January 27, 2013: We had many questions to do Tanja relating to her new and brilliant album "Gemini"... and she has had the amiability to grant an interview to us and in english. I hope that you enjoy it!.
Thanks Tanja for your nice answers!.
- How much time you were going preparing this album? It has taken us many people for surprise... I do not know wherefrom you extract the time!.
TM: Yeah, it took us around 6 years to finally make an album ;0) It’s not that easy to do it on your own. This is the first time we did everything by ourselves, because at the moment i’m not under any management, so... i don’t get paid for writing songs and i still need to pay the bills, so i had to dedicate my time to other projects/concerts/musicals as well, that’s why it took so long.
TM: Yeah, it took us around 6 years to finally make an album ;0) It’s not that easy to do it on your own. This is the first time we did everything by ourselves, because at the moment i’m not under any management, so... i don’t get paid for writing songs and i still need to pay the bills, so i had to dedicate my time to other projects/concerts/musicals as well, that’s why it took so long.
- We know that many of the songs are written and inspired by you with your experiences, feelings and sensations. Also there are 2 mix of 2 songs and that your great friend and composer Timo Vendt intervenes in several songs. There are other authors or composers in the album?
TM: Timo is the other half of this album, we did everything together...invested our time/soul/money in this project. We wrote all the songs (some of them with another great people, such as: Fred Krieger, Mikk Saar, Owe Petersell, Sean Pollock, Roberto Lauterio and Vitali Vassiljev), we paid for the print, we did this great album launch party etc. So Timo is my partner in crime on this one ;0)
- The album has a marked pop style and electronic in some song. Also Sinine collaborates in a song. Do you believe that you have evolved towards other styles more trance after Jz Belle and Sunday Mood? In Sunday Mood they were all the much softer songs...
TM: Actually there are some soft songs on this album as well... “Broken” and “Sind ootan ikka veel”. Gemini does not include only dance music...it’s everything i like to sing... a little bit of this, a little bit of that.
- The album has a marked pop style and electronic in some song. Also Sinine collaborates in a song. Do you believe that you have evolved towards other styles more trance after Jz Belle and Sunday Mood? In Sunday Mood they were all the much softer songs...
TM: Actually there are some soft songs on this album as well... “Broken” and “Sind ootan ikka veel”. Gemini does not include only dance music...it’s everything i like to sing... a little bit of this, a little bit of that.
- With what song do you feel more satisfied? It is sure that there is one that stands out over all...
TM: I like all of them ;0) This is really funny, because usually i have songs i don’t wanna listen to, but on this album i like them all.
- We have surprised much that the album is full of songs written in English. It does it want to say that Tanja is preparing himself for a more international projection? Already you know that little by little already they know you out of Estonia... today for example in your blog you have received visits from USA, Belgium and Slovenia...
TM: Well, i do dream about going abroad or trying to... ;0) Now we have something to show, something to offer and we do have some meetings with some people ...so lets see.
- Why in this new album you have not used "Tanja M" since already had you done previously with 2 singles already a few years ago? Also we know that as "Tanja" you had made "Over"...
TM: It seems like it was easier for other people to say Tanja without M.... In Estonia they know me under my real name and if they want to use my full name they say Tanja Mihhailova, but never Tanja M, so we just let it be ;0)
- You have not thought that probably to change name with your bands or works frequently can harm you... That is to say, do you believe that someone who wants to follow your professional career can do it without difficulties? If you live in Estonia it seems that yes... but if you live abroad the people can manage to know that Jz Belle, Tanja M, Sunday Mood now Tanja... is principal singer the same?
TM: Well... JZ Belle was a long time ago and i don’t mind to start fresh. All the other project were done under some managements and i did not have a lot to say about stuff, now i’m on my own and i’m using my real name and i don’t think that i’m gonna change it any day soon.
- There will be no video clip in any song? I refer to videos that explain a history not to medley of performances... already you know that it is very important for the projection of a song. I believe that as protagonist only you appear in "Vihmane päev". Do not you believe that already it is the moment of another video clip?
TM: Well...we’re thinking of doing video as well. You really don’t need to have it in Estonia, but everywhere else ... sure. So we’re looking for people to work with and it’s a little bit slow, because again.. we’re doing it alone and we have to fund it by ourselves. But we’re working on that :0)
- We know that you have gone to different discotheques and radios for the promotion of the album. There will be continuation or it will be more difficult to make compatible the promotion with your roles in the theatres?
- We know that you have gone to different discotheques and radios for the promotion of the album. There will be continuation or it will be more difficult to make compatible the promotion with your roles in the theatres?
TM: No...all the places i’ve gone so far (radioshows, newspapers etc) took me in without any problems...they like to talk about creative stuff and new music and diferent things i do, so i’m really happy that at the moment it’s all good ;0)
- I see that normally the same dancers accompany you in your performances of the "Gemini". With his choreography they make illuminate more the perform in the scene. Explain to us a bit those who are your nice dancers, where you knew them and the one who designs his movements.
- I see that normally the same dancers accompany you in your performances of the "Gemini". With his choreography they make illuminate more the perform in the scene. Explain to us a bit those who are your nice dancers, where you knew them and the one who designs his movements.
TM: Yes... i have 4 dancers i work with at the moment: Triin, Kristel, Diana and Sigbrid. They don’t perform all together all the time, sometimes we don’t have enough space for 4 dancers, so i take 2 ;0) I met them at the dance school i worked at...we become friends and now we perform together. It so great to travel with your friends, to share the stage, to prepare for the show etc... We have a lot of fun! I Love them ;0) Usually we meet, we listen to the tracks, we devide songs between us (who want to do choreography for what song), then we rehearse, design our costumes, rehearse some more and we’re ready to go on. So we do everything together ;0)
- We know that there are certain problems sometimes to buy from outside Estonia in some store online... but in the blog there are two links of 2 shops to buy your disc without problems. Well... finally only you have to do advertising of the album to us. Why have we to buy "Gemini"? What can we find in this CD? Thanks for your words and a lot of luck with this album!.
TM: Thanks for the good words ;0) And the hard work you do ;0) Really really soon you can buy my album on Itunes...this is exiting!
As for “why you have to buy my CD”....well you don’t have to... but if you want to see some beautiful pictures of me....you will have to buy my album to see them ;0D I’m just kidding ;0)
It’s all about quality dance music, beautiful songs and a small piece of my world in my words ;0) My“Gemini” and i ... thank you and wish you best of luck ;0*
