ALTERNATIVE ARTIST FIDAN ALIVA delivers airy, buttery vocals over smooth tracks with a pale ribbon of R&B running throughout a dreamy, ethereal electronic landscape. Her sound has just enough alternative to keep her in a lane of her own, but hints at a seriously smart marriage of the ever atmospheric Bjork and the sultry soul of Sade. We fell in love with every stylistic whisper... each dark, smoky note.
Delivering emotionally deep and evocative lyrics, calming ambiance, rich tones and mysterious melodies, it's clear that Fidan is intentional with the message of her music, while painting in a few brush strokes of feel-good vibes for listenability. Her music has a gloomy yet glamorous background element — much like the backdrop of her writing inspiration: the collective memory of her time in Italy. Creating a unique fusion of lavish strings, deliberately subtle horns and complex multi-instrumental riffs combined with down-tempo electronica, this classically trained artist is involved in all aspects of the direction and composition of her music. At times enigmatic, the Molecule 90 EP and subsequent single releases are a winding path through a mystical forest, leading Fidan directly to stardom.
Deitra Magazine had the honor of interviewing this up and coming female artist. What follows are her poignant thoughts on the process and emotional release of creating music.
ABOUT THE ARTIST: I originally come from Baku, Azerbaijan but I have been living in Vienna all my mature years throughout 2008-2017. That was the key period of my life when it comes to music. Then, I moved back to Baku for various local and international projects in a role of music and sound producer. Now, I moved to Istanbul to continue developing my artist and producer career.
I always seek opportunities to share my music with the world and this time, I thank Deitra Music for another opportunity to expose my music to the world.
MUSICAL BACKGROUND: I am a graduate of a violin school. The violin occupied most of my time, I performed live (solo) with a Chamber, Symphonic Orchestra many times and was planning to continue my degree in London. Whilst all was moving according to my plan and I loved music a lot, I changed my mind at the very last moment. I just needed that long break in my life that helped me to clarify many things in regard to my musicianship. One of the conductors once told me, “…you will never become a musician and you have to quit playing the violin,” just because I once played a different score at the concert, though managed to adjust it quickly to the orchestra. He dismissed me right in the middle of the concert and that was the hardest emotional collapse I have ever experienced in my life. It took many years until I recovered from that traumatic experience as a child. I was only twelve years old. I decided to quit music and I had a sufficient amount of time to thoroughly analyze and reassess the importance of music in my life. I came back after fourteen years with an absolute confidence in what I do today as an occupation.
I always seek opportunities to share my music with the world and this time, I thank Deitra Music for another opportunity to expose my music to the world.
MUSICAL BACKGROUND: I am a graduate of a violin school. The violin occupied most of my time, I performed live (solo) with a Chamber, Symphonic Orchestra many times and was planning to continue my degree in London. Whilst all was moving according to my plan and I loved music a lot, I changed my mind at the very last moment. I just needed that long break in my life that helped me to clarify many things in regard to my musicianship. One of the conductors once told me, “…you will never become a musician and you have to quit playing the violin,” just because I once played a different score at the concert, though managed to adjust it quickly to the orchestra. He dismissed me right in the middle of the concert and that was the hardest emotional collapse I have ever experienced in my life. It took many years until I recovered from that traumatic experience as a child. I was only twelve years old. I decided to quit music and I had a sufficient amount of time to thoroughly analyze and reassess the importance of music in my life. I came back after fourteen years with an absolute confidence in what I do today as an occupation.
One of the conductors once told me, “…you will never become a musician and you have to quit playing the violin...”
ON INSPIRATION: I love that feeling of an emotional “release” I experience every single time I compose. When the song is finished, I can easily move to the next page of my life. All my songs have a direct emotional attachment to me and to a true story that happened either to me, or to somebody else. I write songs based on other people’s stories too, but they are not my main source of inspiration. I simply share other people’s stories by means of my music. Music is my key tool of communication. I can express myself as it's best when I do it through my music. In a word, music is some sort of a catharsis for me.
SIGNATURE SOUND: I love creating music that will not stress you out but ease you. My music is not about disco and clubs — it is more about sad, chilled music. I do not enjoy chaotic vibes and that is definitely not something I would mean to create. I am more into deep thoughts, deep music and melodic attachments. Consequently, the sound is very ambient with a slight mixture of acid electronic instruments like synths as add-ons — something you can enjoy listening to anywhere and anytime without a specific emotional state.
ON SONGWRITING: I have my own philosophy behind my music. There should be an emotional story attached to the music — a strong narrative, a particular situation — that is how I generally compose and sort out my songs. They always have strong lyrics, impressive melodical flow and then a pacifying sounding rhythm. There always needs to be an atmosphere and something that conveys a specific emotion, which needs to be defined before you start composing. I am more into very philosophical themes like but not limited to relationships between people inter se, religion, mental stamina.
Music is some sort of a catharsis for me.
My most favorite song I have written so far is “No One Seeing.” Everything about this song is very special to me. I wrote this song during the Messe at Stephansdom (Vienna). I was very into existentialist thoughts and suddenly the lyrics popped up and I wrote them down. I composed the music and arranged it in couple of hours but recorded later when I was in Baku.
Most of the time, I start with lyrics. I start narrating the story, which later defines the idea for the style and sound of the instrumental part. I constantly analyze the world and people around me. There is an inspiration in everything that surrounds us and it is the ability of us (people of art like musicians, composers, artists) to perceive and introduce things from a different angle. However, I think, my best songs are written during the times when I was emotionally broken.
FAVORITE MUSICAL ERA: Early beginnings of 2000s, when there was a boom in the industry as a result of serious shifts in technology and production (DAWs, new instruments, plugins). People started experimenting and creating music straight from their couches — this introduced tons of new music and genres to the world.
However, in general, I am very into classical music and I spent all my childhood listening to Abel Korzeniowski. To me, a true music is classical music. It is definitely my main all-the-time source of inspiration.
Music is my remedy. I simply cannot exist without composing.
ON PERFORMING + RECORDING: I appreciate a lot the importance of music in my life. It is my main tool of therapy. It occupies all my mind, concentration and time. There is not a single day I spend without composing or playing. I play piano more often than I do the violin. I love to score strings over to playing them. Music is my remedy. I simply cannot exist without composing.
ON FASHION: It is that very element of sincerity in my songs, performance and styling. I am simply who I am in my songs because I want to organically fit into the atmosphere of my songs — they are smooth, pacifying and a bit pensive. You have to get that very feeling when you look at me.
OVERCOMING OBSTACLES: Yes, I had [obstacles] but they never demotivated me. I became more insistent in following my path. I quit a “dream job” for music. My parents, peers, friends — all of them are skeptical about what I do. At first, it was difficult for me especially when it came to my parents but as I saw other people supporting me and my music, I realized that as long as you do what you like and you do it in a very committed way, your “dreams” come true. My music is licensed with a couple of popular licensing brands (UK), has lots of radio spins across EU, US and I am being featured in many blogs, digital and online print — which already means a lot to me as an artist who had zero investment in promotion. This means people love my music and there is nothing more important than this for a person who creates a piece of art.
I constantly analyze the world and people around me. There is an inspiration in everything that surrounds us...
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: The most exciting moment for me was to launch my independent artist career in August 2019 with my debut EP Album Molecule 90. It took me five years to decide on a genre and my image and direction as an artist/musician. It was a tough decision for me to make. I was hesitant at the beginning but now, I know my audience and I know exactly what music I want to create and share with the world within the following five years.
FUTURE HOPES + DREAMS: One day, my music will reach a wider audience and I will be a good example of a successful female producer and musician — both in one — with a distinguished music and strong belief in her musicianship regardless of her nationality and race, because my commitment already defines my future as an artist. I always wanted to become successful both as a producer and artist. A lot awaits me in Istanbul. DM
Written by Tamara Styer.
All photos and videos property of Fidan Aliva.
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