Image by: Aleksandar Tomovski
Releasing her debut single ‘I Know’ last year, heart-wrenching singer-songwriter Andrea has seen support from over 100 Radio Stations across the globe (including the US, UK, Germany, France, and South Africa to name a few). Moving to Harlem at the age of 5 she discovered a love for music, specifically gospel, soul, and R&B. She would use singing as an outlet for her depression, and in turn uplift others.
Her latest single ‘I Don’t Know Your Name’ has been viewed over 660 000 times on Youtube and has now been topped with a club remix.
We chatted with this inspiring talent – Andrea below.
Please describe your sound for us.
My sound is driven by my vocals, which are dark, powerful, and raw.
How did it all start for you?
Well, it’s a very modern story. I was making my own arrangements of covers and posting them on Instagram. One day, a local producer, Aleksandar Masevski, called me after watching them. We sat, talked, bonded, and from that day we started working together in his studio.
Which three artists would you say made you want to create your own music?
I would say that the top three artists who inspired me to create music are Hayley Williams, Lauryn Hill, and Jessie J. They are very smart, powerful and talented women. The way they express themselves through music is amazing and their storytelling can honestly inspire anyone.
What is your go-to gear/equipment when creating?
My phone, my guitar, and my piano. I am very simple when it comes to this. If a melody shoots through my head I run to my phone and start recording so I don’t forget. Then I’ll get my guitar or sit on the piano, depends on how I’m feeling the melody, and try to make it into a song.
What are some of your key influences in your music? Whether it be the sound created by others, imagery, films or any kind of art form.
When I was a child, we lived in Harlem for a year while my dad studied in New York. My very first recollections of music were of gospel, soul, and R&B. You could feel and smell the sounds in the neighbourhoods, and it has energized me to this day. Even though I mostly make pop music, I am constantly trying to infuse it with influences from those genres.
What is one sub-genre you think doesn’t get the attention it deserves?
I think pop-punk. Nowadays is not as listened to as it was 10-15 years ago. We always talk about this with my friends because we partially grew up on that kind of music and we miss it, so we want it to be in the spotlight a bit.
Any new or upcoming artists on your radar?
Me – haha. Honestly, there are so many amazingly talented people out there making beautiful music across all genres. I listen to them all the time to relax as well as draw inspiration. I can’t single out just one, because literally there are dozens and dozens from all around the world. And, being relatively young. I am constantly discovering older artists that I wasn’t exposed to, sometimes in a genre that is just not played in Central Europe. It’s a great journey to delve into an entire catalogue of their music as well.
What single night out has been the most memorable for you? As a performer? As an attendee?
My top memorable night as a performer that comes to mind is when I was in Singapore with my family. We were celebrating my brother’s birthday. The place where we were, happened to have a jam session with some local musicians. They were allowing people to come on stage and sing a couple of songs, so I got up and had the time of my life. As an attendee, I have to say that I was amazed by Vlatko Stefanovski, who is a world famous guitarist from my home country. The artists he has performed with read like a who’s who in the music industry. He can play the guitar like no other. The way he plays tells you a story that touches your soul and it’s beautiful.
What can we expect from you in the near future? Any upcoming projects in the pipeline that you would like to tell us about?
We are so busy working on new music and hopefully an album by the end of the year. We will record some of the first songs with an orchestra, and the sound should be incredible. The next new song should be released in early April. I decided after the trauma of 2020, that it’s time to enjoy and dance a little. So the next track “Talk to Me” is upbeat and infused with synthwave elements. I’m really excited about it.
Famous last words?
I’m ready for the world; I hope it’s ready for me too!
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