Hello people! Long time no see!
This is the 3rd time I post something in English and there is yet more to come! I love to explore new things and give the new coming artists a chance so if it happens they are international, so be it!!
This interview was taken to a `self-produced goth artist` as he states in his Instagram Bio, from Tbilisi, Georgia. He just released his debut album `H3ARTSH0T` and I was more than eager to find out more about it since I listened to it and pretty much enjoyed the sound of it. I won’t make too many introductions to Podwall, because I will leave you with our nice interview. Enjoy!
Eti gur
Me: First of all, thank you very much for accepting my challenge, I could say. I don't know if it's a challenge or not, but I am glad you wanted to be part of it. I will start by asking the first question, which is if you can tell me a little more about yourself and how did you end up doing music. Cause you already told me about your ex-band and that you are not together now.
Podwall: Well, actually, I started playing drums back when I was 13. This was the foundation of my sound. Before that, I started to listen to a lot of rock bands. Nirvana was the first band that inspired me to think about making music and all that stuff. So my story goes back even earlier than that, to when I was 11. And then me and my schoolmates decided to form a band because they got into rock music as well because of me. So, everyone picked guitars before I managed to figure out the things.
Over time, and especially since I had to move out of Russia since our president decided to start a war, I had to transition to solo work. I mix and produce music myself because I have no money. Also, it's easier to find your sound, I think, when you know how to work with sound. So, yeah. I decided to make a mini studio in my bedroom.
These days, I'm more into electronic music. So I got a DJ mixer. Me and my friend decided to make a DJ-set in our basement for New Year's Eve. And now there is some equipment downstairs as well. Maybe you have seen the video on Instagram, a reel I edited for my song `Mir v ogne`.
DIY’s became my philosophy, I guess. I like that it gives some kind of freedom.
Me: Yeah, if you want to do art, just do it, right?
Podwall: Yeah, yeah, that's true. It also makes me develop, and that's cool.
Me: That's very nice and inspiring. Like the way you develop through time this is like the most important thing now that you don't stay in a certain state, you know? Did you experiment with different styles before you found this one of dark wave in a way new wave? You said something about it and that you stuck with electronic more. I am also curious of what are your main inspirations for your music.
Podwall: So basically, I'm still experimenting while making music. The debut album, 'H3ARTSH0T', is just a big piece of my experiments. Every song has references. There are some artists I've been inspired by while doing certain songs. So, just to give you some examples. As you noticed, IC3PEAK were my reference for `Mir v ogne`. And also BRUTALISMUS 3000. While making `Dark Fire`, I was really into Massive Attack, Portishead, Björk. And so, yeah, every song is inspired by different artists and different genres.
Some of the artists that have been with me since my childhood are The Cure and Radiohead. I was also really into pop-punk when I was young. Green Day is one of my biggest inspirations as well because I started with drums, inspired by Tre Cool. And when I started learning guitar, I was inspired by Billy Joe's guitar. The way he plays. It's not a typical way to play guitar.
Also, in recent years, I have loved Deftones and Slowdive a lot. I plan to experiment with this kind of airy sound in the future. I guess there's a lot of genres I'd like to experiment with in the future.
Me: Yeah. I hope you make it to like try everything you want!
Podwall: That's why I love music. And then I got into electronic music. Like Aphex Twin, of course. He's a father of electronic music. And also Björk, as I mentioned, and Massive Attack. I also love Sophie. I love Arca. And all the hyperpop scene. Some local artists and producers from London’s underground scene, I just want to mention these guys, they're not so popular. Perhaps you don't know them, but I just want to pay my respects and mention them since I have a chance. There is an artist called BABii. And producer Iglooghost, I like the way he mixes grime music with glitch pop.
The thing I love the most in music is the atmosphere. When an artist or producer can create an atmosphere that can make you go deep inside.
Me: That is absolutely lovely! Moving on to the next question: tell me about your album a bit more. You said in your Instagram post that it's based on a lot of emotions that you lived through a very tough period of your time. You can tell me about a song or the whole album, the whole concept, whatever you want.
Podwall: Oh, sure. It's a big story about the most difficult period of my life, and it's about the war my country started three years ago, my immigration and a breakup that happened shortly after. I moved from Russia with my ex-girlfriend, and we broke up like in five months after arriving. Shortly after, I also got fired from my job. I used to work as a bartender. So, I found myself alone in a new country with no friends, no money, no job. The thing is that I also felt like a stranger in this land, but yet I couldn't go back to my country, so that was a paradox, but now I feel great in Georgia. I knew that I made the right choice moving here despite the breaking up and all that stuff, but in a way I felt like shit. This is the worst period of my life, and so music became my way of processing all these emotions, my therapy. That's why 'H3ARTSH0T' is such an important and personal work for me. And it just reflects all the chaos and loneliness I was experiencing at the time.
Me: I think music would save us all if we tried a little harder to do that. If you want to add something up about the album, or we can move on to the next question.
Podwall: About the album, it's important for me, not only because this is so personal, but it reflects all the skills that I've learned since I started getting into mixing, production and recording. I started to learn this stuff just two years ago, and I hadn't had an idea how to record music, or how to work with all these like programs and plugins, and how to make the guitar sound the way I want to. This is some kind of mark for me that means how I have developed since then.
Me: Personally and musically so yeah, you said it so beautifully. I love that and I think as an artist you really need to be proud of your work first and not to try to be too popular or industrial. What themes would you like to add up to your future project? Some subjects you would like to touch in your future work?
Podwall: I don't know, it depends on the events that are waiting for me in the future, I guess, because the things that were happening to me would always inspire me to make music. Music has always been, as I mentioned, like a therapy to me. I can't write a happy song, you know what I mean? The only power that leads me when I make music is a frustrating condition, depression. I plan to move to London and I guess I am going to see what I’ll get there. Maybe my moving to London is going to affect the themes I'm going to sing about.
Me: Now, based on the things we spoke about before, we both live in some kind of small countries and cities, and I was wondering what do you think. Will the underground scene of post-punk, new-wave, dark-wave develop in the following years or is there a chance that, of course, the bigger scenes will have this opportunity? As you mentioned, London will have a better chance for this underground scene to develop most likely.
Podwall: Well, that's a tough one. Actually, Georgia has some nice post-punk bands right now. We have some cool bands, but it's still a small country and there are not a lot of opportunities. That's why I'm moving to London. And speaking about London, I don't know, it seems like music is changing a lot nowadays. I actually like the way it's changing. I love making music in these times, I like the freedom artists have nowadays. Yeah, it's hard to become a superstar like in the 90s or 80s, meanwhile, it's easier to find your community and find people that think the way you do. And it's cool that you can be yourself and it even has some kind of value to be yourself, that's why I like being a musician now. I don't know what's going to happen next, but I'm very excited to become a part of this music scene! I see that a lot of artists are mixing different genres, and this is what I love about making music. I also blend different styles, and I notice that people are developing their music tastes.
Me: In Romania, many new bands are forming, whether they are new wave, post-punk, or other genres. Some great new artists are emerging. I'll show you later.
Podwall: In a way, it's easier to become a musician nowadays, but it also creates more competition. There are so many artists, making it challenging to find your own path and unique way to express yourself. However, this is also the best time to be an artist, as there are so many different ways to express yourself. Music today includes fashion, but it always has. Now, though, it seems like a wild mix of fashion, social media, and artistry. Everything is blending together in a post-postmodern way. With AI, no one knows how it will affect music, but I'm excited to see what happens.
Me: How come you decided to write and sing in your native language instead of English or a more widely accessible language? Is it for aesthetics, like Shortparis or Molchat Doma, or do you feel more connected to your language? In Romania, many bands sing in Romanian because of the complexity of the words. What is it for you?
Podwall: It's a mix of both. Singing in Russian has an aesthetic, and people love it, especially on TikTok. But the main reason is that I didn’t speak English well when I started writing songs. I wrote in Russian because that’s what I knew best while experiencing everything that was happening to me. Now, I feel capable of writing in English. The last song I wrote for the album, `Dark Fire`, is in English. I recently wrote a new song in English as well. It depends on the language I’m thinking in while creating a song.
Me: How hard it is, as an independent artist, to promote your music? What did you do in order to promote yourself in the first place?
Podwall: I try to post as much content as possible, but sometimes it’s exhausting. When someone likes or comments on my videos, I follow them because we already have a connection, even if they haven’t followed me yet. This is the only method that works for me since I don’t have much money for ads. I’ve tried Instagram ads, and they worked to some extent, but not always. I haven’t found a better way to build a community yet. I’ve been thinking about collaborations. There's a guy from Poland who makes post-punk and reached out to me. I think collaborations are a great way to promote myself. I haven’t tried it yet, but I hope it works.
Me: If you could collaborate with any artist, dead or alive, who would you choose?
Podwall: Björk, 100%. Also, I’d love to be part of the London’s hyperpop scene. I admire A.G. Cook’s production — his work is genius. His vision of music aligns with mine, and the same goes for Björk. She influenced so much — pop music, electronic music, trip-hop. But beyond her music, I love her personality and the way she sees music. I love discovering artists whose vision resonates with mine. That’s what excites me most about collaborations. So, I’d pick Björk and A.G. Cook — one from the old-school scene and one from the modern scene.
Me: Do you consider bringing more people into your project? I know you work alone, sometimes with a friend, and you've mentioned a band before. Would you expand your project?
Podwall: My friend Maxim and I just talked about this yesterday. We were jamming with other musicians and it was cool, although we realized that no one feels music the way we do. Maxim helps me a lot, and we just click musically. So, maybe we’ll create something together. I’m also developing as a producer and working with other artists in that role. You’ll soon hear my production work outside of my own songs.
Me: That’s fascinating! I was recently at a concert in Slovenia featuring a French artist, Vermine Carmin. She performed solo, and it was amazing!
Podwall: I’m trying to figure out how to perform live. I don’t have time to rehearse with a band, but I recently got into DJing and would like to blend that with guitar and vocals. I need to find the right way to make it sound and look cool.
Me: By the way! Are you thinking of making a tour when possible?
Podwall: The thing is, I've always thought about it. I love traveling, meeting people, and playing music. Touring blends all these things together, which is why I'm so excited to finally play shows in different countries and cities. My audience is still small, but I'm eager to expand it and start performing. I also want to play a show in Tbilisi soon. As I mentioned, I'm still figuring out how to perform, it might be a DJ set combined with guitar and vocals. We'll see. I can't wait to visit other countries, including Romania and Slovenia, as well as all of Eastern Europe. I know Eastern Europeans love post-punk, and some already appreciate my music. That's why I'm so excited for the future.
Me: That would be great. I wish you luck with everything! One last question — do you have a message for people reading this article?
Podwall: There’s so much music out there, and I know it’s hard to stand out as an artist. But if you like dark aesthetics — gothic rock, post-punk, darkwave, trip-hop, moody electronic music — you might find something in my work. If you’re into classic post-punk, listen to `Glaza`, `Nichego`, `Ne bylo`, or maybe `Dark fire`. If you prefer electronic sound, check out `Prosto son`, `Mir v ogne`, and `Ne povezlo v lybvi`. My music is diverse, so just give it a try, you might like it!
Me: Thank you for answering my questions!
Podwall: Thank you for having me!
Ești sigur?
That is a wrap! I genuinely loved the conversation I had with Podwall and I am really hoping he will continue to make music in the future and more people will discover him. I will leave you with one of his songs and never forget: find art in everything and everywhere!!!
