Andain presents the first highly anticipated artist album ‘You Once Told Me’ on the globally leading label ‘Black Hole Recordings’ in Holland and we discuss it with Mavie Marcos. She is the singer/songwriter from Andain, and she is that delicate sensitive unique voice that sings about ordinary but beautiful things that anyone can identify with. Josh Gabriel is the other member of the project and is involved in the song writing and production process of the tracks, and he seems to enjoy his position in the background of the project. He is a famous DJ & EDM producer, and he recently reunited with Dave Dresden to form the beloved DJ & production duo Gabriel & Dresden.
‘You Once Told Me’ is an album that manages quickly to become the subject of long discussions in the social networks and is praised from music critics too. It’s an EDM album but at the same time has the potential to talk to the hearts of a wider audience without falling in the category of pop music. With edge and creative flair that combines elements of progressive house or trance with Indie rock guitars, the eleven tracks of this fantastic album will tell you stories that you were not aware of, will describe you situations that you may recognise yourself in them and will transfer you to another mythical world with its cinematic Soundscape. You Once Told Me is considered to be as one of the best EDM albums released in 2012. The global audiences who are currently loving, humming and dancing along with the already released singles Promises, Turn Up The Sound, and Much to Much will be delighted to discover that Andain offer them more great jewels for them that wait for anyone to discover them within You Once Told Me.
Mavie Marcos talks about her parents and their relationship with music. She gives her opinion regarding if singers should have professional training at singing schools. She talks about how and when she and Josh decided to form their project. She takes us back in time with memories from their classic trance anthems ‘Summer Calling’ and ‘Beautiful Things’. She talks about their individual contribution to the album, the tracks that took longer to finish and about the remixes that usually support the releases of the individual singles. We ask her about the importance of having Andain music videos for each single track, and she reveals her relationship with the online social networks. As an epilogue to this very interesting and enlightening interview, we ask her to give us her advice to young girls who aspire to become singers in an EDM group like Andain.
My advice stays the same. Press play in your favourite media player and while you get inside the Andain world by listening to ‘You Once Told Me’, read her great answers. I’m sure that at the end you will enjoy the album even more, and will appreciate the music in a different sense.
Interview is written and conducted by Dimitri Kechagias Radio/DJ/Music Journalist
Dimitri: Firstly, can you take us back to your childhood and tell us if you are from a family, and in particular if your parents have had any connection with music or other art forms? Do you feel that your parents were supportive in your decision to pursue a career as a singer?
Mavie Marcos: My mother was a child prodigy on the piano, and my father drove a van with his band to NYC in his early 20’s to give his demo tape to the front desk secretary at Capitol Records. I was given piano lessons from when I was four and sang since I can remember. My parents both love music (Beatles my father, opera my mother). But in the end, my parents were too practical to encourage my having a career as a singer and so didn’t. Some things you just have to take a chance on without anyone else telling you it’s a great idea, and I guess for me, singing and writing was something I needed to do.
Dimitri: How did it happen that you met Josh Gabriel and decide to set up this project, and why did you name it Andain?
Mavie Marcos: Kristy, Josh's ex-wife, was working with me in SF and we became friends. She played Josh's music for me, and I gave them my demo. We soon hung out and played some stuff and started writing together. We decided to work on an album that summer. Kristy showed us the name, Andain, from a book she was into at the time. "Andain" were the children of a mortal and a god. We loved it, and from then on were known as Andain.
Dimitri: Your biggest anthems today are ‘Summer Calling’ and ‘Beautiful Things’ which managed to crossover to the mainstream charts in many countries. It would be great to give us some background information about these two anthems. Do those great lyrics on these tracks refer to a particular personal experience or did you write lyrics about things that are not strictly personal?
Mavie Marcos: I hesitate to answer. I receive wonderful letters and beautiful e-mails from so many people who have created their own meaning for the lyrics to ‘Beautiful Things’! For me, it was, in a very general sense, about feeling stuck. ‘Summer Calling’ is simply about appreciating the summer coming after a long winter. I grew up in Miami and went to college in Boston. The winters there nearly killed me. That’s probably where I got my inspiration for the lyrics on that one.
Dimitri: Your voice is so distinctive and so different too. Have you attended any School for singers, and do you feel that professional training for singers is an essential requirement for success, or is not as important as it seems?
Mavie Marcos: For me, I found that I get the most out of my voice when my heart is really into what I’m singing. When I love the words, the music, the melody, my voice seems to do its own thing, and I just sit back and melt away.. My best advice for someone who wants to sing is to really find the music that suits you most; music that really gets you. I think that’s your best chance for finding a place for your vocal sound and style.
Dimitri: You mention in a press release that your contribution to the music composition side is the more melodic stuff, and Josh is responsible for the more aggressive gritty sounds. Would you like to elaborate on this a bit more please? Do you feel that in that way of working that you bring the female perspective and Josh the male perspective to it? In other words do you feel that music compositions are gender specific, or does music usually overcome all those divisions?
Mavie Marcos: I don’t necessarily see music compositions as gender-specific. It’s hard to explain how Josh and I work together exactly. I might be first to bring in a melody and Josh to create the gritty bass line, but I can’t say that either of us focus just on one aspect of the song we’re writing or producing. We’re both pretty neurotic about every detail.
Dimitri: Which track was the longest to complete and which one was the quickest to finish, and why?
Mavie Marcos: Actually, none of the songs were completed quickly. We played around with the melodies for quite some time before we decided on one groove or lead synth sound, for example. In terms of pure song writing, the ‘Much Too Much’ melody and lyrics came to me easily one afternoon as I was writing in my Oakland apartment. The chorus to ‘Turn Up The Sound’ also flowed out after hearing the lead bass groove Josh wrote. I would say the verse melody to ‘After’ came most slowly. I wanted it to be just right for that track, and I tried a lot of different melodies and vocal phrasings. In the end, I really love what resulted.
Dimitri: The single releases off the album are supported with extensive and really outstanding bundles of remixes. Do you think that remixes are vital for the success of ‘Andain’ singles, and can you pick up your favourite remixes that other producers did on your singles?
Mavie Marcos: There is no question that we have a really strong EDM fan base. I love to listen to remixes of songs that I like, and would hope for remixes of our songs to continue.
Dimitri: Do you both choose who will remix the particular single, or do you leave it to the label to take the best decision? Are there any thoughts about release later a remix edition of the album?
Mavie Marcos: I think a remix version of the album would be great, but I guess we will have to wait and see what the label wants to do in terms of a remix album. I do love when artists I listen to put out remix versions of their albums.
We are currently performing with our remix versions. As for who chooses the remixes, it could be any of us really. We all would have to approve of the final remix.
Dimitri: Another very important promotional vehicle for any EDM single is of course music videos, particularly within the YouTube age. Do you believe that music videos are important for the visualization of your music, and do you both decide about the look and feel of the videos? Can you choose your favourite Andain music video?
Mavie Marcos: Music videos are definitely a huge amount of work! Story, tone, wardrobe, makeup, director, editor are all aspects of video-making that we have to consider and wring hands over. But yes, I do think it’s important to do them, and I love getting the chance to add a visual component to our music.
Dimitri: All the fans are asking if you are going to embark on a tour to perform the tracks from the album live. Are there any thoughts about a tour in clubs or concert halls?
Mavie Marcos: We have already started performing with our club versions of the tracks. We hope to do album version performances as well in small clubs or concert halls, since the album hit in September, and our fan base has broadened.
Dimitri: Do you spend a lot of your time posting on Facebook and Twitter messages to your fan base? What is your opinion about artists that give too much of their personal life in the social media?
Mavie Marcos: I don’t spend a lot of time on social media, as the bulk of my effort is spent on writing music, preparing for shows, etc. Coincidentally, I do believe that less is more.
As for others, I guess people should post whatever works for them and their fans.
As for others, I guess people should post whatever works for them and their fans.
Dimitri: Last but not least, please give us your invaluable advice for girls who are inspired by you and would love to become singers and get involved in the music industry?
Mavie Marcos: I’d say don’t get in the music industry until you really know who you are! The industry is going to want to tell you who you are and such a difficult and competitive field is not a solid place to begin creating your art.
As for singing, I’d say start young, and sing in a choir of a music style you really love. I began singing in a classical choir and then a girls ensemble before I performed as a soloist. I think it’s smart to first be a part of something, learn from it, make it more beautiful, and then begin the process of looking for your own voice.
Many thanks to Mavie Marcos for the time she devoted to bring us her fantastic answers.
Many thanks to Jeroen Polak from Black Hole recordings office for organising and helping make this interview happen.
Many thanks to Mark from Black Hole recordings office for his great support
Many thanks to Paul at 1mix radio for proofing the final version of this interview
Andain - You Once Told Me Tracklist:
01. Turn Up The Sound
02. Like
03. Much Too Much
04. Ave Maria
05. Promises
06. After
07. What It's Like
08. Forget Your Face
09. Find Your Way
10. You Once Told Me
11. Taken Away
01. Turn Up The Sound
02. Like
03. Much Too Much
04. Ave Maria
05. Promises
06. After
07. What It's Like
08. Forget Your Face
09. Find Your Way
10. You Once Told Me
11. Taken Away
