Renata Novo

An interview with Renata Novo, one of the most promising new talents of Lithuania.
I just want to thank her for this wonderful idea and prompt answers.


Is Renata Novo is your real name?

Renata Novo is my stage name. It`s a shorter version of my real Lithuanian name Renata Novogreckaite. I have many international friends, who studied in my country or I met them during my travels abroad. For foreigners it was really difficult to pronounce my real surname, so I just made it shorter. By the way, Latin expression "de Novo" means "New" and my name Renata translated from Latin means "Born Again". So choosing this stage name Renata Novo I`ve showed to the world that I`m starting my NEW life as a musician, who is not affraid to create unique and NEW songs. In my concerts I try to avoid covers and perform only my songs :)


What city did you grow up? Where do you live?

I was born in Mazeikiai, Lithuania, and there I grew up. I`ve graduated my BA and MA communication studies in second biggest town in Lithuania – Kaunas, where I`m living, working and creating my music at the moment.


How long do you play music?

At school time I started singing in a youth jazz band, at university – playing guitar and singing in rock cover band and from 2013 I strongly decided to start creating my own music as Renata Novo. So... It`s around 15 years for singing and 8 years for playing guitar.


Is what you studied music or did you learn on your own?

The basics of singing I learnt while singing in youth jazz band, my voice got stronger singing in rock band, so now I can use this knowledge for my own music. My BA and MA studies are not related to music, but communication & advertising. Maybe that`s why I give so much importance for word and lyrics of the songs. Every my song has a story: from my life, from movies, from books, from dreams, etc. I like telling these stories to the audience during my concerts.


What are the artists who gave you the desire to do your job and what artists do you like listening to?

I started playing guitar because of the Irish band "The Cranberries" song "Zombie". I think this band is my musical mother, who inspired and gave birth for my first songs. These days I listen to various types of music from rock, punk to jazz, reggae.


Is that you have a web site to disseminate your music?

You can find my music on http://www.youtube.com/user/RenataNovoMusic
Follow my music life on https://www.facebook.com/RenataNovoMusic
Listen my songs mp3 on https://soundcloud.com/renata-novogreckaite-1


How many songs have you recorded?

I have many songs started just not finished yet. Usually in the concerts I play around 10-12 songs, 6 of them you can find on youtube.

Renata Novo feat. Marius Sabutis "Hedgehog In The Fog"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJa81FlPTSs

Renata Novo feat. Marius Sabutis "I`m Falling"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWcDNd2EPhs

Renata Novo "The Leaving Song"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmZg66YSX_I

Renata Novo "Do You Really Care?"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2fuxordVnw

Renata Novo "Snaige"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTFifB4GpyY

Renata Novo feat. Marius Sabutis "Your Arse"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjFk5zYiwpI

Renata Novo "Not My Life Again"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZetkZSrRwg

Is alone or with band for recording your songs?

Now we are two: me for vocals and Marius Sabutis for guitar (he is the guy in the BalconyTV video). I create lyrics and music, Marius helps to develop. This period is for creating songs and presenting them in acoustic concerts. If audience likes them – we can record them for an album. First album is our future plan.


Have you play? or envisaged live show soon? In what country?

At the moment we have concerts only in Lithuania – follow my Facebook page and you won`t miss my concerts. When we gonna release our first album – then you can think about concerts abroad. Everything is in the future :)


Now about your glasses. Like many singers, you wear glasses instead of contact lenses, when did you choose to wear them? Is it for fashion or is that it happened naturally?

I`m wearing glasses from school time, cause I have myopia. Of course like all children in the beggining I didin`t like them, but now it`s really nice detail which helps to stand out from the crowd. Usually I choose different frame colors when changing glasses. At some period I had burgundy, green, stripped, now – black with yellow sides :) Glasses are cool! Now it`s almost part of my body :)

Hannah Winkler

Hannah Winkler is a folk-rock singer-songwriter from Brooklyn, New York, born in Bethesda, Maryland.

She's been playing piano since her first grade, then she picked up guitar and taught herself at age 14. She also wrote poetry and sang in some choirs.

She started writing her own songs after she left college and her first song is called 'The Paper Plate Song'. Her voice is beautiful and it is impressive to see her play guitar.

Hannah recorded her first self-titled EP with the amazing song 'Dear Love' in 2008. Her most recent single is 'Hide it Away' she produced with Theo Katzman (2012).
http://hannahwinkler.bandcamp.com/

She already opened for great artists like Joshua James, Seth Glier or Theo Katzman and she performed at a large concert series across the US with the amazing singers Bess Rogers or Lelia Broussard.

Bess, Hannah, Lelia and Zach Jones decided to form a band called 'Secret Someones' this year. Please like the page: https://www.facebook.com/SecretSomeones

I've never seen Hannah without her glasses so it was obvious that I had to post something for her on this page!

I hope you enjoy listening!

Ellow - Eline Van Hooff

Ellow is a pop/folk/indie band from Eindhoven, Netherlands, created by Eline Van Hooff and Rik Janssen.

The duo doesn’t want to conform to the conventional musical laws. Songs will be posted on Youtube on an average of two new songs a month. After that they will be arranged to be suited to be performed live as a duo on stage. They play ukelele's, piano's, guitars, basses and an occasional kazoo. They enjoying the chance to be creative and explore the tunes. http://www.ellow.nl

The duo works perfectly with the beautiful voice of the lead singer Eline Van Hooff.

Eline started singing when she was 8 in a choir. When she was 12 she got her grandmothers piano and took classes. She went to music school when she was 18. She have always made her own music with friends and now with Rik.
In addition to her band, Eline has her own youtube channel Samantha Eline and records some pretty acoustic videos. I recommend listening to the Selah Sue Cover 'Explanations'.

You can become a patron of Ellow: http://www.patreon.com/ellow With your patronage they are able to drink more coffee than usual and this results in more and better videosongs.

The responsibilities during the process of making a Youtube video are clearly portioned. Eline looks after editing the video, and recording and mixing is in the capable hands of Rik.

The band have not yet recorded an album but some digital songs can be purchased on Bandcamp.
The first E.P. called 'I Say Ellow' will be out october 10th!!

Eline needs glasses when she was 4 and they are really a necessity. She has one bad and one good eye and she injured her good eye. She still too afraid to wear contacts because of the injury and wears a very nice pair of frames she never takes off.

Quickly discover the beautiful voice of Eline and the group compositions and share their music. Suscribe to the Ellow channel and listen to my favorite song!