Nanci & Phoebe are the singers whose version of Notorious brought harmonies and acoustic songwriting into Congo Natty’s jungle world. The duo connected with him in Brixton, where Nanci was working in events near his studio while pursuing her own music.
Congo Natty had already heard her recordings on MySpace when he suggested a collaboration with her singing partner Phoebe. The pair were absorbed in Turbulence’s Notorious: Phoebe began singing it with a guitar, Nanci added harmonies, and their version became the starting point for the recording.
Released in 2012 with Chopstick Dubplate and Congo Natty, Notorious came with both a Vital Elements mix and a Congo Natty Meets Chopstick Dubplate version. Their subsequent work and performances carried the singers into the international jungle scene, travelling with Congo Natty through Europe and further afield.
Nanci later described the physical demands of singing over those soundsystems, drawing a distinction between a singer and an MC competing for space onstage. That distinction is useful when approaching the duo: the harmonies are their contribution, with jungle producers giving them the rhythm and weight to reach a rave audience.
