“Most of my songs become life scenarios and I relive them in real life, word by word,” says LUDMI - INTERVIEW
Photos by Rony Thilakan
Marie: You come from Russia but you already have a footprint in the scene in Prague. How would you describe the music scene in Prague?
Ludmila: I would say that Prague music scene is not huge but it is quite diverse and welcoming, which perfectly describes the expat community here as well.
Marie: Ludmi, how did you get to writing songs, playing music and since when have you been performing?
Ludmila: I started writing songs about 5 years ago. I think. One day all the accumulated inspiration just exploded and I wrote 3 or 4 songs in one day right away. It just happened naturally. To be honest, I don’t have a songwriting routine, it always happens by itself, spontaneously. And I have very long periods without writing any music and then it comes back to me again.
Same with performing. I had my first gigs in Prague 4-5 years ago, then I had a long break from performing and singing in general. And now I’m back with new ideas and enthusiasm. I even released my first single in March this year.
Marie: Yes, you released your single “In My Dreams” earlier this year. What is the story behind the song and what was your inspiration for this?
Ludmila: “In My Dreams” is a story about longing for romance and love. A beautiful fantasy about all-consuming feeling that feels so close. I think everyone can relate to this. We’ve all had it at one point or another in our lives. So this is definitely a collective image and not my personal story. It’s about longing for the object of love and source of love that doesn’t have a face. When I was writing this song 5 years back, I didn’t have any serious relationships and I was craving these emotions and having “that person” by my side. I remember I had dreams where I felt like I was in love, surrounded by love. That’s when it all started. Five years later, many things have changed but I would still like to feel what I’m singing about in “In My Dreams”.
Marie: Are your songs autobiographical or do they come from your imagination, or both?
Ludmila: I would say that both. Some of the songs are inspired by the events that happen to me, just like with “Illusion That You’re Mine”. At the same time, some of the songs have nothing to do with my real life. Interestingly enough, most of my songs become life scenarios and I relive them in real life, word by word. That’s why these days I’m trying to write more happy, reassuring songs that I would be glad to bring into my own life and into the lives of other people.
Marie: Are you planning any new releases this year? Tell us about your plans.
Ludmila: Yes, I’m planning to release one more single or, if I’m lucky, my debut EP by the end of the year. I learnt a lot from recording my first single and shooting my first music video. The whole process took me about half a year, and this experience cannot be underestimated. I’m trying to be more realistic when setting deadlines for myself. Now I know that sometimes it’s better not to rush things and let the song rest, evolve and transform into what it’s meant to become. This takes time, of course.
At the same time, I have a lot of songs that were written years ago and I can’t wait to finally share them with people. I feel like once these songs are released, a symbolic space will open up for new creations and songs. I need that closure with my old songs. I feel that I owe it to myself.
Marie: How would you identify your conscious and unconscious influences in your Music and who are artists that inspire you?
Ludmila: If I had to name one person whose music influenced me the most, it would be Ella Fitzerald. But then of course such icons as Amy Winehouse, Whitney Huston, Aretha Franklin, Nina Simone, Bill Withers.
From more contemporary artists I would say Lianne La Havas, Celeste.
As for unconscious influences, it could probably be French chanson. I love French language and French music, and since my childhood I’ve been exposed to a lot of it; Yves Montand, Jacques Brel, Edit Piaf, Dalida to name a few.
Marie: Do you listen to much music on Spotify, and if so, what are the top releases we should check out?
Ludmila: Yes, absolutely! Although about 70% of my playlist consists of the old music I mentioned above. From the contemporary artists I would probably recommend you to check out Melody Gardot, Gregory Porter, Ibrahim Maalouf and Kurt Elling, if you’re in a mood for some jazzy tunes. Certainly Lianne La Havas, Celeste, L’imeratrice, Cory Henry, Riff Cohen, Vendredi sur Mer, Polo&Pan, Jain. This is just a random list of artists I listen to ona regular basis.
Marie: And finally, what are your plans for life after pandemic?
Ludmila: If this can be said out loud, I’m extremely grateful to the pandemic because it brought me back to music. Now I’m slowly diving into the Prague’s music scene. I’m dreaming of recording my first EP and more music videos. Not sure what’s the time span for that but I will release a few more singles till the end of the year (fingers crossed).
And I’m certainly looking forward to collaborating with some amazing musicians from all over the world that we have here in Prague this summer and fall. Basically for as long as the situation allows (fingers crossed again).
