Roxana

The interview with Roxana has filled me with inspiration, improvement and strength. Their messages come through to me without any kind of filter. You have to put all the energy into believing in yourself and go follow your dream without a doubt, this is the only way to get where Roxana has arrived in just two years of career, really inspiring. The musical maturity of its content is astonishing, so much so that 4:3 Boilerroomtv has already opted for it by giving visibility to Xanah’s latest video clip “Break My Legs”.

An innate fighter, who defines themselves
as an interdisciplinary artist predominantly active in sound and performance. Their electronic music combines modern tech perfection with the nature of basic human flaws and irrepressible thoughts and emotions.

They began to interact in the musical field with only three years.

I was sitting on the piano when I was around 3 years old, imitating English because that’s what I heard on the radio. I was a lucky gal because my parents recognized that I loved music and later on send me to singing and piano lessons. Though I got bored by classical education quite fast and refused to go after a while.

I then discovered Ableton in 2018 and started producing. It took me around a year to wrap my head around the program and figure out which musical path I actually wanted to follow.
Berlin definitely helped me defining my artistic style and helped me to get out of a box I put myself into. I listened to a lot of Experimental Music which really influenced my sound.

For sure, my plan was not to become an electronic music producer but somehow it just happened and I’m very much fine with it now, ha.
I remember when I freshly moved to Berlin I was keep telling myself: “I’m not a music producer, I’m a musician! What’s with all these cables and shit?”

But I guess Berlin had a big impact on me and showed me my true passion.

There were two concerts that Roxana was talking about which apparently had a big impact on them. The first one was by Sevdaliza in 2016 where Roxana realized that mixing acoustic music with electronic music is a beautiful thing and tottaly possible, there was no doubt,
I was like, This is what I want do it!

The second concert was by Tommy Cash in 2017.

It was a huge concert, sold out! I was fairly suprised because he is so unconventional and was quite underground at that time as well, and I had this realization of like:
“you can be weird af and still be successful”, and it kind of helped me to see the big picture.
I’m just gonna do what I want and maybe it’s gonna work out.

Roxana uses the piano and the guitar for songwriting and uses their music and lyrics to process their thoughts and feelings, it’s a way for them to channel what they feel what they think.
However, if you have an interview with them, avoid personal questions.

I hate personal questions, they make me feel uncomfortable.

In their process of composing, they told me about a catalogue of poetry and lyrics that caught my attention..

Sometimes I just write a poem and put it in archive, and when I have a sonic idea I go back to my catalogue of my poems and lyrics and I see what suits the vibe.
Or I start with the instrumental, sometimes I hear something catchy that I would like to recreate in my own way, in those rare cases I start with the music.

I think I prefer the first process though.

For their next project Roxana wants to give xanah a fiercer, stronger and louder touch. Saying their opinion out loud, fighting for rights and humanity, a fighter woman! Watching their latest music video, you can see how the two characters converge, the sensitivity and harshness coexisting in the same person seem to me to be of exceptional contrast.

When I say that they are a born fighter I said it exactly, for this reason,  expanding your own limits shows your insatiable desire to overcome.

I know there is a loud and fierce fighter in me, but I need to emphasize this voice a little bit to make it stronger.

At their latest EP Launch Party, Roxana met a lot of people that I was really connected with, and they were very well connected in the experimental music scene as well. They felt that I was getting good opportunities to collaborate with people.
The concert was a success, far exceeding attendance.

Now  with corona crisis, them message is clear and encouraging at the same time.

I miss being in a club, dancing and feeling the bass in my chest or having a gig with people. But I guess I just use the time now to sit my ass in the studio and create new music, that’s all I can do I think that’s all we can do as artists.

The message you want to give to the world:

A musical hug. Don’t be afraid of yor own feelings or thoughts.

Three words to describe your music:

unconventional, comforting, disturbing.

Something to add to the interview

Hardcore never dies.