“The biggest challenge of being a young person in our times? Not feeling guilty for doing what is good for you and not for society.”

“It’s very important for me to spread a message through my music. I try to make music for everyone and not for me. Of course I can only describe and say what I see and feel, but to me music and art in general should always be a prevention for value loss. I want my music to make people think and question everything.” 19-year-young German producer NOVAA has released her self-produced ‘Stolen Peaches’ EP today, Oct 7th, and we are joyous to premiere it on C-Heads. Drawing musical elements from Electronica, Folk and Pop, NOVAA´s sound is incredibly catchy and has the ability to evoke something inside the listener – and that´s what music is all about, right? We talked to the talented artist about the messages she wants to bring across and what she would like to say to the person who stole her laptop containing all initial song material. 

Hi dear NOVAA, I am listening to your EP Stolen Peaches now. It´s amazing. And it´s self-produced. I am impressed especially considering that you are only 19. At what age did you start making music?

Thank you! Well I started writing songs when I was about 11. And producing I started some time later when I was about 15 I think. To me age is just a number, in my opinion we should find a different way to scale our maturity.

Are you a real Berlin –girl or you relocated over here? And does the city reflect in your music?

Actually I have never lived in Berlin – right now I live in Southern Germany due to my studies. Where I live doesn’t really reflect my music, but my musical output is better when I have less city around me and more nature.

Oh sorry, I got some wrong info here then. Where did you produce the EP and how long did the whole process take more or less– from inital inspiration to completion?

I produced the EP in my dads basement and it took about 2 months in total I think – for each song 2 days maximum. I kind of locked myself in my room until the tracks were finished. That way it’s easier for me to give myself completely to the music.

“Nobody can take your ideas. It’s your head and your thoughts.”

I heard that behind each song there is a special story and a different character. Can you pick two or three songs and tell us the story/character behind it?

Yes, behind every song is a different character. The ones that are most important to me are „Money“ and „In Line“.
„Money“ refers to our way of consuming things. We buy things we don’t need and don’t want and often don’t even think about where it comes from, how it was produced and what it is made of. So that character is very stubborn and turns a blind eye to her/his conscience.
„Money in your hand, trouble in your head.“

There was a time when I was travelling a lot due to playing concerts. And when I summed up the time travelling relating to the time I actually was in some place, I was mainly waiting to get somewhere. That’s what „In Line“ is about. Nowadays everything is about getting somewhere, changing something and someone rather than being where you are and cherishing what and who is around you. It’s more about the future than about the present.
„We wait in line to find the end of it.“

Am I right to say that you initially always have the story or a picture in mind and then you translate it into music?

Often, but not always. Sometimes I also just sit down and see what I come up with without really thinking about it. But mostly I do have an idea and then start to work on it.

Is it important for you to spread a message through your music or is it mainly an outlet for your own emotions?

It’s very important for me to spread a message through my music. I try to make music for everyone and not for me. Of course I can only describe and say what I see and feel, but to me music and art in general should always be a prevention for value loss. I want my music to make people think and question everything.

“That’s what the track „In Line“ is about. Nowadays everything is about getting somewhere, changing something and someone rather than being where you are and cherishing what and who is around you. It’s more about the future than about the present. „We wait in line to find the end of it.“”

Initially the EP would be called Peaches, but then your car was broken into and your laptop with song materials stolen. A bit later you reconstructed the music and also came up with the new name „Stolen Peaches“. You must have been quite upset in that moment but didn´t wait long to make the best out of this situation. Any message you would like to say to the robber/s today?

It would be „Thank you“ I guess, haha – Of course in the first place I was pretty angry and sad but none of all this would have happened if they didn’t steal my laptop. And the whole „Stolen Peaches“ thing made me realize that nobody can take your ideas. It’s your head and your thoughts – mentally I got a lot stronger because of them. So yeah, my message would be thank you … and that I hope they at least got tons of money for my laptop.

NOVAA in 5 years?

Hopefully making my 3rd, 4th, 5th album, playing tours, making films, working with lots of other artists … just being able to share my music and art with people.

The biggest challenge of being a young person in our times?

Not feeling guilty for doing what is good for you and not for society. It’s no use to be somebody others want you to be. They are not the ones spending their whole life with that person, but you are.

Besides music, what are the things in life that make it all worthwhile?

Sharing yourself. That’s why I love making music. It’s a constant exchange and connection to everything and everyone.

www.soundcloud.com/novaanovaa
www.facebook.com/novaanovaaa
www.twitter.com/novaaanovaa
www.instagram.com/novaanovaaa

all images press courtesy