StreamLINE Music & Entertainment Interview Series : ANJALTS
StreamLINE Interview Series - Anjalts
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StreamLINE continues our in-depth interview series as we had the pleasure of connecting with Anjalts, a stellar recording artist, singer and producer who possesses an unquestionably unique style musically as well as a distinct vision creatively.
Read on to learn more about Anjalts’ extensive music background, career journey, artistry and upcoming projects. Enjoy!
Hi Anjalts, please tell us a bit about your background, where you’re from etc. What were your early music influences?
I grew up with my Caribbean Grandparents in Guyana, South America. My earliest musical influence was my grandfather. He was a natural at many instruments and played all kinds of music in the house, from eastern Bollywood style music to Elvis Presley, Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Ravi Shankar, to Ray Charles. My grandfather was fast on guitar and piano, just improvising in both eastern and western musical scales. I was always in awe just watching him play the guitar, and then he would suddenly pick up a sitar and just jam on it.
What was the defining moment or time in your life when you decided to pursue music on a professional level?
When my grandfather realized I could play many instruments in the same way too. I started writing and improvising songs very early. It was a moment in time to see the happiness on my grandfather’s face, especially when I told him that I wanted to pursue music, and he said, “go for it since it’s what you love most.”
So, I’ve been writing and releasing single tracks professionally since 2020 and I’m excited that on Feb 17, my first album project of 15 songs finally drops. It’s a body of work from the last three years of life’s experiences and also a deep concern for the Amazon Rainforest that covers 87% of my homeland is being destroyed right now by massive fires demolishing villages where people protected the Amazon. Most importantly, it’s a critical ecosystem that supplies oxygen on this planet and so much more.
How would you characterize your sound, and what inspires your creativity? Is it sparked by actual life events/experiences or just a vibe you get into?
An inspirational spark can ignite on many levels. For example, it was a very morbid year when I started writing songs for this upcoming album ‘Air to Fire’ around 2020. Crazy lockdowns, loss of loved ones, and our whole lives flipped upside down to something unknown.
‘Remember You’ was the first song I released in April/May 2020, and it cumulated so much of that loss felt and is still being felt today. Then, ‘Let’s Fly Away’ came out right after, inspired by the first Space X launch in May 2020. So, I would say the vibe and inspiration go together with life experiences as well. Sometimes, it’s just improvising on the guitar or piano & suddenly creating from nothing becomes something.
Congratulations on the new single “Miracle 4we”! How was the recording process during the project? Did you have any collaborators in the process?
Thanks, the recording process for ‘Miracle 4we’ started with the bass guitar line that abruptly dominated the track, and, of course, the melody that carried the message meshed well together. I don’t work with any collaborators at the moment except the studio engineer. They understand how much I love the natural intonations and subtle imperfections when mixing my tracks -the engineer knows that the loudness isn’t what I aim for, just the ambience of the overall sound. So, listening to my music on headphones creates a better experience.
I enjoy producing immensely on the post-production side, and I’m always open to learning and adapting. Also, I’m very grateful to Abbey Roads for mastering my songs to the next level.
What’s the song that resonates the most with you personally from this project?
All 15 songs on the album, I would say, are moments of life. The one I had on repeat was ‘Miracle 4we,’ a song concept built around my thoughts at the time that:
“We are all demanding more than what Mother Earth can give -without allowing her enough time to recover.”
For instance, If we cut one tree down, then grow two trees in its place. It is all about creating that balance around us. We are our own miracle, to freely choose our actions and decisions that can either preserve life or be tone-deaf and do nothing.
Do you feel that the internet, social media, and the dominance of streaming have benefited recording artists?
Yes and No, because I think most artists are very introspective by nature and express themselves best in their art, whether it’s music, paintings, poems, and such. For musicians, the song on vinyl or CDs in an album represents the artist’s mindset during that timeframe. Something you can touch and feel and read the liner notes/lyrics.
An album to a musician or songwriter is like a novel to an author.
You cannot absorb the essence of an album’s worth of songs by just listening to one single. It’s like reading one page of a book. It’s limited to just that one page, that one song. So I think we missed out on the true vibe of what any artist is trying to convey. And that is why albums are forever relevant, even as streaming platforms favor single releases. That’s fine too, but it should be a balance of both.
With social media, on the other hand, it’s great to share what’s coming up, songs, albums, and concerts, and connect to followers. However, if an individual doesn’t post for a week, it should be okay, too, because musicians and artists need that time away to create. Again, It’s struggling with that balance and understanding the insulation needed to make more music, art, etc., at least from my experience.
Before the internet, Musicians didn’t have to do all this rave on social media; they could just focus on creating music. For indie artists who wear multiple hats and do everything themselves, it’s a miracle how it all gets accomplished, and I think it just makes you stronger within.
What is the best advice that you’ve been given; either personally or professionally?
My best advice was simply from a quote:
“Melody is the essence of music. Even in the most terrible times, music must never offend the ear but always remain a source of pleasure.” (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)
What activities do you enjoy outside of your music and entertainment industry-related endeavors?
I love to paint. I use oil-based paints, gold metallics, and warm tones on canvas. Before, an art curator wanted to exhibit them, and I did my first professional 20-piece collection, ‘Gaia-spirit of the Earth,’ shown in galleries. Some of the works are on large canvases, and I often get requests to paint more. It’s fun.
We love to ask artists what type of music they’re vibing to outside of their own. What are some songs or artists that top your personal playlists?
Pink Floyd -The Dark Side of the Moon + The Wall album
Massive Attack – Blue Lines
Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp a Butterfly
SZA – Ctrl
David Bowie – Black Star
Frank Ocean – Blonde
So many great artists and songwriters to embrace.
What’s next up musically for you in 2023 and beyond? Are any projects, music videos, features, or solo live shows on the horizon? What’s your goal for the Anjalts brand?
More albums are definitely on the way, and I’m trying to keep up with the music videos. I wish for my music to comfort you sometimes and inspire you.
Maybe it’s far-fetched, still, I hope the fires in the Amazon Rainforest will completely stop and move towards the preservation of this vital ecosystem that allows the local tribes and villagers who have lived there for generations to protect it and never leave their homes. And yes, I would love to tour with my own band someday. Performing is fun, too; however, I would like it to be eco-responsible toward those attending, where we can all try to curb our carbon footprint together. =)
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