An interview taken from our new digital issue. Last year, I met up with Evîn in Neukölln to interview her about her upcoming EP, “It Wasn’t Even For You.” We ended up chatting for the whole night, thereby postponing the interview to almost a year later. Since then, I’ve grown incredibly fond of her music, as it emits serenity and a feeling of home – just as if everything’s okay. It’s a feeling we all need to experience more often in these unprecedented times we live in.
Evîn was born in 1995 in Bochum, Germany, into a family of Laz and Kurdish immigrants. Raised in an environment influenced by her father, a political journalist and activist, Evîn developed a profound political consciousness at a young age, which remains a significant aspect of her life to this day. With her music, she delves beyond personal themes, aiming to address vital issues such as social injustice, female empowerment, and commemorative culture.
During our conversation, we discussed her life as an artist in Berlin, her involvement in “A Song For You,” and the difference between working solo and her desire to fuse her culture with her music.
What’s been happening in your life since you released your latest EP “It Wasn’t Even For You” last year?
One of the biggest things, without a doubt, is that I have been producing more music on my laptop and learned a lot about mixing to see how far I can get on my own. I’ve done a lot on my own before, but I always thought it needed someone else to complete the whole thing and make it official.
I probably have limited myself and put obstacles in my way in the past.
I feel much more liberated now. I can express my vision much more freely and can confidently say when a project is finished. I still collaborate with other artists, but overall, that process has become more relaxed too. It’s been a beautiful journey, and I’m so grateful. I never thought I could learn so much technically, but somehow, it happened.
How do you approach making music now? Do you start with the lyrics, or are you experimenting with the technical side of it?
It depends. Lately, I’ve been trying out a lot of different things, such as playing the piano, singing, playing the guitar, and so on. I record myself with my phone, sample the recordings, experiment, and try different things, such as chopping the elements.
Often, there are already lyrics that come along with it, though, and there’s already a certain direction the track could take. A vibe, so to speak. From there, I delve deeper into the idea. I’d say everything comes together simultaneously for me.
Making a track by yourself automatically also makes you solely responsible for it. Does that scare you compared to working in a team?
Absolutely! I still go to the studio with other creatives and always get people involved by sending them ideas and drafts. I don’t think I could do it all completely on my own anyway. If I know a person’s style, I dig it, and we’re heading in a similar direction, I’m up for collaborating.
You’re also part of “A Song for You”, Berlin’s BIPoc-centred choir. How did that come about?
I found them on Instagram about a year ago and watched a few of their recordings. I was amazed. What I saw and heard was just mind-blowing. I reached out to them when they started accepting applications, and before I knew it, I became a part of it and fell in love with everyone involved.
I genuinely adore this community. You can feel their main goal is to create art together, to put together a collaborative project. In Germany, there was a huge lack of an initiative like “A Song For You”. It’s also focused on supporting BIPOC individuals. Now, it’s expanding. “A Song For You” now also has a performance company that centres around BIPOC artists, which is incredibly inspiring. I’m so grateful to be a part of it.
Read the full interview here:
Interview by @johannaurbancik
Follow @evinevinevin
Photos by @ach.liebe
