Exposed Vocals: How did you hear about Exposed Vocals? What made you decide to sign
Well I first found out of Exposed Vocals from twitter. After that I went to check out the website. I loved the idea how it supports underground artists and gives them visibility. That made me sign up.
Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an
Well I live in Finland in a small city (13.000 people). I have been always into music. I played guitar and drums when i was younger but that didn’t last long. After that i guess the spark came the same way for me as for the others. I listened music, fell in love with it, thought that “man, if I only could do the same” and started to practicing. I still remember the song that made me start producing. It was Above & Beyond’s – Sun & Moon (sorry for marketing). When I heard it first time it kicked me in the face and at the very same time gently kissed my lips and I was like “WOAAAHHHH, what is this beautiful thing coming out of my speakers!? And yeah, still practicing and learning.
Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?
Well at first I was “Raksel” because my friends gave me that nickname (even it was used mostly as a sobriquet), but I thought that it sounds a bit too much like a dog’s cookie name so i started to think new one and ended up with Nowell. It’s like a English translation or anagram from my surname. I thought it sounded cool and decided to take it.
Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?
I really like online music sharing. You don´t have to run from store to store to sell your music. It is a lot of easier and cheaper to do it online. I don’t even dare to think how many sites there are on the internet where you can upload your music and get heard. It’s pretty much up to yourself how much you want to share your music. As a beginner artist I do give my music away for free. I believe that I would need a lot of bigger fan group before i would ask money for songs, because if I would receive for example 5€ for one song, it wouldn’t really make any difference in my financial situation. And beside people like free stuff !
Exposed Vocals: Since everyone was a start-up once, can you give any smaller or local bands or artists looking to get gigs and airplay some tips?
Hmmm, I’m still learning so I really can’t give any tested tips. One thing is always true and that is that the hours count. More hours, more skill.
Exposed Vocals: Do you ever make mistakes during performances? How do you handle that?
I don’t perform at the moment, but when I was DJ’ing I time to time had some mistakes. Some of them were bigger and some of them smaller. I just tried to concentrate to keep going and thought that what went wrong and how to avoid it in the future. Luckily i was DJ’ing in this nightclub where everybody were so drunk that I don’t think they noticed most of them.
Exposed Vocals: Do you tour? Anything interesting happen on tour that you think our readers would enjoy hearing about?
No I don’t tour. It would be cool, but maybe in the future !
Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?
Because i produce music I really can’t give any real story for the song. Unlike singers, if they want to sing about unicorns, the song will be a story about unicorns. I focus more to the feel of the song. And that’s where I also gather my inspiration. From sadness, happiness, anger, peace etc.. I will start to build the song around that feeling and try to make the listener feel the same way as I.
Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?
I don’t yet have a website. Thought I’ve been thinking to get one. At the moment I use soundcloud as my “website” I also have a youtube account, but I hadn’t updated it for a while now..
(Shameless promoting of my sites)
https://soundcloud.com/thenowell
https://www.mixcloud.com/Nowell/
Exposed Vocals: What are some really embarrassing songs that we might find on your mp3 player?
Hah, there is way too much embarassing things, so i’m not going to list them all. But maybe my favourites are “mc hammer – cant touch this” and some Britney Spears.
Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?
At first I would do a parachute jump in New Zealand, because one does not simply walk in to the Mordor. After that I would have a small holiday in somewhere warm place where i could just lay in a hammock between the palm trees during the sunset while i’m sipping my cold beer and be like “yeah, this is it”. After that I would focus back on the music and upgrade my computer, because it´s starting to suffer a lack of power.
Exposed Vocals: Any planned studio upgrades? What are you working with now?
As I said earlier I should upgrade my computer. Not much else. Maybe a new midi keyboard.
Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?
Well I just started promoting myself so I don’t yet know what works best. For now it has been twitter. I use soundcloud, Twitter, Instagram and Mixcloud where I just started uploading mixes.
Exposed Vocals: If you could perform anywhere and with any artists (Dead or Alive) where and who would it be with? Why?
Damn, that’s a hard question. Maybe with Above And Beyond, because they have been so big inspiration for me and the place would be sydney opera house, because it’s just so famous place. I didn’t get any other places in my mind. The place don’t really matter.
Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?
Well i’m making some new music now and starting to make these DJ mixes with Ableton to the Mixcloud.
Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?
Hmmm, listening it and working my ass of and thinking that damn this sucks.
Exposed Vocals: Do you remember buying your first album? Who was it? What was going through your head?
My first album I remember was probably the smurfs c-cassette ! At that age there was probably nothing in my head. But damn that cassette was sweet.
Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?
Well it’s hard. During the week my day goes like wake up, go to the work, practice producing, go to sleep. At the weekends I try to find some time for my friends also. A lot of spare time I don’t have.
Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2015?
Some nice and sweeeeeet music ! (hopefully.)
