The Artist Explains: MALKA - 'Wonder Why' (Video)
Who: MALKA is a London-based songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.
About The Track: Wonder Why’ is MALKA's latest single out now through her own label, Tantrum Records. MALKA seems to be channelling the elements in this experimental pop offering and questioning the universe in a fascinating mix of Asian influence, up tempo percussion and call and response tribal chants.
MALKA Explains:
A lot of different skills have gone into the making of the video. How did the initial ideas / partnerships come about?
I have a longstanding partnership with director Lee Bamsey and D.O.P Steven Gray. They have been involved with all of the MALKA videos so far and are good friends of mine. I am usually a lot more involved with the concepts behind the videos, but this time Lee approached me to say that a mutual friend of ours (Tony Lee) was keen to do some CGI for the video and they put together the concept. This time I had much more of a producer role.
You seem to have found a way to marry the sonic elements, lyrics, and the visuals in a way that makes it seem like they are all carrying the same message, despite many differences. Can you talk us through the imagery and themes used?
When Lee got in touch about the idea, he asked me for some visual ideas that would work together with the lyrics. I came up with some key points that I thought certain elements should appear. So I came up with the wasps (as there is a distorted vocal sound which sounds a bit like the buzzing of a bee or wasp). Then there are lines like "passing like a clock that's always ticking" which we added the clocks and the hands grabbing behind the head that works alongside the line "take it all don't let it go, nothing is free"
Both the single and the video evoke an array of emotions from its listener/viewer. From surreal, unnerving and uneasy to surprisingly graceful and (oddly!) charming. Even beautiful in a way. Do you have any influences that have made you feel the same way?
Ooh that's a good question, perhaps something like the film "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" - not that it is the same as the video, but I think it evokes all those same emotions in one film and is beautiful.
Do you feel it is more interesting to be open to interpretation, as an artist, than it is to be understood?
I really enjoy it when people take what they want from my music and any imagery I create, I absolutely love it when someone tells me that a song means something to them which is so contrasting to what I felt when I wrote it. It means that I have created a different picture in someone else's mind and that they have made the music their own.. so I hope that everyone feels something a little different when watching this video and hearing the song.
Interview feature by Karla Harris
Both the single and the video evoke an array of emotions from its listener/viewer. From surreal, unnerving and uneasy to surprisingly graceful and (oddly!) charming. Even beautiful in a way. Do you have any influences that have made you feel the same way?
Ooh that's a good question, perhaps something like the film "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" - not that it is the same as the video, but I think it evokes all those same emotions in one film and is beautiful.
Do you feel it is more interesting to be open to interpretation, as an artist, than it is to be understood?
I really enjoy it when people take what they want from my music and any imagery I create, I absolutely love it when someone tells me that a song means something to them which is so contrasting to what I felt when I wrote it. It means that I have created a different picture in someone else's mind and that they have made the music their own.. so I hope that everyone feels something a little different when watching this video and hearing the song.
Interview feature by Karla Harris