Nikita - Interview

You may not be familiar with Poland's "Nikita" but the chances are that you have heard her work. Listening to the Franzy Scanner remix of her new single, Tonight, I had one of those moments where her work seemed very familiar and no doubt you might get the same feeling too. Especially if you liked some of the music to James Bond - Tomorrow Never Dies, Buffalo Soldiers, Out of Sight, Ocean's Eleven or Ocean's Twelve. Nikita is one of those rare talents that deserves the positive reviews she's receiving from the music press and her distinctive work is a genuine joy to listen to.

Firstly, just want to say a big thank you for taking time out to speak to us!

:o)

The new album is scheduled for 2011, how’s it shaping up so far, and what challenges are you facing on it?

At the time when I begun collecting ideas for this album I was also writing for other artists and I realised that to some extent pop songs and my solo ideas come from a different place in me. So it’s about that balance in how far you allow yourself to write for fun and how much of the real you are in it. I have this dark side that sneaks in. Typically Eastern European. Existentional. It’s got to be real, have depth and honesty, but it’s got to sound fresh too.

Following on from the previous question, you’re now writing for yourself again as opposed to working on a collaborative project, how are you finding the rediscovery of a new found sense of freedom, especially given your growing fan base?

Solo projects are also collaborations; they’re always a blend of ideas, emotions, letting someone else in. It’s a real bond when you work with someone on a record. I get emotional; I have to let my hair down. That’s why it’s so crucial to work with people who excite me musically. Music becomes a blend of you and the reflection of you in other people. But, yeah, I am going through an interesting time, it’s all in the songs you know. Songs make me totally naked, I can’t help it!

You’ve done music for the likes of James Bond – Tomorrow Never Dies, Oceans Eleven (and Twelve) and Buffalo Soldiers, did you have to write the music so that it fitted what was demanded by the film, or did you write the music first, and then it was chosen? How difficult was that?

I was very lucky to have an opportunity to work on a few soundtracks; it’s such a different animal. You can forget about structures, use your voice like an instrument. It’s kind of spontaneous, it has to work on the spot; I would stand in front of the mic watching the film, singing, reacting to the characters and the tension… I love working on films.

It seems music is very much in your family! Did your family encourage you to follow a career in music or did they try to dissuade you from it? And has it placed higher expectations on you?

Never! I grew up touring and falling asleep under the tables in dressing rooms until I went to school, my dad’s band was all about anti-communist punk, so nobody expected me to attend prim piano lessons. I remember wanting to be a sound engineer when I was 9, I love getting the mixes right, so they really tickle your ears. I used to write a lot but it wasn’t until I was 15 when I wrote a song. Shortly after I declared to my mum I was leaving home. So I went to London. I will always be grateful to her for letting me do that

Growing up in that musical environment, do you think you have a greater understanding of the music industry and have successfully avoided many of the pitfalls that face new bands, or have you still had to learn from your own mistakes?

Mistakes are good! You know, for me it was more about learning how differently people communicate in UK. Poles are naturally so brash they can come across as rude. I did offend a few important people when I first arrived; luckily I managed to switch the charm on before it ended badly! But there are a few things that never change. You have to be honest to yourself and never do anything you’d regret later. Knowing when to stop helps too.

Your music is labelled as “trip-hop rock”, which I’m not sure actually accurately describes your music, but I’m just wondering who your music influences are because I get the feeling it’s going to a pretty eclectic mix!

Tagging is so not my job. I love music. In some weird way it turns me on, it affects me like nothing else. from Krautrock, The Beach Boys, Joy Division, Depeche Mode, My Bloody Valentine, to stuff like Autechre, obscure electronica, film music, Phillip Glass, Terry Rilley, John Cage, Henryk Gorecki, and all the great pop songs out there.. I could go on and on.. When the Iron Curtain fell down in 1989 - everything came in like a flood.. We weren’t aware of the trends or time frames. There was this whole new world, music stands with cassettes for next to nothing, totally pirate as there was no copyright laws yet, such a chaos!!! A lot started to make sense only after I arrived in UK, so it had to be eclectic. But I am definitely more of an electronic kid, no idea where the “rock” came from!

Some bands / artists seem to have suffered when they’ve been very successful in their own country, but oddly, have an inability to break into either the UK or USA music scene. Is it actually harder to break into the UK / USA music scene and if so what barriers have you come across?

It’s all about thinking beyond borders. I went through a very strong “alien” phase. Really early on in my life I had this thought: ok, so I am on earth, and in Poland, right, what do I do now? I never get attached to any place or any rules, so I can absorb and change and grow, yeah, it’s harder, but it’s a lot bigger experience. I live for that.

Heard you were enjoying the latest album by the Gorillaz, just wondering what else you were enjoying listening to at the moment?

Totally, Plastic Beach is such an amazing piece of work. There is so much good new music out there at the moment! HURTS… Wonderful Life, totally love it, the new Badly Drawn Boy’s album is so genuinely beautiful, but right now I mainly just put my iPod on shuffle and see what comes up without interfering as I've been a hermit in Warsaw writing. Try to keep away from the radio you know, I want to keep it pure until we’re done.

Many thanks for your time!

Nikita's Myspace can be found here:

www.myspace.com/thisisnikita