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Interview with Vallkyrie

Vallkyrie has a new single out this week, so I wanted to say a big congratulations and do a little throw back to an interview I did with them last year! 

Vallkyrie consists of three best mates, Omer, Rebel and Brandon, on the verge of taking New Zealand by storm. They took time out last year to grab a coffee with Erin Simpson and this is how it went….

Note: Erin was two minutes late and running as per and the three wonderful members were sitting outside ready to jump inside coz it would be quieter, and they humbly didn’t even ask to order a drink until Erin told them they had to.

Erin: So Battle of the Bands – you guys got third place? Congratulations!!! What was it like? What was your favourite part of it?

Omer: On the last night we had like a white army there, we told all our supporters to come in white and it was like……..white!

Rebel: Like storm troopers of star wars

O: Yeah it was pretty dope

E: Had you seen that done before?

R: No not at all, but just coz it was a rock competition where they all wear black and leathers we wanted our people to stand out so we thought of white

O:  [laughs] Yeah we wanted to make it as white as possible and we were wearing white so it seemed perfect

Brandon: And it also put the idea into people’s head of ‘why are all these people coming in white’

R: Psychological!!!!!

E: Omer you won best vocalist, awesome! Has this comp helped you out as a stepping stone?

O: Yes very much a stepping stone!!  To be honest Brandon is very much a professional performer who has already has toured with the likes of Ladi 6 so when we watched the video back he is like so on point ‘soooo on point’ and we were like ‘waaaaoow’ so it was good for Rebs and I coz we needed to grow, we needed to catch up to his point and it worked I reckon, we grew! So that was a stepping stone!  But then we also got like a slot at a groove festival next year so that is massive.

R: And we got an endorsement from Casio G-Shock!!!

E: Yeah cool, so that’s two massive things!!  Did G-Shock come to you or did you go to them?

B: We approached them

R: And then they were like ‘we love what you do, we like your music’

O: ‘Your vibe’

R: ‘You’re the new ‘in thing’ so would love to support you’

E:  So do you get watches? Do you get money? What?

R:  Merch – so thanks, G-Shock!

B: White watches to match our white outfits!

E: that is so cool!!

It’s at this point our drinks arrive and as ordered Brandon was delivered a massive Banana Berry Smoothie, Rebel her Lemon, honey and ginger (which upon smelling smelt like a hot Bundaberg), Omer a latte with one Vanilla shot, and me my large, burnt hot chocolate with one sugar, mean!

E: And so…… this festival, you’re performing at next year, there’s like 10,000 attending it, what is it?

O: Yes!!! It’s like a groove festival, like The Rockapalooza Festival

R: They actually haven’t told us what it’s called yet but that info will be out soon

E: So what do you have to prepare for it? Songs? Sets?

O: Yip we have to put together a set and everyone is really excited about having us there so in turn that excites us so much more!

R: Totally!!  And on top of that during this whole process we got a manager!!

E: Awesome are you aloud to say who?

B: ADK Entertainment was the manager of Nesian Mystik and we grew up with them!

E: Same, I was thinking about them the other day and was like ‘come on guys come back and do something!!’

B: And Adeaze also and Misfits of Science!  So she’s kinda had all these three artists juggling under her belt which are all so successful

E: So what has she promised you? What’s the brainstorm there?

B: I guess she’s like the kind of support that we have needed coming from the ground up, we’re still not cemented in with the music business yet but having her as the back bone is going to help us talk to recorded labels and promote our stuff etc.

O: And she does it so well, she’s like this amazing auntie that we’ve had forever

B: Very Aunty vibe, yes I feel like she’s an aunty!

E: And what’s the goal??, what was it like when you got round the table and you were like let’s make and band and do…?? What came outta that?

R: heaps!!  You wanna start this one Omer?  I’ll finish it?

O: So me and Reb, we’ve been friends since we were 11 and we have always wanted to make music together but stopped talking to each other for 7 years and then what? 3 years ago? We just decided to do music again! We picked it back up and it was like nothing had ever happened!  So for the last 3 years, me and Reb have been writing and making and creating and all that great kind of awesome stuff

B: You guys have been homies for a lonnnnng time

R: Since so small

O: So small! At the bus stop singing Madonna when we were just 11!! But it’s been in the last year that we just started taking it next level.

R: Omer’s mum told us if we not gonna do it properly don’t do it at all.

O: She was like, do it now or do something else, don’t waste your time, stop mucking around.

R: So from that point on we just had to be adults and then do it and then Brandon came into our lives!!

O: Me and Rebs have always wanted that drummer, live band sound without having a live band, without having the drums and then Brandon came along who was like ‘perfect’.

R: So Brandon plays a sample pad instead of drums, but is loaded with drum sounds.  He comes in with his professionalism from playing and touring in the states with @Peace and Ladi6 and he just leads the way, to have someone like him, with his caliber makes us feel like actual musicians and make us believes that ‘hey yeah, maybe we do have a little something’

B: It was actually perfect timing coz it was at that point I had just been finishing a whole bunch of projects and I did want to try something different out musically and after jamming with these girls I was like ‘wow this is like a breath of fresh air’

E: what is it about these girls that caught your eye or ear lol

B: No ego!! No ego what’s so ever!! Totally relaxed and um just the process of how they write their music could not be any better

E: Ego is a big thing, coz every day you gotta turn up and work together so you just can’t have those issues

B: Yeah and we all work together really well, there’s no stepping on any toes and we all know what we want to sound like

R: We all have the same vision

They take a moment to sit, look at each other and reflect.

O: it’s just so perfect!

E: And we are so looking forward to this perfect package!! Tell us about your video

R: OMG it’s beautiful!!! You know Shae Stering? Well, he shot it and OMG when it gets released it’s like….

B: Like OMG

R: Like OMG it will blow your mind!!

E: Yeah? Tell us, tell us, where did you shoot it?

R: Are we allowed to say?

E: Just say what you can

R: …..we shot it in New Zealand

E: Well, that’s, that’s…. broad! [Laughs] Thanks for that little behind-the-scenes fact [laughs]

O: [Laughs] I know, sorry, but only because …. only because when you see it you’ll be like ‘is that, is that, New Zealand??’

R: It’s insane!

E: So when does it come out, when does it drop?

R: Our manager has the plan, but looking like next year

E: Cool and so Omer you have left Mai Fm to persue your music?

O: Yip, I’m pursuing other outlets on how to share the music, choosing to do music with my two best friends and chasing my own music dream

B: Our own music!!!! I still get excited 

E: Wicked and so to finish off and to give everyone an idea of what you’re trying to do, when it comes to your own music, what’s your elevator pitch?

R: Um yes so we are an anthemic band that tries to tell a story instead of just a performance

E: Very nice I like it, Omer?

O: I like to say ‘if Cold Play had a baby with The Broods, but then the babysitter was Rihanna, that’s us’

E: Like it too, Brandon? what do you tell your friends and family and all that business world?

B: Crazy but I always tell them, we are 3 Maoris making music that is probably what most of our Maori or family members wouldn’t assume!

R: that is so true!!!

B: It is true, but I think our intention is to just make stuff that takes people on a journey through sharing where we are coming from

R: I love that coz so often we get “ohhhhhh 3 brown people, do you guys play hip hop?”

B: Yeah we get asked that 90% of the time

E: But you’re like no, we have a point of difference, and this is our little niche

B: Yes! And I think at the moment in New Zealand it’s a great little niche to be in!

E: Well we can’t ask for anything more than Kiwis who simply want to tell a story!! Guys, thank you so much for taking the time to have a chat coz I know it’s all flat out, especially on a Thursday and I know that you are yet to launch but we are very excited about picking everything up that you are putting down so please keep in touch and have a great weekend!

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