interview – Page 3

February 16, 2022

February 16, 2022February 16, 2022 Mew Zikwryder

Interview with classical composer Sven Helbig

Image credit: Sven Helbig

Sharing his new album Skills, German composer Sven Helbig gave us a taste of what to expect with the release of the album track ‘Metamorphosis’ ahead of the official release. Drenched in passionate violin arrangements, this classical track carries a tense but intriguing atmosphere nonetheless. The musician shares that this album was inspired by people around him, exercising their abilities to create new and wonderful things. Also featured on the album, is the noteworthy track ‘Flow’, which takes a more adventurous route with its blend of electronica, string instruments, and ambient embellishments. Today we present an exclusive Q&A with the composer below.

Describe your sound for us. What do you want people to feel when they hear your music?

My sound consists of classical instruments in synthesis with subtle electronics. For the new album, I used French horns and tuba beside a string quartet. I can’t say what people should feel. I am transmitting energy and I hope it finds some receivers.

Which 3 artists have influenced you the most growing up?

John Tavener for his deep spiritual composing, the drummer Questlove for the incredible joy he pours into my body with a simple 2 and 4 in their right places, and Stevie Wonder for everything.

How did you discover your particular sound?

I always loved the musical waves that an orchestra or classical instruments, in general, can produce. This is very different from any other sound source, and I wanted to work with this type of musical energy.

Tell us about one of the first struggles you faced (as a group or a solo artist) and how you overcame it?

It took me a long time to see sense in making my own music, after growing up with the masters and their complex perfection. Do we need more music? That doesn’t matter! Am I good enough? That doesn’t matter either. It sounds simple but finding those two answers was incredibly hard for me.

What are the most important pieces of equipment to you?

For creation: My brain, my intuition, a pencil, and paper.

On stage: I couldn’t live with a laptop.

Music for the individual or the masses – which do you want to create?

I can’t answer this. It is a typical western-world-21st-century-question. There is a difference between whether by “for the masses” you mean the audience of Johann Sebastian Bach, or that of McDonald’s. Bach’s music was created for the masses and still is accessible for everybody. I wouldn’t make music that is only limited to a few individuals.

Do you have a favourite memory of your career so far?

Yes. The most touching moments have been the after-shows with my choir project. When a choir of St. Petersburg or Minsk or Cuba is singing folk songs for you, in a pub after the concert, that is incredibly moving.

If you could work with, or perform alongside any artist living or passed, who would it be?

I would very much like to collaborate with Ryuji Sakamoto. His work was with me for so long and it would be a dream to write something with him.

What kind of message are you trying to send with your music?

My music is made to make it easier to stand up again. I want to share energy for this. Every one of my projects is written in search of leaving a foggy time and finding a new way out.

What can we expect from you in the near future? Any upcoming projects or gigs in the pipeline that you would like to tell us about?

I am looking forward to performing my new album Skills live. Especially being invited by the London Contemporary Orchestra to perform with them at Southbank Centre makes me very excited.

Skills track ‘Flow’ features on the Spotify playlist XPERIMENT_GROUND.fm

Follow Sven Helbig:

Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Soundcloud

December 15, 2021

December 15, 2021December 15, 2021 Mew Zikwryder

INTERVIEW: We catch up with avant-pop songstress Fifi Rong

Now, if you’ve been following RCRD LBL for the past year, chances are you would have heard about the Chinese-British songstress Fifi Rong and her fantastical build towards releasing her latest crowd-funded album, There Is A Funeral In My Heart, For Every Man I Loved. The singer first arrived on our radar in February 2021 with the release of ‘Another Me’ and the artistic music video that accompanied it. In the nearly full year to follow, we saw Fifi Rong investigate the world of live performance, become a forerunner in the NFT community and launch the impressively successful crowd-funding campaign that helped her give back to her followers and collaborators alike.

Album Stream/ download

It seemed only fitting to round off the year with Fifi Rong as we explore her mind, creative process and plans for the future. Find it all in the exclusive interview below.

Tell us about your first memory of music and how it inspired you

I was 4 watching this TV show about pianists and I developed this aching desire toward it and begged my parents to get me a piano.

In your biog, you mentioned how you’ve struggled to reconcile the two different sides of society (Western and Eastern). Do you feel you were able to bring the two together in your latest album?

Yes absolutely. It’s effortless now, and I can dial to any side as I wish.

There Is A Funeral In My Heart, For Every Man I Loved was crowd-funded, reaching the goal before the campaign ended. Tell us how you feel about this success and what you envision the next step to be

I’m very proud and loved. We reached the goal 2 weeks before the end of the campaign and ended at 164% crossed Indiegogo and my website’s crowdfunding period. This is proof of the ‘1000 true fan’ theory of how modern artists can have true creative freedom and full support from a relatively small number of true supporters instead of millions of distant listeners/fans. Going forward, I will be taking my connection with my real supporters to web3, which is an environment where this culture I have developed in my community can really thrive.

What is your favourite aspect of your video for ‘Out Of Clock’? What makes it stand out from the rest?

I speak in Chinese and English in the monologue at the intro, and tell the story of Why There Is A Funeral In My Heart in Chinese on one of the stereo fields, whereas I kept repeating the Album title in the other stereo field. It sums up the album really, and the production style is my favourite type in all my productions too: ‘passive aggressive’. Also, the chorus really spells out the general emotional signature of the entire album. ‘My heart is running out of love, for anyone, to stay’… after every funeral I gave to every single love affair. It’s a memoir of love after all.

The world of NFTs is quickly evolving, with you as one of the forerunners in the community. Tell us why you believe this new digital world is so important?

Cryptocurrency and NFT is a new technology, a disruptive one. Technology is a one way street, and NFT as a technology will take over the whole world before everyone realises it. It creates a better, fairer world and financial system, a win-win situation for creators, fans, and collectors, and adds much more utility and ownership to the relations between them.

Metaverse is the immediate future that will integrate with most of our lives and NFT is the builder block of this meta universe we are moving into.

Where is a good starting point for an artist looking to enter the NFT game? What tips would you give to a newcomer?

Web3 is powered by people and communities and the key is self governance, so education and connection with others in the community is the first and foremost aspect of longevity in NFT. So I’d recommend finding us on twitter, we have community space to educate and connect all the time around the week/cock. My twitter is @fifirong so follow me and connect on my daily onboarding show and I’ll set them up.

Tell us about your latest album. Which track shouldn’t fans sleep on and why?

‘I’m Enough’ has been talked about a lot from the feedback so far. I didn’t expect that, as I didn’t get special ‘love’ earlier during the making of the album from my peers, so I was sleeping on it. But now the album is out, people are loving it, and felt that it should have been a single as well. But then, the traditional industry may think there’s no single in my album, whereas my true supporters think every song is a single. Guess whose view I care more about?:)

One last thought to leave with your fans?

I love loving you

Follow Fifi Rong:
Website – Facebook – Twitter – Soundcloud – Youtube – Instagram – Spotify

Image credit: Dylan Chubb

November 2, 2021

November 2, 2021November 3, 2021 Mew Zikwryder

Interview with honest alternative pop musician Rich Delinquent

Stepping into the L.A. music scene in 2019, Rich Delinquent has established himself as a refreshingly honest alternative pop act. Rich Delinquent’s music draws influence from Flume, The Weeknd, and Blackbear who are all known to switch it up with finesse, whenever they deem fit. Set to release his album Sadboi on the 5th of November via 24-8 Records, the Australian music producer has shared some eclectic alternative pop gems with us these past few months. An advocate for mental health in the music scene, Rich Delinquent wants to create awareness of all the negative spirals one can find themselves in when chasing fame.

Rich Delinquent fill us in on his upcoming work and influences below.

What are some of your earliest memories of music?

I can still vividly remember the moment I saw a guitarist, Steve Morse from the band Deep Purple play live at my first concert as a child. That was the moment I knew I wanted to play guitar and be on stage performing.

Take us through your songwriting process. Are there any particular steps you take when putting music together?

I’ll always start with writing the instrumental bed followed by the chord progression, melodies, and drums. Once this is done I write the top line (sometimes collaborating with songwriters), then track the vocals, finish the producing and finally mix the song down.

Studio work and music creation or performing and interacting with a live audience, which do you prefer?

I honestly don’t have a preference, it all goes hand in hand and is all equally rewarding. For me, It’s like asking someone if they prefer to eat or drink.

What is the most memorable response you have had to your music?

One of the biggest drivers behind me making music is to connect with people through my songs. Receiving messages saying that one of my songs helped someone reconsider suicide, helped get through a breakup, or even just turned someones day around means the world to me.

These messages mean a lot more to me, the high streaming numbers or a shout-out from a peer.

If you could put together a radio show, what kind of music would you play?

I’ve put together a Spotify playlist called Delinquent Radio, so I guess it would be that. A wide range of music from EDM, hip-hop, and metal.

Name five artists and their albums who would appear on your radio show

The Weeknd, Bring Me The Horizon, Blackbear, Flume, and Whipped Cream.

What would you like to achieve with your music? What does success look like to you?

I have huge goals of headlining festivals and winning Grammy’s, but that doesn’t dictate success for me. A successful music career is one in which you can touch as many people as possible on an emotional level. That’s a real success.

One last thought to leave your fans with?

I am just really excited for this album to be out in the world. It’s been a long time coming; from writing the songs in lockdown in Melbourne, Australia to moving to LA to pursue music. It’s been a journey. This is my debut album and I’m really looking forward to sharing it with everyone.

Album track ‘She’s Happy?’ features on the Spotify playlist POP_GROUND.fm

Follow Rich Delinquent:

Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

October 9, 2020

October 9, 2020October 9, 2020 Mike change

In conversation with alternative pop singer Reagan

Reagan is an alternative pop singer who shares her woes of teenage adolescence, with her latest song release ‘Crybaby’. With a passion for poetry, the songstress writes her own lyrics. ‘Crybaby’ is a cheeky and quirky single that talks of the hopeful girl meets a shy boy narrative.

We find out more about the quirky songstress below.

Looking back, what were some of your earliest entries into music appreciation? And music production?

I learned to read and play music as a child and loved to dabble on the piano, drum set, ukulele, and clarinet whenever I had time. I started singing in a church choir early on and eventually graduated into a studio setting later in my teens. Both of my parents are practicing musicians, so I’ve always been blessed with opportunities and encouragement to make music from an early age. I’m truly grateful!

Please tell us more about how your latest song/release/project was conceived.

“Crybaby!” was written in the car, as a lot of my best songs are. I like to drive somewhere relaxing (in this case I went to a park) and soak up my surroundings before touching pen to page. It helps me tune in with myself first. I was relaxed and happy when writing “Crybaby!” and I think that really shines through in the song. The day I wrote it will always stick out in my memory as a good one!

Take us through your songwriting process. Are there any particular steps you take when putting music together?

Usually, I’ll choose the beat I’m working with and start piecing together some melody ideas first. I’ll record a couple of voice memos on my phone then write words to them when inspiration strikes. Songwriting is definitely an art though, not a science. Sometimes the words come first, sometimes it’s the melody, sometimes it’s a concept that rattles around in my head for months before coming to fruition. In the end, it’s always a gratifying process!

How much do you invest in how your music is received upon release? Are you very concerned about how your art is received?

Yes and no… it’s a healthy balance of both for me. If I drop a single and it doesn’t pick up traction from the jump I won’t beat myself up. However I do value public opinion because listening to others‘ advice, likes, and dislikes helps me improve my relatability! I want to create music that is beautiful, unique, yet digestible. Paving my own way while being mindful of what sounds other people enjoy listening to is my number one focus!

What is the most memorable response you have had to your music?

About a year ago I got the opportunity to show my song to an artist I enjoy during their music video shoot. I showed up for the day as an extra and by the end, we were in my car exchanging music! They really enjoyed my sound and it was a memorable experience that I’ll never forget.

Are there any key non-musical influences on your sound and creative process?

Yes, definitely being outside! It’s so important for me to be relaxed and in the right headspace to get my words out, and open-air does that for me. Sitting in nature is key!

Do you have any information regarding upcoming releases, projects, DJ mixes, or collaborations in the pipeline that you would like to tell us about?

I’ll be expanding my sound in 2021 and I’m very excited to share my new direction! As far as specifics go, it’s too soon to tell…

Famous last words?

Do what you love while you can. We only get one shot, so make it count!