nasmore
... is known for his unique sonic formula. He balances his music using appealing melodies and catchy pop hooks, as well as the immediate edge of Indie Rock. It is impossible to understand how he manages to balance beauty and pain in such a distinct manner that it forces the listener to pay attention to every detail.
How would you describe the human behind the artist nasmore, and how did you get into music?
I think that the human behind the artist nasmore is nothing different from any other human. He wakes up and has coffee every morning, goes to work, tries to stay healthy, and goes to the gym. He laughs a lot, he makes other people laugh, and he loves some and tries not to hate some. He probably grew up too fast.
He was a 5-year-old kid when their family friend, a conservatory for performing arts professor, discovered a perfect pitch in him and the tendency to feel and understand the music. Based on her recommendations, he was sent to a conservatorium where he received formal and comprehensive musical education starting at the age of 5.
After school, he decided to take a 90-degree turn away from music, and it's been so until late 2020. Then one day, I just decided that I must realize one of my skills I had never realized before. Really, what the Hell! It's been sitting there all my life, collecting dust. That is not fair to me and not fair to my music teachers. I spent ten years learning music but never really did anything about it. Let’s change it.
"Welcome to the hell" sounds extraordinary, what's the story behind your latest release, what was your inspiration?
Remember this famous saying by Freddie Mercury? He said: "Oh, I was not made for heaven. No, I don't want to go to heaven. Hell is much better. Think of all the interesting people you're going to meet down there!"
One day this quote just pops in my mind and triggers my imagination, so I'm starting to envision these surreal, grotesque scenes. Like I am in a fantasy world and talking to this oracle-looking travel agent lady. And she says:
"Hello dear! Do you believe in Hell? Did you ever think about what it is like? Would you like to take a peek? Just for a day or two? Stay in a hotel situated by the beautiful burning sea of lava with a nice spectacular view of torture and punishment. Or maybe visit a rock concert thrown by the Devil himself? Most of us humans do not require a reservation. Curios now? Well. Just come pick your nightmare, and we will serve it to you, cooked to perfection. Regardless of what your plans are, you are always Welcome to the Hell!"
Then immediately, I had this whole song in my head. It took me only half an hour to write the lyrics and record a melody. And then the real work began. I knew it had to be a duet, and I knew I needed a gritty hard rock male voice and a beautiful yet very powerful female voice. So I called Neil asking if he wanted to participate, I played him a demo, and he said Yes! He likes dark music. His voice fits the song perfectly, and that guitar solo he played, ufff, it gives me goosebumps every time!
Then I thought of La Strange. Her voice is amazing! It's big and very, very powerful! Just as I wanted! And I thought her experience singing for Cirque Du Soleil was a big advantage. And she likes dark too!
I feel lucky to have this amazing duet performing on Welcome to the Hell! And I must give huge credit and thank you to Chris Egert, our God of Sound, who mixed and mastered it to perfection. So that's how it was made.
Do you believe in "heaven & hell" or something similar?
When it comes to things like "heaven & hell," I’m a non-believer. I trust logic and facts. And if I face something unexplainable, I just tag it as unexplainable and put it on the virtual shelf until it becomes “explainable.” But I believe in karma. And even more, I believe in human curiosity and imagination. So since many people have been talking and writing about hell, I thought that giving this topic a bit of a twist would be lots of fun.
You create out of different genres an amazing atmosphere for your songs, do you have a fav genre?
I have to mention that I never had a goal of being at a genre crossroads. It just happens on its own, like an alchemist experimenting with chemical substances or a chef working on fusion cuisine. Now that you’ve asked, I think I use genres as an ingredient to achieve this or other tastes in terms of sound and feel. I guess I’m leaning towards pop-rock more, though, and I seem to love giving my sound a cinematic taste.
Concerning atmosphere, how much time do you invest to find the right sounds for a track?
Great question! Given that I usually have all the sounds in my head ahead of time, finding the right one is more of a mechanical task. Yes, of course, it takes a while to tune each instrument to produce that right sound. But somehow, it’s not lengthy and for sure, it’s not a painful process.
If you take a look back on your first releases, how would you describe your musical evolution?
I can definitely tell I’m evolving. My sound has become more sophisticated, more polished, and more experienced. I think my songwriting has evolved too. Many songwriters want to become great songwriters, and it comes with practice and an open mind. That is, of course, if you have it in you. I think you need to write a lot of songs to start writing great songs. So I keep on learning new techniques and discovering new options and avenues.
If you could choose an artist for a collaboration, who would it be?
Collaboration plans... Oh gosh... There are way too many great artists I would love to collaborate with, but I would narrow it down to two: Billie Eilish and Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons. And then one day, maybe throw a big joint concert. Dreams, dreams, dreams… Well, you are probably dead if you don't dream, right?
...and, what are your plans for 2023?
Lots! And not nearly enough time. I’m working on a few new singles where I collaborate with some amazing artists, and I’m starting the work on an album too. Then there are a few music videos in the works. No, I’m not letting it collect dust.
