Hi Naaz, thank you for answer our questions! How are you doing?
I’m good thank you, how are you doing? How are the vibes in silence? sorry I had to make that pun hehe.
For those who didn’t read our Introducing feature about you; can you introduce yourself, please?
I’m Naaz, I write and produce songs, I try to make my music a translation of my heart into sound. It’s kind of for selfish reasons too as it just really helps me remind me of how I actually feel sometimes when everything starts to feel a little far away and vague again. Sometimes you just don’t know anymore, and then you listen to your biased heart in the moment.. which can sometimes give too emotional advice, so I just listen to my music – my recorded heart in the better days.
Can you remember the moment when you knew you wanted to be a singer? How was the initial reaction of your parents?
I was really young, watching Idols with the family, around six or so, I jumped on the couch like it was a stage and started singing. I remember saying I wanted to be a singer then and there. I already wrote stories before that though, often I wonder if I really wanted to be a singer or just wanted to write in melodies. It’s the same, but it’s completely different too. Sometimes I still don’t know, I don’t consider myself a full-blown singer, rather a writer who sings her writing. It’s a thin line, but the line is there. My family didn’t support me at first as it was very unusual for a Kurdish girl to do music, after years of trying they now share my dreams.. it feels special, and I wish more people can experience that like I did.
What are your main inspirations for writing music? What’s your favourite part of the recording process?
Often the sounds in my environment inspire me to dive deep into making music, but I think nostalgia is the main thing. Feeling euphoric whether it’s in joy or sadness, just feeling a lot you know? I remember growing up that I felt like I was losing the consistency of butterflies in my stomach. Eventually, I didn’t even feel it anymore when trying to fall in love, I found out certain music still makes me feel those feelings.. so if music can make me feel in love I don’t mind spending all my time being with it.
Do you feel it’s important for artists to promote positive messages through music?
It depends on what you consider as a positive message, I feel like just being real about the things you share is the most positive you can get. Because sometimes what’s real isn’t technically positive, but the fact that you are open to share that experience IS positive. To me it’s just important to portray humanity, this isn’t that big and heavy of a thing, simple things like talking about your acne is already showing humanity.
As an artist who writes and produces her own music; what do you think about the role of the woman producers and writers in the music industry?
I love how it’s happening more and more nowadays, it’s a great evolution, but I don’t think women should be praised more for producing than men are because of the end of the day THAT is what divides us. It all shouldn’t be that special and the fact that it is is what we need to work on, make equality normal. Because it is. We are all humans over our gender. There should be no difference in how we’re treated, let’s work on that also on the positive side of things. There is nothing a woman doesn’t have opposed to a man that could stop her from producing music, except for support and freedom – sometimes – sadly. Let’s work on that… equality.
Can you tell us how was the recording process of your debut EP and what can we expect of it?
Almost all songs were recorded in my room with terrible terrible cheap music gear and acoustics haha, but honestly, that’s what I love about it. It just shows how little you need to create what you want. I write in silence to make sure my melodies and tones have zero limitations.. no drums that can stop me from doing a different groove, no chords that can influence my choice of notes.. after writing the song I try to compose the sounds I hear in my head for that song, then I record it, produce it, send it to my friends at Soulsearchin’, they ‘sound doctor’ it, and voila, it’s ready for the mix 🙂 You can expect honesty.
What is your goal for this 2018?
Making more music and evolving as an artist.
Who are your favourite artists of all time? And your most played song lately?
Lorde!!! Kanye West!!! Tove Lo!!! Those are now also artists I’m really listening to again.
A song that you would have loved to write?
Lorde – ‘Ribs’
And the last question what do you prefer, physical formats or streaming?
Streaming, it gives opportunities to those who don’t get the chance to make their music making physical, whether that’s getting it out of the bedroom, having time to do it besides school or your job, or having financial support.. streaming is for everybody, nobody is left out.
You can read our review of Naaz’s debut EP ‘Bits Of Naaz’ here.
