Music is art, and the beauty of art is that it can take many forms and shapes. We’re limited only by our imagination. And if you mix imagination with talent, you might come up with one of the most promising bands of the metal scene, Rage of Light. We chatted with their vocalist Martyna about this!
I’m fine, thank you! You have recently released with your band a new album, “Redemption“. I must say, I like it a lot. Can you share with us the process you follow when writing songs?
Thank you! When I joined Rage Of Light in May last year, most songs were already written, so the process went smoothly. I received the demos, recorded my vocal and lyric ideas at home, and soon after, I travelled to Switzerland to record everything in a proper studio. Jonathan wrote the lyrics for three of the songs, so I continued with the same theme for the rest of the album as the topics resonated with me (breaking the cycle of depression, overcoming self-doubt, finding our true purpose). As for my writing process, the ideas just come to me after listening to the songs dozens of times. I usually start with a word, a phrase, or a melody and develop the rest around it. I follow the song’s natural flow, adding heavier parts when the music calls for it and contrasting it with softer, melodic elements.
Hoping that live concerts will resume soon, what is the best venue you’ve performed so far?
Both Germany and The Netherlands have some fantastic venues. I haven’t performed with Rage Of Light yet (fingers crossed that changes soon!), but some of my favourite places I performed with my other band, Ascend The Hollow, include Lindenpark in Potsdam, The Matrix in Bochum, or P3 in Purmerend.
Nice! Did you grow up in a city or in the countryside?
I grew up in a Polish city, but I spent most of my adult life in Dublin, Ireland. I consider it my second home. These days, I prefer living in a cozy Dutch village.
What is the dumbest way you’ve been injured?
A few years ago, I dislocated my knee in a sauna. After a friend’s birthday party at his family’s cottage in Denmark. I guess I had one beer too many, so I slipped and fell. I don’t even like the sauna.
Christmas or Halloween?
Neither. Give me the summer solstice any day!
Which country would you like to visit that you haven’t been to yet?
There are so many! I would love to go to Japan, see the Maledives, explore South America… I love to travel to new places, so I’ll happily go anywhere, especially if I can catch some sun.
Unfortunately, women in the music industry are not treated equally. Have you ever experienced some sort of sexism or discrimination?
Oh, yes. I don’t even know where to start. Everything from being told that women are too soft and don’t belong in metal to losing gig opportunities because the organizers didn’t like female voices to actual sexual harassment. And, of course, there is constant objectification; people often judge female musicians based on their attractiveness rather than skills or artistic input. That being said, there is a vast improvement in how women are treated these days compared to almost two decades ago when I started. So many bands are gaining worldwide recognition and achieving massive success, like Jinjer or Spiritbox, proving that women have solidified their place in this genre. So, things are looking up for sure, though there’s still some work to be done.
Let’s play a little game. How would you sell to people iced coffee in winter?
I’m a terrible salesperson for things I don’t believe in. I’d probably end up at the glühwein stand next door!
Thank you for taking the time to do this interview! Is there anything else you’d like to add to FemMetal’s readers?
Thank you so much for having me! Make sure to check out our latest video, “Exploder,” follow Rage Of Light on social media, and let us know what you think about our new album!
Hi! My name is Benedetta, I’m 29 and I live in Northern Italy. My passion has always been music: I started taking guitar lessons when I was 6. Now I work as a sales representative, but in my free time I interview talented people, I spread the word about my favorite band (MoonSun), and I go to concerts or travel around Europe.
I am a huge collector of anything Tolkien-related, autographs, merchandise, and CDs. I am quite an original person and don’t mind being the voice outside of the choir (even though I play in the church’s choir!).
