-How did you get into making music?

Music entered my life at a very early age! As cliche as it may sound, I can’t remember wanting to do something else. 

I started playing the piano at the age of 6 and immediately gained interest in singing and writing my music.

Looking back now, I feel quite lucky as a child, that my first piano teacher, instead of putting pressure on me into learning how to play classical piano, really helped me focus on my creative side.

It’s not that common, especially for a teacher in a small city in Greece around the late ‘90s. 

As a kid, I was more interested in writing Melodies, improvising, and singing. I was never interested in learning how to play Bach for example.

Obviously, that’s also important but she really made me feel special and helped me structure those ideas and learn how to play and sing my own songs.

It's very likely that if I had another and more strict teacher, I might have actually ended up hating music and they would probably clipped my wings.

Although I was always a singer-songwriter, I started producing music at a later stage - specifically around the age of 23, when I moved to London. It opened a whole new creative chapter in my life and set me free from many obstacles. I could finally do the music that I always wanted to do.

- What was your first experience with music?

As I mentioned above I started playing the piano at the age of 6 however the first ever experience that made me feel magnetized by sound itself and songwriting and made me want to start learning was at the age of 5.

My parents brought me a CD and a videotape of the musical “Phantom of the Opera” and something inside of me suddenly changed. It’s insane that I still remember that first feeling of how the music made me feel.

After that, I was always involved in choirs, etc in school and professionally started performing live during the first years of my BA.

- What was the best advice someone gave you when you were starting as a musician?

My vocal teacher in Thessaloniki ( Yula Michail ) taught me how to embrace and find my own voice.

Everyone has their path, but if you spend your whole career trying to sound like someone else, you will never be able to express yourself truly and most likely people won’t be able to connect with you. 

So no matter what your genre is or whether you’re a singer or a producer or a songwriter. Always focus on your own unique voice and sound! 

Sometimes I think that I've wasted too much time and energy trying to do things that were easier to digest just because other people told me so and not things that I like doing.

- If you could play at any venue in the world, what would it be?

Hmm…I mean the Glastonbury haha but also one of my favorite stages is the Barbican in London! 

- What song was the most difficult for you to write?

“Cold September”, which hasn't been released yet but will be included on my next album. It’s a very very intimate song - It still hurts sometimes when I listen to it. It took me 3 years to finalize the production. I can now say that is one of my favorite tracks on my upcoming album.

- How do you deal with creative blocks or performance anxiety?

Well, I do therapy now and it truly helps me to control my pre-show anxiety. 

To be honest, I never really had stage fright however my main issue was that I’m a hypochondriac and I was always seriously panicking that I will lose my voice before a show or get ill - which means that I would have to cancel my shows. So, therapy as well as yoga helps me feel more present. 

Regarding creative blocks, I can’t really say that I’ve figured it out entirely yet. It still makes me furious sometimes. The best thing that a fellow musician and friend of mine told me was to “Just let it go”. Meaning that If you come back to your project a few days later, the blocks won’t be there anymore and inspiration will probably just come out naturally. 

There are several tricks though which I apply to my practice, especially if you need to get the job done as - you know - no one ever had the luxury of time in 2023. Tricks like free writing, focusing on the objects around you, and referencing other artists can help you ‘relief’ any of your creative blocks.

- Who are your musical influences?

I am a big fan of Fka Twigs, Arca, Sega Bodega, Bjork, and (recently discovered) Daniella Lalita and Marina Herlop. 

- What or who inspires you?

Inspiration is something that you can’t really control. I used to write only when I was in a low-key mood but lately, I discovered that you don’t need to be constantly unhappy to be creative. 

Little everyday things and uncommon details might generate your best songs. I also get inspired by fellow musicians and other creatives all the time. Discovering new music, sounds and visuals can help you open your horizons sonically.

-What do you think makes your music unique?

It’s quite hard for me to answer this, to be honest. I try to use sounds and words as a way to express somatic feelings so my voice is not only a singing tool - and I feel that this is quite a distinctive characteristic of my productions. I like to record and process all the little oral details coming from one’s body, like breaths, screams, and creaking noises to turn my pop production into a “within-my-body” experience. Also, I do use plenty of field recordings to visualize the sonic space. Not quite sure if that’s unique or not, but this is just my creative process. 

- What do you think is the state of the music industry today and where do you think it will go in the future?

I have absolutely no idea where it’s heading to! Things are getting faster and faster and the industry is demanding artists to be multi-tools!

As an artist, at the moment, You need to write and produce nonstop, be a manager, a visual artist, a fashion designer, a tour manager, a social media specialist, and a video creator, while being ahead of the game. 

We know for a fact that there will be a huge music evolution that’s coming especially as AI is evolving, but can’t really predict! In the same way, we couldn’t really predict the huge impact of social media on artists’ lives at the early ages of the internet. 

- What do you like to do in your free time (outside of music)?

I love traveling and I wish I could do it more often. Being a freelancer comes along with an uncertain weekly schedule.

I recently discovered Kung fu and managed to make some space for it. It has really changed my life. I was never a fit person and the covid period made things even worst in terms of physical exercise.

So, doing such an active sport and especially a martial art that’s also so performative benefited my mental health. I feel very empowered, motivated, and inspired by it!

Apart from that, heading towards my 30s, some days I honestly enjoy doing absolutely nothing (haha). 

- Where do you see yourself musically in 5 years?

If I’ve learned anything from the last 5 years of my life is that I can never be sure where life might take me. I am currently finishing my upcoming album and planning ahead. I do hope exciting things will come and that I keep on evolving as an artist.