Born in Poznan, Poland, VONDA7 has become a star in her own right, through her unique polychromatic musical collages, which see the artist drawing inspiration from all over the board, without care or restriction for genres. Flexing a stunning back catalog which has seen her drop releases on labels such as Sasha’s Last Night On Earth, Anjunadeep, or Einmusika Recordings, the present-day finds her completely immersed in her newly founded art | werk imprint, where she recently released her very own debut album ‘Let Go’.
We sat down with VONDA7 to talk about the release of her new single ‘Running Around’, her debut album ‘Let Go’, personal tastes, the importance of stepping outside of our comfort zone, and more.
Electronic Groove: Hi Sylwia! It’s an absolute honor to have you down for a chat. How have you been lately? How are things looking like in Berlin at the moment? Are there any feelings of optimism?
VONDA7: Hi! Thanks, I’ve been quite good actually! Yes, things finally look a lot brighter here in Berlin and I think we are recovering from the pandemic slowly. It’s been great to be out again, play a few gigs, see my friends in bigger groups, and do all the things we once took for granted.
Electronic Groove: A lot of people have taken this time to take up a new hobby, or pick up a new skill…What have you been up to? Did you look for inspiration in new places?
VONDA7: I focused fully on music, to be honest. I finished my album which came out recently. I learned new music production techniques and just spend a lot more time actually listening to the music and finding inspirations in other genres which felt very refreshing. I took this time to learn more about myself as well, read a lot of great books, and focused on personal and spiritual growth. I also spent a bit more time in nature. Living all my life in the cities, I didn’t realize how much I have been missing out on.
Electronic Groove: It’s been a while now since you launched your own label, art | werk. How has the journey been so far? Is it all that you expected? Or did you find yourself in new and uncharted territories?
VONDA7: It’s a slow and steady journey. It’s a lot of work, but it’s very rewarding. I really enjoy the creative freedom and the fact that I can try new things out. There sure are some uncharted territories but I learn something with each release and it’s exciting.
Electronic Groove: How would you define the sound of the label by now? Are you doing all of it alone? What’s the selection process for a new tune or EP like?
VONDA7: The sound of the label is… open-minded. It was originally created to release only my own music, but, as I started to receive demos, I decided to provide a platform for new artists too. There are no restrictions on genres but there needs to be personality in the music. I make all the creative choices for the label but I also work with specialists who take care of distribution, press & radio, social media, and the rest, who help me out in the fields I might not have enough expertise in.
“I always wanted to do an album, but I never had enough time or attention span to do it. The pandemic gave me all the time I needed and it was filled with self-reflection”
Electronic Groove: You’ve recently released your debut full-length album, ‘Let Go’. Congratulations! How long has this one been in the making? What’s the inspiration behind this one?
VONDA7: Thank you! Yes, it’s been a long process with all the pandemic-related delays. I always wanted to do an album, but I never had enough time or attention span to do it. The pandemic gave me all the time I needed and it was filled with self-reflection. The album is very personal, it’s about letting go of everything that doesn’t work us. For example, past relationships or past conditioning. Searching for peace, internally and externally. It’s about questioning the society and the system we are born into. Equalizing female and male energies. Starting over yet with all the lessons and experiences gathered. It’s also a summary of my releases on the label coming together as one story.
Electronic Groove: Where are you right now as a producer? Are you able to translate and articulate your emotions with precision? We love that you put your voice behind your productions. Did that take some time to work up to? Was it a natural thing?
VONDA7: Thanks! I’ve always loved vocals in songs so I decided to embrace it fully on my album. It’s a whole new level of making music. A good vocal line can truly take the track to the next level emotionally. I never stop learning and I wanted to challenge myself. On the album I’ve been experimenting with a bit more fuzzy, warm, slightly lo-fi sound as I wanted this album to have a bit of that nostalgia and ‘at home’ vibe. I put a lot of effects on my vocals, sometimes chopped them up, and created new instruments from them. It’s been fun for sure.
Electronic Groove: By the way, there’s a killer choreography on your ‘Move It’ video. Nice moves! How long did that take to learn? Any fun recollections from the shoot?
VONDA7: (Laughter) Thanks! It was definitely a moment where I stepped out of my comfort zone! I was super shy on the set at the beginning but we had a good team so I relaxed quickly. I really wanted to do something like this – push my limits and express my feminine side a bit more. I worked with Jerzy, who acts in the video. He’s a professional dancer at a contemporary dance theater, so his guidance was great. A lot of stuff was improvised. Me jumping on him in the fighting scene was definitely a bit funny and awkward at first, haha. But I think we got it right. Or the video editor did 😉
Electronic Groove: We’ve heard that you have been into indietronica and synth-pop during the pandemic, big time. What bands or cuts would you recommend to people wanting to get into the genre?
VONDA7: Yes, you can hear that inspiration in quite a few songs! I love Tame Impala’s album ‘The Slow Rush’, it was my favorite album during the pandemic. As I mentioned, I enjoy vocals in the songs and I’ve been a fan of Grimes, Roisin Murphy, The Knife, MGMT, Royksopp and so many more fantastic acts who crossover indie/pop territories with electronic music brilliantly.
“I’ve always loved vocals in songs so I decided to embrace it fully on my album. It’s a whole new level of making music.
A good vocal line can truly take the track
to the next level emotionally“
Electronic Groove: What’s in store for VONDA7 in the upcoming months? What new milestones can fans look forwards to?
VONDA7: There’s my album remix compilation coming out next month. And I have been feeling creative again so hopefully, I can finish some new tracks, perhaps more dancefloor-oriented again. Hopefully, we can work out some visa and travel restrictions soon. I am vaccinated now so I feel safer being in big crowds, but I am still very conscious that we are far from it being completely over.
In the meantime, I am also starting to teach music production which is a new territory, but very exciting. And I’ve joined Sebastian Müllaert’s mentorship program where I will be a student and I am looking forward to learning more about performing live.
Electronic Groove: Thank you for sitting down with us Sylwia! We wish you all the best!
VONDA7: Thank you for having me!
VONDA7’s ‘Running Around’ is out now via Skint Records. Purchase your copy here.
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