Exclusive Interview with electronica producer 'Mblue'

Mblue is a songwriter, and dark pop & electronica producer, releasing music with Magic Records, Mr.SuicideSheep, High Five Music, Ninety9Lives, and The Soul Music. Check out the exclusive interview below:

1. Can you tell us a bit about where you come from and how you got started?

Mblue: Hi, I’m from Poland. I’ve always been interested in making music, but only as genres, styles, and goals were constantly changing. For many years, I’ve been composing, arranging, and producing music for films, TV programs, radio plays, audiobooks, TV commercials, sample demos, theatrical performances, and many others (I think I could have done over 200 projects). I’ve always had an interest in songwriting too, I’ve tried to make songs similar to great masters like Queen, Led Zeppelin, or Pink Floyd, but was never satisfied with the results. After many years I’ve decided to make songs in a completely different style. EDM always tempted me as it seemed attractive, striking, popular, and easier to make. As for the last, it quickly turned out that this is not the case at all :) But I’ve decided to give it a try anyway…

2. Did you have any formal training or are you self-taught?

Mblue: Yes, a lot of formal training: Primary Music School, Secondary Music School, and then the Fryderyk Chopin University Of Music at Sound Engineering Department. However, all these schools were mainly oriented towards classical music, so in the case of electronic music, I’m rather self-taught (but of course school education is also helpful in a basic sense).

3. Who were your first and strongest musical influences and why the name ‘Mblue’?

Mblue: Queen, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Beatles, Radiohead, Michael Jackson, Bach, Chopin, and many more. Why Mblue? Honestly, my nick is a little out of the blue, but I like blue color and M is the capital letter of my name :)

4. What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?

Mblue: I think melody, energy, and mood are the most important elements. It’s difficult for me to describe my sound because it changes a lot. Maybe dark pop or electronica? My problem is that I like too many music styles and don’t want to confine myself to a single niche. Learning many different music genres gives me satisfaction and a sense of development, although I know I should limit myself to a specific genre to achieve the best results.

5. For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning and, often, emulating others. What was this like for you? How would you describe your own development as an artist and music maker, and the transition towards your own style, which is known as?

**Mblue**: In the context of illustrative music, I simply carry out orders matching the music to the needs of the client. Actually, it would be hard for me to find a genre of illustrative music that I haven’t created yet. However, in the case of electronic music, I’m still in a phase of learning. I’m fairly new to this kind of music. So I discover new genres with the enthusiasm of a young child and then wonder what I can create in a given form of expression.

6. What’s your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles – and do you try and affront any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, personal narrative and entertainment?

Mblue: I know that music often serves a political or cultural function. And I have to take that into account when creating music to order. Generally, however, I’m a fan of pure form which evokes specific, original moods, emotions, and associations in everyone. And as for electronic music I create, I think it’s more just entertainment.

7. Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfilment as the amount of work you are putting into it, or are you expecting something more, or different in the future?

Mblue: It depends, but in the case of electronic music definitely not. It’s too much work! You just made me realize that I need to find a different occupation :)

8. Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song? Do you usually start with a tune, a beat, or a narrative in your head? And do you collaborate with others in this process?

Mblue: In my case it’s chaos. Sometimes it starts with a melody, other times with an interesting sound or beat. Sometimes it comes from a dream, another time from singing in the shower. There is no formal creative process here. For now, I am doing it myself, but in the near future, I would love to collaborate with others.

9. What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?

Mblue: I tend to complicate things too much, make a mess, overload the arrangements, make the harmonic structure too complicated, etc. so the most difficult thing about writing songs for me is to keep it simple and minimalist.

10. On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?

Mblue: I’d like to write a song that I will be proud of and that will be listened to for decades :)