Monthly newspaper and online publication targeting 18 to 35 year olds. The ultimate guide to the hottest parties, going out and having fun. Music, fashion, film, travel, festivals, technology, comedy, and parties! London, Barcelona, Miami and Ibiza.
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/283625
30 Issue 61 / 2014 INDIE/ ROCK guestlist.net IT'S LOVELY TO SEE YOU, TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF. I'm Dena, originally from Bulgaria but I live in Berlin now. WHAT DID YOU GET UP TO LATELY? I've been finishing my debut album that will be out in March. I've been shooting videos, playing gigs, working on music. WHAT ARE YOUR LONG TERM FUTURE PLANS? DREAMS? To write music and perform. Like my short term future plan is to release the first album which is gonna drop on the 10th of March, and play as much as possible. And just continue working. HAVE YOU WRITEN SONGS BEFORE? Yeah I mean it's a process. I'm writing for my solo project now, since almost three years already. So it's really exciting, that the album is finally gonna be out. YOUR ALBUM IS CALLED "FLASH", HOW MANY SONGS ARE THERE? There are 10 songs on the album but there is going to be a special edition with five more. WHICH ONE IS YOUR FAVORITE? I don't know actually. I mean it's kind of hard to say but I like one of the most recent ones that I wrote. It's this song called "Bad timing", there is just a video for it that was out like last week or two weeks ago. HOW LONG DID IT TAKE TO PRODUCE THIS ALBUM? Well as I said, it's a long process. Like there are so many steps, from writing and then producing. I also dropped some singles and videos so all in all it was like a two and half year process or something WHICH SONG FROM THE ALBUM EXPRESSES YOUR PERSONALITY? I think it's like the mixture of all the songs. I think it's a very personal album and all the songs in it, it's just like everything it's me. WHO DID YOU WORK WITH? I worked with a producer that is a friend of mine, called Jonas Verwijen and with a crew of Finnish producers from Kaiku Studios, there are all from Helsinki but based in Berlin. From the moment I wrote a couple of tunes, basically they took everything in the production to the next level. It's not a very diverse album in term of different producers, there's only one external producer that I worked with, a German Hip Hop beat maker. I guess that the album is inspired a lot by pop music in general but there are some hip hop, r&b and soul elements. YOUR GENRE IS POP? Yeah that's what I'd say but more like a DIY version of it, with some personal touches. WERE ANY OF THE VIDEOS FILMED IN LONDON? No actually, not yet. But that would be cool to do for sure. WHO IN THE WORLD, WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO WORK WITH? Ha ha that's a good question, Pharell Williams. It's just like a dream I've got. YOU HAVE BEEN COMPARED TO M.I.A, DO YOU COMPARE YOURSELF TO HER? No because, I do different things, she is more of a rapper I think. I don't know, like half of my album is actually pop songs. WERE YOU INSPIRE BY HER BEFORE? I definitely was a fan of her early albums but I didn't really listen to her latest one. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE SONG OF HERS? I don't know actually, I think Bad girls and Bucky Dong Gone, from back then. YOU HAVE SONG CALLED GUESTLIST, LIKE OUR MAGAZINE, SO IF YOU COULD HAVE A HUGE PARTY WHO WOULD YOU PUT ON YOUR GUEST LIST? Bill Murray and you guys for sure. WERE THEY ANY BULGARIAN MUSICIANS THAT INSPIRED YOU, GROWING UP? Not really, actually as bad and all as that sounds! DO YOU LISTEN TO BULGARIAN MUSIC? Not like Bulgarian, there is definitely this weird, like sub culture or phenomenon going on in Bulgaria. It's very influenced by pop but combined with folk music. The songs usually reflect some trashy bling like, kind of culture in the state, like Balkan beat meets pop kind of thing. This is going on definitely in Bulgaria on a mainstream level. And definitely I kind of channel some of those aspects for my music and videos but more in an outsider perspective. FROM WATCHING YOUR MUSIC FEATURE YOU SEEM QUITE FASHIONABLE AND YOU'RE EVEN THE NEW FACE OF THE CARHARTT CAMPAIGN. IS FASHION AND MODELING A THING YOU'RE QUITE PASSION ABOUT? Yeah definitely, it's super fun. It's a great thing but my main focus is actually my music. ANY LAST THINGS YOU'D LIKE TO SAY TO YOUR FANS? Believe in yourself. I know it's a bit cheesy. I just want everyone to really believe in themselves. HAVE YOU GOT ANY FUTURE PLANS COMING UP? Well as I mentioned my album is out in like three or four weeks. I'm probably going to be in the south west to play some gigs. There is also a tour, I'm also playing a gig in London on the 15th of April at the club Birthdays. WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR PLANS. Thank you Kadija Nakhli | guestlist.net " If I could throw a party, I would put Bill Murray and you guys in the Guest List " INTERVIEW DENA DENA's Debut Album "Flash" is out from the 10th of March. We met this new Bulgarian Artist to talk about the new record, her sources of inspiration and much more. Follow @dena_ftb