Nicole: From Carnival Spectator to Drummer with Batala London
- Batala London
- 11 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Member Story: As told by Nicole
Carnival 2017 was the year I first saw Batala performing at Notting Hill Carnival. As a resident I would usually go to Ladbroke Grove early to see the floats parading before the large crowds appear to take photos and video footage uninterrupted.
Standing on the corner of Westbourne Park Road and Ladbroke Grove I heard the sound of Brazilian drums slowly approaching and saw the drummers dancing with what looked like humongous drums. I now know these to be Dobras. What stood out to me was the choreography alongside the drumming. Being an ex-contemporary dancer, I always pay attention to choreography. I was hooked!!! I followed the band for a while along Ladbroke Grove dancing to their Samba Reggae beats, soaking up the atmosphere with a huge smile on my face.
Every year afterwards I would make a special effort to catch Batala parading as they seemed so cool. A fantastic multicultural band of Brazilian origin, that to me seemed to represent the best of London and the spirit of Carnival; Unity!
"I couldn’t believe that I was a member of the band I had seen and idolised years earlier AND that I would be performing with them at CARNIVAL!!!"
January 2025, a good friend of mine saw a post on Facebook by Batala London looking to recruit new members. She knew of my love for the band and suggested that I attend their open days in February. I did, starting on the Rep for one session, but the call of the Dobra was strong, and I’ve been playing that drum ever since. In March I was inducted as a newbie to the band. By April, I had performed my first gig at the London Marathon which was electric and a few months later, Notting Hill Carnival was calling. I couldn’t believe that I was a member of the band I had seen and idolised years earlier AND that I would be performing with them at CARNIVAL!!!
Rehearsal weekend was daunting and intense. At first, it felt a bit like the first day at school, walking into a hall with over 200 band members. I felt a little ill-prepared and nervous. However, my nerves soon disappeared as everyone was so friendly, especially when they heard it was my first Notting Hill Carnival. I was advised numerous times to relax, have fun and not to worry if I made mistakes. If I needed any help someone was always close by.
The morning of Carnival, I was awake EARLY, I hadn’t slept much the night before as I was so excited. At our starting point, meeting my bandmates, I could feel my nerves and excitement rising in equal measure. Once we started to move off, only excitement remained. Friends and family members lined the route, cheering and encouraging me along the way. I had even roped my son into walking with the band while we paraded, handing out water to our army of drummers in the summer heat.
The parade itself went by too quickly; I was having so much fun. All I know is that I had a smile on my face the whole time and enjoyed every moment, even when taking a break. I have attended NHC since childhood and only missed two. I know the streets of Notting Hill like the back of my hand, yet parading with Batala was a completely new and exciting way to enjoy the festival.
At the end of the parade, my fellow newbies and I were feeling extremely proud of ourselves. We’d progressed so far in such a short space of time and had the courage to push ourselves with the help of our Batala London bandmates. This year, we are no longer newbies, so roll on NHC 2026, not long to go now!!!
Moments from My First Year with Batala London
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