What can I say I love Synthwave and NINA album Sleepwalking is excellent, one of the best albums of the year and this is what she had to say. I recommend you get the album it’s excellent.
1. How did you get into Synthwave?
I remember watching ‘Drive’ and being completely in love with the Soundtrack, as it had so many 80’s references and I’ve always been a huge fan of 80’s music. I’m an 80’s child after all.
2. Are you happy how people have responded to the music?
Yes, very happy. My fans have been waiting long enough for my debut album, and I’m glad they liked it. It’s extremely rewarding.
3. How did the album Sleepwalking come about?
It took a good 3 years in the making and it’s a collection of 11 very personal songs. I worked with different producers all around the world, so it did take quite a while to get it finished but I’m very proud of it.
4. Was the writing process different to earlier material?
Yes. It was quite different this time, as I worked with a different team before and it was a very different experience. For my debut album I wanted to be completely in charge of the writing, creative process and also the visual aspect. The most important thing for me was to be comfortable throughout the entire process and to stay true to myself.
5. What was the inspiration behind the album?
Most of the songs were inspired from personal experiences but there are a couple of narratives in there too. I visit different subjects like being bullied in school during my teens, the struggle of my mum being a single parent in the 80’s in Berlin, having my heart broken, protecting the ones we love and also falling in love for the first time.
6. Was the recording process different to earlier material?
Yes, it was. This time we recorded 90% of my vocals in my home studio, which I’m very comfortable with and gave me more room to play around and try new ideas. I also flew to Sweden to record a couple of songs with Oscillian, who is an amazing producer based in Norrköping.
7. How does a song start for you, where does the idea from the song start?
Usually from personal experiences. I would write down what’s on my mind, without worrying too much about a rhyme or specific sections.
8. How important do you think things like NewRetroWave are important to the scene and of course getting your music out there to an audience?
NRW has been great to gather synthwave and retrowave fans together around the world, through social media. They are very important in this scene. They’ve been super supportive with all my releases and I love the fact that they keep growing incessantly.
9. What the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
I used to suffer from stage fright and a friend who grew up in the music industry once said to me “nerves are your friends. They push you further and help you be the best you can be on stage.” And it kind of stuck. The more I performed, the more I realized how true it was and I started to channel the energy differently.
10. Do you have moments where you just can’t write, how do you snap out that?
Definitely, I would go for a walk, or play with my cat, or watch some Netflix. Anything to take my mind away from the song I’m writing. I usually go back to it the following day with fresh ears and new ideas. Every song takes a lot of re-visiting. It’s all part of the process.
11. What do you do for downtime to full the fire for your music?
I love photography, so I take lots of photos with my vintage cameras. I also enjoy going to the cinema, I probably would have tried to pursue a career in acting, if I hadn’t chosen a career in music.
12. Do you have any rituals before going on stage?
I need peace and quiet before going on stage. I’ll drink lots of water (maybe even a whisky on the rocks!) and warm up my voice.
13. Do you think your writing has changed a lot from when you were starting out as a musician?
Yes definitely. I find it much easier now to open up about personal experiences, and I feel that I’ve finally found my sound.
