Q&A: VÏKÆ

The Ukrainian-born Kiwi VÏKÆ started out in classical music, but has finally found her place in the pop realm! Having hundreds of thousands of streams on her tracks, she’s now been on “The Double EP Release Tour” alongside fellow New Zealander PRINS and has just released her debut EP “Finelines”.

She chats to us about her latest release, tour life, her eclectic taste in music and more.

We’d love to know a little bit about your musical journey so far from when you first started singing!

I’ve honestly loved music forever. There isn’t a time I don’t remember my life revolving around music either. Mum and babushka (I’m Ukrainian) finished musical school as well as their regular schooling in the former USSR and so it was natural that I would follow in succession. I always felt pressured to follow the pursuit of classical music, and so I was accepted into a classical performing arts programme at uni. I loved it and I loved singing - but it just wasn’t my thing. I quickly realised I didn’t want to be an opera singer and edged closer and closer to finally landing in the pop realm; on the way dabbling in musical theatre, an honours year in jazz performance and later starting a rock band. All of it was relevant though and I don’t regret it for a second. I couldn’t be happier than where I am now though!

Your debut industrial/bass-heavy pop EP “Finelines” is such a powerful piece of work, with raw and honest lyrics touching on toxic relationships and self-worth. Can you tell us about the overall theme of the EP?

Thanks so much! For me it was important to create something with a message behind the lyrics. It’s so easy to listen to mundane samey pop songs on the radio and soon lack some substance. I think it’s getting better now though by a long mile. For a while there I thought it was nothing but party songs. So I wanted to break away from that narrative and touch on my struggle with mental and physical health. And I’m not here to play “poor me” syndrome whatsoever… it’s just what inspired this EP. I have bipolar and suffer from 3 autoimmune diseases which can make living sometimes tough. I wanted to touch on that and help someone else by letting them know that they aren’t alone. We are all human and regardless of what we do we all go through hardship. I want to be the voice for someone else like I so desperately wanted as a teenager.

You’ve mentioned before that creating this EP has been somewhat a cathartic process for you. How has making music helped you heal, find the answers you’ve needed, and grow?

I think there’s something comforting about writing not only lyrics but a melody line to go with them. You want your words to match the way you write your melody in the way you desire to tell the story of those words. It’s hard sometimes. Looking at the page, listening to your song … a lot of harboured emotions and feelings often pour out naturally. You’ve kept these thoughts inside for so long that once they’re out it can be quite emotional. Listening back to the songs once they’re finished is such a reflective journey too. You get to remember what fuelled the spark to write the song, the process it took and listening to it in its most final form. It’s an unspeakable amount of relief and feeling when that happens.

What were some of your most memorable moments working on the EP?

Sampling a washing machine has got to be up there, the religious sushi visits each session, Susan the cat and his majestic vocals inspiring melodies and harmonies and creating a life-long business partnership/friendship with one of the most talented and hard working producers I have ever met: Abigail Knudson.

So awesome that you’ve got to tour with PRINS on “The Double EP Release Tour”! What’s life been like on the road, and what have been some of your highlights so far?

Ahhh she’s just so rad. We’re having the best time! Life on the road has been so exciting. I’m lapping it all up - the good, the bad, the ugly and the downright outrageous. Nothing is ever really “bad” ... sometimes things happen and you gotta go through with them. The long nights are worth it when you see people you’ve never even met screaming your lyrics back at you. It’s a surreal feeling. Don’t think I could ever get used to it.

Who are your biggest inspirations in music, and biggest influences on your sound?

My inspiration comes from all sorts. Sound wise: 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg, Timbaland as well as classical composers like Tchaikovsky and Erik Satie. Songwriter wise: Taylor Swift (x10000), Cat Stevens, Don McLean, and The Rolling Stones. 

If there’s anything you could change about the current music industry, what would it be and why?

It would be for ALL artists to automatically own their masters. It just doesn’t make sense to me why a label would keep an artist’s masters even after making (sometimes) millions and millions of dollars because of that artist. Surely both have already benefited by this stage - why keep the one thing that never belonged to you in the first place? Without our masters what do we have? Imagine working your entire life for your dreams to come true to no longer own your dreams. Your creative hard work and grind now owned by someone who isn’t even your family. It sucks!

Who are some of your favourite NZ artists right now and are there any songs in particular that you love or connect with?

SO MANY! PRINS (duh) “I Tried” is a BOP, loving Madeline Howard, Paige, BENEE, L.A.B, diehard STAN of Shapey (what’s a summer without Shapey!??) and legends like Fat Freddy’s and Salmonella Dub.

What do you love most about living in New Zealand? Do you have any favourite places to travel to or local spots to visit?

I love how far away we are from everything and how much nature and the outdoors are a part of our culture. We are so lucky with that here - we don’t even realise some places are so far away from the sea you need to FLY to find the ocean. My favourite place in NZ is Kinloch, Taupo. I’ve been going there ever since I was a kid and all we used to do was go canoeing and “fishing” off the wharf… none of this TikTok business (no shade) haha that’s just not something we had back then.

What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learnt in your career so far?

Trust your gut. If it seems too good to be true - it very likely is. Ask for everything in writing and never leave your gear unattended (yes that means your car too!)

Lastly, if you could say one thing to every person in the world, what would it be?

The only thing we ever have in times of despair and pain is art. Create. Sing. Dance. Sketch. Draw. Just because you’re not the best in the world doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t do it anymore. Feed your soul <3 

Make sure to keep up with VÏKÆ on Instagram (vikaemusic), Facebook, Spotify & Apple Music!