. I figured it out. He was such a perfectionist, and it really set a tone for the rest of my career and how I work.
“Remember the Time” by Michael Jackson / Listen to the album Dangerous (1991 MJJ Productions Inc.)
I met Aaliyah when she was 17 and choreographed all of her stuff. This was one of my favorites. We had such a great time just dancing together, laughing together, and having fun. We didn't have a director when we started on this song; all we had was the dance. They ended up wanting a specific director, and when he saw the dance, he was like, "this is a video." You rarely get to see a video with so much dancing where the choreography isn't so chopped up.
She was also just one of my favorite people to work with. When we danced together, it felt like synchronized swimming. And I loved that. I had never felt that with an artist before. It was almost like I was living my dream. If I had ever wanted to be an artist, it would have been like her. The way she sang, the way she moved, the way she treated people, how close she was to her family — everything about her I loved. We lost an angel.
“Are You That Somebody” by Aaliyah / Listen to the single Are You That Somebody (Blackground Records, LLC, 1998)
Cesária Évora was an artist from Cape Verde; she was this older woman who would perform barefoot. I saw her in concert around three times before she passed. I would even take my son with me when he was a baby, and now, I love it when I hear him humming her songs.
Her music makes me feel how a nice, big warm hug from someone you love would feel. I love putting it on in the morning. She sings in Portuguese, and it's just so beautiful.
“Petit Pays” by Cesária Evora / Listen to the album Cesaria (Lusafrica, 1995)
When I heard Nina Simone singing, she definitely changed my life. I just love her — as a woman, her activism, and the power in which she sings and emotes in her songs. It's so incredible. This song always makes me feel a certain way.
It was a toss-up between this song and "I Put A Spell On You," which brings me to #9…
“I Want A Little Sugar In My Bowl” by Nina Simone / Listen to the album The Essential Nina Simone (Sony Music Entertainment, 2011)
I never thought that someone could remake a Nina Simone song, but Alice Smith did a live version of "I Put A Spell On You" that's so incredible. I often play this for artists I'm working with, so they can understand how to emote their songs and how to deliver lyrics so that people can feel the music in their souls. I make artists, especially young ones, study her.
“I Put A Spell On You” covered by Alice Smith / Listen to the album NINA REVISITED: A Tribute to Nina Simone (RCA Records, 2015)
This is my driving song. I treated myself to a Porsche 911 — it's super-fast, sleek, and sexy. I put this song on repeat when I'm driving home at night back from the city to Ojai. It's pretty dark in Ojai because we don't have a lot of street lights, so it's sexy, and I just love driving to it so much.
“Sometimes At Night” by Massimiliano Pagliara / Listen to the album Toxic Love (Live at Robert Johnson, 2009)
and a Bonus track…
I have this habit of when I like a song, I play it over and over and over. It drives my son crazy, but I always have to have a song. Right now, it's this one. I'll put it on when I'm choreographing, and it gets the dancers up and excited and brings the energy to the room.
“SAD GIRLZ LUV MONEY Remix (feat. Kali Uchis and Moliy)” by Amaarae / Listen to the single SAD GIRLZ LUV MONEY Remix (feat. Kali Uchis and Moliy / Golden Angel LLC, 2021)
words and images provided by Fatima robinson, interview by marina sulmona