NEWMA: Music is my mission without which I cannot exist

NEWMA is a Ukrainian singer, actress and author of soundtracks for movies, who constantly conquers new and new peaks in her activity. In December of this year, she released "Truth&Lies" in collaboration with Danish singer Teo Arcus. About the release, future plans and unceasing thirst to perform on stage, NEWMA is ready to tell in the interview of Drive Music Media.

Interviewer: The first question always remains the same for us: tell us how you realized that you want to combine your life with music? How did your musical career begin?

NEWMA: Music has always been in my life! But I really did not immediately understand that this would be my life's work. I just felt that music is an integral part of my life, I studied at a music school from an early age, I wrote my first song at the age of 12, at that time I picked up the guitar and never let go. When I had problems with my voice and was told that it was not too late, I could choose another profession, but my desire to sing was so great that I did not listen to anyone and looked for ways to heal my voice. That's why I always say to my students: "If you really want, you can definitely do it!". When I started performing, I felt that I was especially good at conveying emotions to listeners, as people both cry and laugh. I saw that my songs touch people to the core, and I realized that this is my life's work – this is my mission, without which I simply cannot exist. I can say that my career started at the age of 2 when I had my first record thanks to my mom, and more officially I consider it on April 1st, 2015 when NEWMA was born and we started play my original songs.

Interviewer: What does your stage name NEWMA mean? How did the idea of performing under such a musical pseudonym come about?

NEWMA: Why NEWMA? My nickname consists of two words. If you divide the word "NEWMA" in half, you will understand what it means. And how did this name appear? I was preparing for our first concert on April 1st 2015, which, by the way, is also my Birthday. So I was looking for a harmonious name and found it.

Interviewer: You perform at many charity concerts in support of Ukraine. We all understand that in such difficult times, musicians not only heal the hearts of many people with their lyrics, but also play an important role in supporting our armed forces, civilians and spreading our culture abroad. How did your participation in charity events begin? Which was the first?

NEWMA: My volunteer journey began as soon as I arrived in Germany. I performed for the first time a week after my arrival. It was a big demonstration where I sang my song "I was put on pause". I remember this performance clearly, there was a lot of pain and emotions in it. After this concert, I realized how much I can support my people and country, and it gave me strength and did not allow me to fall into depression. Of course, I felt it, but for the sake of the performances, I woke up in the morning and gathered myself into a fist. It was and still is the great meaning of my life. I performed everywhere, supported charity events throughout Europe and England. I gave more than 130 concerts.

Interviewer: You recently performed at the charity concert "Good evening, We are from Ukraine" in London. Tell us more about this concert and your participation in it.

NEWMA: Performing at the "Good evening, we are from Ukraine" concert in London, I got a very useful experience because I had the opportunity to work in a cool company: Dmytro Shurov, Kola, Tvorchi, POZITIFF, Velboy. I want to thank the organizers for inviting me to this amazing event.

Interviewer: You have completed work on a joint project with a Danish singer. Tell us how your collaboration began, what the song will be about and the singer with whom you will sing in a duet.

NEWMA: Our song "Truth & Lies" was born at the intersection of the "Songwriting Camp" and "Collaboration Camp" projects organized by Music Export Ukraine, KORMA, Goethe Institute Ukraine and the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Germany. Teo Arcus is a very cool singer, musician and modern sound producer from Denmark. He has a very original style of performance and an unusual and attractive tone of voice. It was an incredible experience to write a song with Teo Arcus. We immediately found a common language in our art and created something special. We combined our creative worlds and created a song that not only enchants with sounds, but also reflects deep feelings, provokes reflection and carries an important message about the meaning of truth. Now, thanks to the Collaboration Camp from Music Export Ukraine, I got the opportunity to make a professional production of the song in collaboration with talented producers Stefan Lytvyn and Mykyta Bohdanov.

Interviewer: Not only do you actively participate in charity concerts and write music for yourself, but you also write songs for films. In which films can you hear your lyrics? How did you start cooperation with an equally amazing world – the world of cinema.

NEWMA: This is a very interesting story, how I became a soundtrack maker. Although I have been associated with the world of cinema for a long time, because I am not only a professional singer, but also an actress. How did my music get into the movies? At that time, I recorded my first song "If You Knew", but it seemed to me that there was still a lot to do in the arrangement, to rewrite the vocals, etc. The stars aligned so that one day my songs "If You Knew" and "I Hate" got to director Eva Strelnikova. She enjoyed it, and she wanted these songs to sound in her film "My Daughter's Mother". I believe that it was a kind of kick from the universe, that it is necessary to finish the recording and release the song.

Interviewer: You gave many concerts in Ukraine: Mykolaiv, Odesa... and now you perform abroad. Have you noticed any difference between Ukrainian and foreign audiences? How do German listeners perceive Ukrainian music?

NEWMA: Yes, my band had many concerts in Ukraine, 5 tours to be exact! That's why I managed to get to know the Ukrainian public, which very warmly accepts Ukrainian music. Our compatriots react in the same way to Ukrainian music in Europe and England. Foreigners told how they got goosebumps from my performance, although they did not understand Ukrainian, but they understood what the song was about on an emotional level. I think that the same way we listen to songs in a foreign language, falling in love first of all with the music and the voice. That's how Europeans listen to Ukrainian songs and feel the emotions that we convey through music.

Interviewer: You have a lot of songs, but every musician has that special song. Out of all the songs you have, which one is the most important to you? Tell the story of its creation.

NEWMA: It is difficult for me to answer this question because each song is special to me, each song has its own story, and I love each of my songs like a child. But I will tell you about one very important one, which is called "No right to kill people at all". When the war started, and I couldn't write a single line for several months, emotions and pain stuck in me and refused to come out, but I felt that I needed to pour my feelings into a song. I was walking through the streets of Hamburg, thinking a lot, crying a lot, and the melody and words of the song began to come to me. 

Interviewer: After the release, what can Ukrainian and foreign listeners expect from NEWMA? Share your creative plans with our readers.

NEWMA: The plans are very big! Now we are working on the most important song "No right to kill people at all", which I already told you about. I also have a few more songs in Ukrainian in the works, which I hope will see the light of day very soon. And I also really want a tour in my native Ukraine with my musicians, whom I haven't seen for a long time and miss very much, and the first world tour to share my music and promote our Ukrainian culture in the world.

Pictures by Lukinykh Dmitrii, M2, Svitlana Koval, Andrii Horak, Olga Soshenko, Evgeny Merkalo