During the Covid 19/Corona virus situation Demon Reports team had the idea to do the interview with artists and the bands from all over the world about this situation and global pandemic. In this interview one of our Journalists Vladimir Cincovic had an interview with Vocalist Sofia from the Danish Symphonic theatrical band Ethereal Kingdoms about the whole Covid 19 situation, how does she sees the bands, venues and fans after this situation, what does she misses the most during this Corona virus situation, about the live streaming show trends, below:
1. During the Corona virus/Covid 19 situation, what was the main thing that keep you occupied during the lock-down, did it helped in the creative way, like creating new music, songs, ideas, etc?
”Hi! I am Sofia, singer/growler of Ethereal Kingdoms. We’re from Denmark and we play theatrical metal and have like every other country been affected by the lock-down happening. We have been keeping ourselves busy with a lot of things related to our music. We have focused on creating videos, getting our merch shop up and running, working on stage props for when we can finally play again and much more. We even tried live-streaming from our rehearsal room. Lock-down means more time, so on the upside of things, we have started even writing some new songs and doing a lot of silly covers. Like everyone else, we watched Tiger King and of course we had to do something silly with “I Saw A Tiger”.”
2. How did this situation affected you in the promotional way, since the shows are not allowed, did the social media helped in promotional way, also did this situation affected you in financial way, as well?
”We are a new band and we very much rely on live shows to build our audience and allow our music to be heard. Social media was a bit confusing during the lock-down, since there was just so much going on. Everybody was suddenly home and posting stuff all the time, so it felt like we at the same time got more people enjoying our videos, songs and images and at the same time like it was drowning in the noise. Social media has been invaluable in order for us to stay in touch with our fans and community, and we have attracted a good amount of curious new listeners to our musical universe!”
3. Do you think that the major festival and venues, as well the other bands would easily recover from this situation and how much will take your band to recover in your own opinion?
”It’s a difficult question to answer. The music industry and its ecosystem is very complex and interdependent on its different parts. There definitely is not a shortage of the metal community’s support to artists in this time. We all wish we could go to shows, support by buying merch etc, but the entire world is in a different and difficult situation. How hard it will be to recover will depend on how long the lock-down continues, when travel bans will lift and when there is a vaccine, so we can all safely go back into large mosh-pits and the good ol’ wall of death again!”
4. How do you interact with fans during this situation, what will you do to be there for your fans, would you live stream maybe your shows, or something else that can be interesting for your fans ?
”We have done a live stream event from our rehearsal room with great success. It’s a challenge to adapt to a new format and a new way of being social. We have made personal playlists where we share our favorite songs, we’re making play-through videos and plan to do some live Q&A sessions as well. Maybe even some small raffles to brighten someone’s day with a sweet new t-shirt for their wardrobe. We’re all stuck behind the stage, so why not do some behind the scenes? The possibilities are endless!”
5. What do you miss the most? Live shows or being around the people that are close to you?
”Personally, I miss both things equally and in a different way. Playing live and being close to those I love is equally rewarding in two distinct fields. I burn off so much energy when I perform and I have the joy of creating a trans formative space for the audience, us musicians on stage, the crew, everyone in the room… It’s electric and beautiful and terrifying. The stage is a space where all emotions are valid and allowed within an artistic context. And of course, it just feels really good to play. But nothing beats holding someone I love close to me in an embrace. If I have to pick one, I would have to pick giving my loved ones the longest hug in the world!”
6. Who will suffer the most are those bands, festivals, venues or fans? .
”The metal ecosystem is deeply dependent on all of its parts. One of these does not exist without the others, so we all suffer in different ways.”
7. Which record you choose for the isolation theme for this situation, which one fits perfectly for this situation?
”For me personally, I have been listening to a lot of not-metal, actually. I’ve been exploring the electronic artist Crywolf a lot as well as reconnecting with classical music in the vein of Wagner and Liszt. My top metal rotation for the lock-down have probably been the album Jord by MØL and Life Is Not Beautiful by Arion.”
8. How do you personally see this global pandemic, do you have advice for fans and the other bands – how to easily overcome this situation?
”It’s a situation that everybody is in together, but nobody have been in this situation before. So we are all very confused and maybe even scared and that’s okay. Appreciate the gift of time you have been given with the lock-down. It sucks losing your job, not seeing friends, being stuck in a tiny apartment, it really does. Try to stay sane by working on that painting you always meant to draw or learning to cook really well, work out or even play an instrument. Besides that, indulge in art and music and wash your hands and follow the instructions of your health authorities.”
9. What do you think of this live-streaming trend, how does this look and sound to you?
”It’s a nice way to connect with your audience and to experience a live performance from your living room. I can definitely see this being a thing in the future too, combining live shows with streaming tickets for those who cannot attend for one reason or another just like the Olympic Games or eurovision or whatever. We have done one stream event and are already scheduled for the next and we can’t wait to perform again! some of our friends played at Nordic Noise Streaming For Vengeance, a streamed version of the Danish Nordic Noise festival. Of course, it was not like “the real thing” at a venue, but it was damn good!”
10. Finally, do you have a message for the fans and the audience in this tough times?
”Stay safe, wash your hands and focus on the things, that brings light into your day. And if you can, share that light. Share a song, a smile, a great new dank meme. It’s gonna be okay again soon.”
Thank you for the interview, stay safe!
”You’re very welcome, thanks for having us! Stay safe and stay heavy!”
Links:
Cover photo for the interview by: mathildemariaphotography
Check out the music video for the “Heartchamber” , here:
