INTERVIEW
It's time for one more interview on Sounds European!. We headed to Ukraine, where we had a talk with one of our favorite artists of the country. And her answers were as great as her music is! These are our 10 questions for Yaroslava:
Sounds European!: Let's start with your music background. Who were the artists you used to listen when you were growing up? Did you use them as influences to your own work? And who are your current idols?
Yaroslava: My growing up happened to be in the '90s, that is, the period of blooming and rising of popular music in the way we can listen now. Just like most mates my age, at that time I was fond of Backstreet Boys, Roxette, a-ha, Pet Shop Boys, Spice Girls, Queen, *NSYNC – and certainly Kylie Minogue, Madonna, Paula Abdul, Toni Braxton, Céline Dion, Vanessa Paradis, and I adored George Michael. I was a music fan from my very childhood, and I liked music of various styles and trends.
Surely, your music preferences lay a certain impression on your own songs, while being composed. Anyway, when you start writing your new songs, the music comes from your soul. And it is your mood to determine what this new song will be, and what sense and meaning it will contain.
Nowadays, I like Sting. And I like Lara Fabian's creative work so much.
SE!: At what age did you start singing? We know you also studied some instruments. What instruments did you study? And when did you start singing professionally?
Y: I started to sing from the cradle, as my parents told me. It was not surprising at all, and, probably, this was predestined. My mother, at that time, was a well-known piano teacher. Music surrounded me all the time. I played the piano when I was four. And the violin became my best friend when I was six. And I started to learn how to play the guitar since I was 12. When I was 15, I was admitted to study at a music school, and I began to study vocal of pop music professionally. When I was 16, I wrote my first song, which revealed my talent of author and composer.
I started having professional shows as a singer with a music band in 2002 – and I appeared as a solo singer in 2011, after a show at one of the largest music festivals.
SE!: As we see it, your music can be categorized as contemporary pop, but more mature than the average of worldwide pop music. How would you qualify your own music? How do you want people to see (and feel) the songs you make?
Y: My music is about love, about relationships and emotions arising between men and women. I want my spectators, visiting my concerts, to be plunged into a pleasant atmosphere of thoughts and sympathy, emotions and feelings. I want every girl to try one of my songs as her own, her own life and love. I want every man to admire his woman's feelings. I want children to appreciate the real relationship and feelings of adult people from their early childhood.
SE!: Your career is being very successful. Your single "Nebo v ladonyakh" (which we love, by the way) was awarded song of the year by the music channel Inter. You were named the discovery of the year at the YUNA Awards in 2013. Besides that, many songs of yours have charted in Ukraine and neighboring countries. How do you feel about all of this? How do you face success, and the fact your music is reaching so many people in so many places? What do you still dream to achieve in your career?
Y: It is very pleasant for me to receive letters and comments from my fans, living in many different countries, grateful for my songs. If my music gives rise to human emotion, brings positive feelings, makes someone get back to memories of the precious moments in life, it is the best reward for me! It is so touching that my fans travel from different countries to see my concerts. I am glad that I can gather people with different destinies, dreams and things they appreciate in one concert hall.
Surely, I am glad that my work receives the esteem of professionals. Because every music award – it is not actually mine, it belongs to my fans and I share it with them.
And I dream that every day more and more people would be acquainted with my work.
SE!: You are a singer, but also a composer and a lyricist. Is there any of these activities which you prefer rather than the others? Is being part of the entire process of making music something which matters to you?
Y: As it usually happens to me, texts appear together with the music. Only the special state of mind, inspiration and desire are needed for this. Some kind of appropriate atmosphere, situation in life. What is of great importance for me is being in love, and then experiencing the emotions connected with this. It does not necessarily mean falling in love with a man. It can be a city or country, just a beautiful new place or simply a situation. All that can give rise to new feelings. My zodiac sign is Cancer, and if you believe horoscopes to be true, I have very strong ties with the Moon. Probably, there is some kind of magic in this.
"If my music gives rise to human emotion, brings positive feelings, makes someone get back to memories of the precious moments in life, it is the best reward for me!" (Picture: official website)
SE!: We had the opportunity to watch your concert "Eto ya (Unplugged live)". And we were very impressed by your stage performance. How is it, for you, the experience of going on stage? How do you prepare for a concert, and a tour?
Y: The concert "Eto ya" is my first large concert programme. My visit card, actually. The concert includes 21 songs, performed by me and accompanied by professional musicians. The version for TV presents the well-known songs, which are the hit songs now, and the new ones. The new orchestration and sound, accompanied by live music, revealed something new in me to my spectators – not only me as a singer, but as a composer as well.
Preparing to the concert was long and diligent. Ballet performance, costume fitting, discussing the idea of the concert with the director. A lot of work was put into this process, and a lot of pleasure was received. For if you like the things you do, you do not even notice the hours spent in the studio or concert hall. But then, when everything is arranged and you are on the stage, you feel an incredible euphoria! This just cannot be compared with anything else!
SE!: Female pop music is really strong and prolific in Ukraine and region. We imagine that, at the same time, it can be both good (there is space for appearing) and bad (there is a lot of competition). How do you analyze the Ukrainian female pop scene? And how do you try to stand out from the other singers with your music?
Y: In fact, there are a lot of talented singers, musicians and composers in Ukraine. But each one is different, with his/her own music style. My colleagues and I never feel uncomfortable because of each other's presence. Each one has his/her own audience and fans. Someone makes shows with drive; another one's shows are more theatrical. Someone uses modern technologies as the background. And I have another point – the soul and heart and feelings are the most important for me. The main thing is to believe in yourself and in all you bring to your spectator!
SE!: What are your professional plans for the near future? What can your fans expect from you?
Y: Now, I am working over my new, third album. It is an interesting work for me. Currently, I am cooperating with one very popular music producer in Ukraine. He has his own vision of me. And I like all we have done together. Until now, we have shown only one single from the new album, the song "Pochemu". There was a very positive reaction about it, and it really received the response and understanding from my fans. So, we decided to write the whole album. And the new show – which will appear between one and one and a half years later – will become the result of our cooperation. I will take it for my next tour.
SE!: If you could choose anyone, who would be some Ukrainian and international artists you'd like to collaborate with?
Y: I would like to sing together with Sting. It should be a beautiful chamber song, where two acoustic guitars would sound. And, if we talk about Ukraine, I, a lyric singer, would like to sing together with the best lyric tenor of the country, Alexandr Ponomarev.
SE!: We would like to post a song of yours to close this interview. What is your favorite song of yourself, and why?
Y: To finish this interview, probably, the song "Eto lyubov'".
I cannot say that this song is my favorite; I like all my songs equally. But this one is special. It is very light, positive and optimistic! I wish all the people reading this interview and listening to my songs love, peace and to be yourselves, whatever it takes. Do not be ashamed to remain yourself. Love and appreciate each other.
