First Love Like Birds interview
Original interview (in Macedonian):
http://plagij.at/index.php?sajt=more&id=5017
If you could live in any time period, what would it be?
A difficult question to start with! Oh, I wish I had a time machine, because I like this time now. I like being able to fly everywhere, and keep direct and fast contact with close-in-my-heart, but far-away-in-distance- friends. But I would love to travel back to different times. From the 20’s up to now. For the different kinds of music, dancing, way of dressing. The good thing about today is that everything is coming back, and you can wear anything you’d like, you’ll find people that are open enough to accept that, and/or share your love for something. I think I’m at my place in this time period, eventhough I can get very cyberstressed sometimes, wanting to go back to a time -like my grandpa told me a few months ago- “when all you’d do was lie in the grass with your best friends and talk about life. Nothing less, nothing more.”
I could go on and on about it, but I’ll stop here, I can’t finish my thoughts about this one.
Love Like Birds... what does it stand for?
It’s an imagine, a feeling that popped up when I was drawing little hearts on a paper, leaving a note for a boy I used to love. I think it’s about the freedom, and a warm feeling. The high of love, flying high up in the air. And the moment when you stand still and all you see is a big flock of birds above you. It’s hard to explain. It’s a lot of loose thoughts and feelings combined.
Who is Elke?
I’m a sucker for love. I have a hard time staying in one place for long, so I try to make little cheap travels as much as I can. Visiting friends abroad and having them guide me around town. I love surrendering to someone else’s taste and life then. I am a social animal that loves alone time too. I need love, music and adventure. Beauty in the small things. I used to have black, grey, blue and golden days, but I found a boy who is my counter weight and keeps me in perfect balance, so I have been feeling as calm as ever. And I love dancing. Oh, I really love dancing.
Is the guitar your fav instrument?
There are many instruments I wish I could play. Guitar was the first thing I thought about, and it’s easy to take along somewhere, and you don’t need much to be able to play some songs. I’m a terrible guitarplayer, I can only play a certain amount of chords, but that’s ok for me. I’m trying to play some piano now, I love how the sound can fill the whole room, and how you can play around with the keys. And I’m always a bit jealous of drummers, but my coordination is not good enough for that. And violin! And trompet! Oh, I could go on and on.
How did the “love affair” with your guitar started?
I used to be in the scouts for 12 years and the older guys always played songs that some of us would sing along to. I used to hide away with my best friends to play Hit Me Baby One More Time over and over (in an acoustic indie version, of course J) and when I was 16 me and my sisters got a guitar for Sinterklaas (he brings the children in Belgium and the Netherlands presents on the 6th of December). I never took lessons and I got very frustrated not being able to play. I had the feeling it would just come out when I would hold it, but of course it didn’t.. I used to turn all the lights out in my room at night and just strum Am for a while. I liked that sound a lot. I think I’ve always loved it.
Why do you cultivate the look you have?
I’m not sure what you mean.. I just think I found the look I feel like myself in. It’s possible that it’ll change over time. It always does. But I just wear what I feel comfortable in, and I got rid of all of that high school and early college uncertainty. I don’t want to be insecure now, I try to refuse, because everyone always looks back at there youth and young(wo)manhood with thoughts like “these were my best days.” It makes me sad when girls and boys are unhappy with their bodies, because the world projects a -for so many people- unreachable image. I just want to eat healthy and take care of my body, without having to worry about pizza, ice cream, pie and candy from time to time. It’s important to find peace in how you look, that way you can show others your most positive sides too. No one is perfect. Thank God for that!
How did you get involved in the singer/songwriter scene?
I kind of just rolled in. It just happened. A dear far away friend told me he had seen my Between The Bars cover on youtube and told me I should get out there, so I made a Myspace and I’m still very surprised every time a stranger comes across it and writes me a nice comment, or gives me a chance to pl ay. It warms my heart and keeps me bringing it out into the world.
Did the crowd accept you in your home country?
I’m getting some chances to play, collaborate with other artists and wonderful comments, so I guess I’m accepted J.
What’s it like to be a solo girl performer?
In a way I feel at my strongest like that. I need to overcome my fears and go for it. I would be so much more stressed when I had a band, because then I can fuck it up for them. If I play alone, and I suck, it’s just me, and I can handle that. It would make me very sad, but not feeling guilty. Plus, this way I can play the songs how I feel them at that moment, begin and stop when ever I want. I guess I don’t like being responsible for others. On the other hand, I haven’t really tried to play my songs with others, and it’s possible that some cello, piano, more guitar, strings, some background singing could all make it warmer and fuller..
What do you think, where will you record your next album?
An album is far away, but I would love to get a demo, and later an EP out. I’m such a rookie, I have no idea how to start, but I have dear friends with home studios and experience in the music world. I can ask them for help. The recording will probably be in Gent, Belgium, where I live.
How do you stand on lo-fi production and music?
I remember a recording of a friend for a Dutch radioshow. It’s called it “Phoning it in”, they call the artist and he/she plays some songs over the phone. It feels like they’re playing just for you. They seem to close.. I do like good recordings too. Where you hear the quality of the voice, and the lyrics. A very lo-fi recording can be so teasing that it’s annoying.. You hear something that seems beautiful, but there is this web of little sounds as a barrier. But like I said, it can feel very intimate and personal, and that’s what I love about it.
What are your main influences?
I grew up with boybands like the Backstreet Boys, and went to indierock like 3 Doors Down, Linkin Park, etc. during early high school. But then I got into Damien Rice, Cat Power, Elliott Smith, Iron&Wine, Sufjan Stevens, Laura Marling, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald,.. Bands I still love. I started playing guitar by stealing their songs, so the chords and melodies, the way of playing grew from that, the lyrics come from the heart; longing, breaking, loving.
What is more important for you, the meaning of the lyrics, or the composer part in one singer-songwritter performance?
The important thing is that you feel it. If you feel it, there is a big chance that there will be others feeling it too when you let it out in the air. As in love, paintings, movies, pictures, religion, etc. it’s important that you feel it.
Major/indie lable?
I don’t think any major label will ever be interested in me.. I feel like this half-on-land, half-in-the-water animal, when all the musicians are big fish. I feel very very small in this music world, and I like it like that. It feels safer, less expectations. If I grow, chances will hopefully grow with me. But for now, there is not more that I wish for than a few shows a month, for some people who care to listen, a nice demo to be proud of, and maybe some hand made merchandise.
What are your plans for the future?
What ever comes around, comes around! I’m a bit scared of hoping for things, since this is such an uncertain world, and I can be forgotten next week, or next month. I’m going to make some better recordings soon, in a home studio of a friend, so I at least have a demo to present to people. I’m just going to play, and we’ll see..
Do you intent to play some shows around Europe/global?
I would love to! I might be able to go on tour with an artist as his opener, somewhere in spring, but since nothing is certain yet, I’m trying not to hope for it too much. If anyone can set up a show for me somewhere, contact me J, I would love to come and play.
Say something that i didn’t asked you in the previous questions, but you would like to share with the readers?
Enjoy. Enjoy life, love, music, books,.. There is a lot of beauty in the world, and I know it’s hard to relax and sit back in this constantly moving world. Go out and explore, jump into deep water. Get your knees bruised. Listen to Go Do by Jónsi, and read the lyrics. Go scream, do shout, make an earthquake. Go do.
Official Myspace
Official Facebook
http://plagij.at/index.php?sajt=more&id=5017
If you could live in any time period, what would it be?
A difficult question to start with! Oh, I wish I had a time machine, because I like this time now. I like being able to fly everywhere, and keep direct and fast contact with close-in-my-heart, but far-away-in-distance- friends. But I would love to travel back to different times. From the 20’s up to now. For the different kinds of music, dancing, way of dressing. The good thing about today is that everything is coming back, and you can wear anything you’d like, you’ll find people that are open enough to accept that, and/or share your love for something. I think I’m at my place in this time period, eventhough I can get very cyberstressed sometimes, wanting to go back to a time -like my grandpa told me a few months ago- “when all you’d do was lie in the grass with your best friends and talk about life. Nothing less, nothing more.”
I could go on and on about it, but I’ll stop here, I can’t finish my thoughts about this one.
Love Like Birds... what does it stand for?
It’s an imagine, a feeling that popped up when I was drawing little hearts on a paper, leaving a note for a boy I used to love. I think it’s about the freedom, and a warm feeling. The high of love, flying high up in the air. And the moment when you stand still and all you see is a big flock of birds above you. It’s hard to explain. It’s a lot of loose thoughts and feelings combined.
Who is Elke?
I’m a sucker for love. I have a hard time staying in one place for long, so I try to make little cheap travels as much as I can. Visiting friends abroad and having them guide me around town. I love surrendering to someone else’s taste and life then. I am a social animal that loves alone time too. I need love, music and adventure. Beauty in the small things. I used to have black, grey, blue and golden days, but I found a boy who is my counter weight and keeps me in perfect balance, so I have been feeling as calm as ever. And I love dancing. Oh, I really love dancing.
Is the guitar your fav instrument?
There are many instruments I wish I could play. Guitar was the first thing I thought about, and it’s easy to take along somewhere, and you don’t need much to be able to play some songs. I’m a terrible guitarplayer, I can only play a certain amount of chords, but that’s ok for me. I’m trying to play some piano now, I love how the sound can fill the whole room, and how you can play around with the keys. And I’m always a bit jealous of drummers, but my coordination is not good enough for that. And violin! And trompet! Oh, I could go on and on.
How did the “love affair” with your guitar started?
I used to be in the scouts for 12 years and the older guys always played songs that some of us would sing along to. I used to hide away with my best friends to play Hit Me Baby One More Time over and over (in an acoustic indie version, of course J) and when I was 16 me and my sisters got a guitar for Sinterklaas (he brings the children in Belgium and the Netherlands presents on the 6th of December). I never took lessons and I got very frustrated not being able to play. I had the feeling it would just come out when I would hold it, but of course it didn’t.. I used to turn all the lights out in my room at night and just strum Am for a while. I liked that sound a lot. I think I’ve always loved it.
Why do you cultivate the look you have?
I’m not sure what you mean.. I just think I found the look I feel like myself in. It’s possible that it’ll change over time. It always does. But I just wear what I feel comfortable in, and I got rid of all of that high school and early college uncertainty. I don’t want to be insecure now, I try to refuse, because everyone always looks back at there youth and young(wo)manhood with thoughts like “these were my best days.” It makes me sad when girls and boys are unhappy with their bodies, because the world projects a -for so many people- unreachable image. I just want to eat healthy and take care of my body, without having to worry about pizza, ice cream, pie and candy from time to time. It’s important to find peace in how you look, that way you can show others your most positive sides too. No one is perfect. Thank God for that!
How did you get involved in the singer/songwriter scene?
I kind of just rolled in. It just happened. A dear far away friend told me he had seen my Between The Bars cover on youtube and told me I should get out there, so I made a Myspace and I’m still very surprised every time a stranger comes across it and writes me a nice comment, or gives me a chance to pl ay. It warms my heart and keeps me bringing it out into the world.
Did the crowd accept you in your home country?
I’m getting some chances to play, collaborate with other artists and wonderful comments, so I guess I’m accepted J.
What’s it like to be a solo girl performer?
In a way I feel at my strongest like that. I need to overcome my fears and go for it. I would be so much more stressed when I had a band, because then I can fuck it up for them. If I play alone, and I suck, it’s just me, and I can handle that. It would make me very sad, but not feeling guilty. Plus, this way I can play the songs how I feel them at that moment, begin and stop when ever I want. I guess I don’t like being responsible for others. On the other hand, I haven’t really tried to play my songs with others, and it’s possible that some cello, piano, more guitar, strings, some background singing could all make it warmer and fuller..
What do you think, where will you record your next album?
An album is far away, but I would love to get a demo, and later an EP out. I’m such a rookie, I have no idea how to start, but I have dear friends with home studios and experience in the music world. I can ask them for help. The recording will probably be in Gent, Belgium, where I live.
How do you stand on lo-fi production and music?
I remember a recording of a friend for a Dutch radioshow. It’s called it “Phoning it in”, they call the artist and he/she plays some songs over the phone. It feels like they’re playing just for you. They seem to close.. I do like good recordings too. Where you hear the quality of the voice, and the lyrics. A very lo-fi recording can be so teasing that it’s annoying.. You hear something that seems beautiful, but there is this web of little sounds as a barrier. But like I said, it can feel very intimate and personal, and that’s what I love about it.
What are your main influences?
I grew up with boybands like the Backstreet Boys, and went to indierock like 3 Doors Down, Linkin Park, etc. during early high school. But then I got into Damien Rice, Cat Power, Elliott Smith, Iron&Wine, Sufjan Stevens, Laura Marling, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald,.. Bands I still love. I started playing guitar by stealing their songs, so the chords and melodies, the way of playing grew from that, the lyrics come from the heart; longing, breaking, loving.
What is more important for you, the meaning of the lyrics, or the composer part in one singer-songwritter performance?
The important thing is that you feel it. If you feel it, there is a big chance that there will be others feeling it too when you let it out in the air. As in love, paintings, movies, pictures, religion, etc. it’s important that you feel it.
Major/indie lable?
I don’t think any major label will ever be interested in me.. I feel like this half-on-land, half-in-the-water animal, when all the musicians are big fish. I feel very very small in this music world, and I like it like that. It feels safer, less expectations. If I grow, chances will hopefully grow with me. But for now, there is not more that I wish for than a few shows a month, for some people who care to listen, a nice demo to be proud of, and maybe some hand made merchandise.
What are your plans for the future?
What ever comes around, comes around! I’m a bit scared of hoping for things, since this is such an uncertain world, and I can be forgotten next week, or next month. I’m going to make some better recordings soon, in a home studio of a friend, so I at least have a demo to present to people. I’m just going to play, and we’ll see..
Do you intent to play some shows around Europe/global?
I would love to! I might be able to go on tour with an artist as his opener, somewhere in spring, but since nothing is certain yet, I’m trying not to hope for it too much. If anyone can set up a show for me somewhere, contact me J, I would love to come and play.
Say something that i didn’t asked you in the previous questions, but you would like to share with the readers?
Enjoy. Enjoy life, love, music, books,.. There is a lot of beauty in the world, and I know it’s hard to relax and sit back in this constantly moving world. Go out and explore, jump into deep water. Get your knees bruised. Listen to Go Do by Jónsi, and read the lyrics. Go scream, do shout, make an earthquake. Go do.
Official Myspace
Official Facebook