NOAPOLOGY are a modern alternative metal band led by vocalist Daria Zaritskaya. With their heavy sound and melodic side, the band have been building a musical identity of their own. In this interview, Daria talks about the ideas behind their single “Test Me Now,” the creative process behind NOAPOLOGY, and what we can expect from their upcoming album.

Reuel

Hello Daria! It’s a pleasure to chat with you. How are you and the other members of NOAPOLOGY doing?

Daria

Hi! We’re doing well, thank you, and getting ready for a very busy autumn. Between new music, videos and preparing for the tour, there’s plenty to keep us occupied. Sergey and I do a lot ourselves, so there’s quite a bit of time in front of a computer involved in all this rock and roll! But I’m really looking forward to getting out there and playing. After spending so much time making something, you want to share it with people in the same room.

Reuel

This sounds exciting! Congratulations on the wonderful new single! “Test Me Now” came out earlier in September, and from the comments on YouTube, your fans seem very happy with it. What does it mean to you to see your fans connecting with the new music like this?

Daria

Thank you! It means a lot, especially because so many people first discovered us through our covers. When someone connects with a song we’ve written, they’re connecting with something much more personal. You spend so long with a song that it becomes difficult to hear it with fresh ears, so releasing it is always a slightly vulnerable moment. The video brought another dimension to ‘Test Me Now’, and seeing people respond to both the music and the atmosphere is really encouraging. It makes me want to keep going and take more chances with the next songs.

Reuel

“Test Me Now” explores how pressure can strip away fear and change the way you see yourself. Was there a specific challenge or setback the band went through that inspired the idea behind this song?

Daria

For me, the song captures that point where being afraid becomes more exhausting than facing whatever is in front of you. You can spend so much energy trying to avoid pain, failure or other people’s judgement. Then something shifts, and the thing that used to intimidate you loses some of its power. That’s the feeling I wanted to put into ‘Test Me Now’. There’s anger in it, but also relief. I’d rather let listeners connect it to their own experiences than explain it through one particular story. Whatever someone is facing, I hope they can borrow a little of that defiance from the song.

Reuel

It’s a great idea I think everyone connects to! I’ve been following you since the days of Sershen & Zaritskaya, and even back then, your covers always had your own twist and personality rather than simply sticking to the originals. What elements of that style have stayed with you as you’ve developed NOAPOLOGY’s original music?

Daria

That instinct to make a song feel like ours has definitely stayed. Some of my favourite covers were ‘Come Together’ and ‘Stayin’ Alive’, because we changed the mood so much. I enjoyed finding a different character inside a song people already knew. We still care about a strong melody, a vocal with personality and an arrangement that has some surprises. With original music, we can take that much further, because we’re choosing the words and creating the whole song ourselves. There’s more freedom, and also more responsibility: you can’t rely on everybody already loving the chorus!

Reuel

Your debut album, Uncovered, was a huge success. What can fans expect to hear on the upcoming album that feels familiar to Uncovered, and what will be different?

Daria

The strong melodies, the guitar energy and the character of my voice will still be there. I want someone who loved ‘Uncovered’ to hear a new song and recognise us straight away. But I’m also interested in taking the heavier, darker side of our sound further, with more electronic textures and more space for atmosphere. I like a melody that could almost belong to a pop song sitting against something much more aggressive underneath. ‘Test Me Now’ gives a sense of that direction. The challenge is to make all those elements work together while keeping the song itself memorable.

Reuel

You’ve been involved in almost every part of the new single and music video, from behind the microphone to in front of the camera and behind it as well. Which part of the creative process do you enjoy most besides performing the music?

Daria

I really enjoy developing the visual concept: the mood, the styling, the colours, and how all of that connects to the music. A song can suggest an image before you even know how you’re going to make it happen. Then you have to work out how to turn that image into something you can actually shoot. Sergey and I made this video ourselves, so we were involved from the idea through to the finished result. That’s a lot of work, but I love being able to carry an idea all the way through and see the music take on a visual form.

Reuel

Which musicians would you say have inspired you personally throughout your life and career?

Daria

Lzzy Hale is definitely someone I admire. There’s so much power and personality in her voice, and I love how she can keep that raw edge while still delivering a great melody. Halestorm are a band we really love. I also love David Coverdale, Ronnie James Dio and Black Sabbath; that whole world of heavy music has such a strong character and atmosphere. More generally, I’m drawn to singers whose voices you recognise immediately. Technique matters, of course, but it’s the personality that makes me want to listen again. That’s something I care about in my own singing too.

Reuel

Is there anything you can tell us about the upcoming album that you’re especially excited for fans to hear?

Daria

I’m especially excited about exploring more sides of my voice. I love a big, powerful chorus, but a quieter delivery can make a lyric feel very close and uncomfortable in a good way. I want room for both. I’m also interested in how the electronics and the guitars can interact, so that the atmosphere is part of the song from the beginning. What excites me most is finding combinations that still feel natural to us but make us curious about where we can go next. Hopefully, ‘Test Me Now’ has made people curious too.

Reuel

You’re heading out on tour across Europe in October and November. Is there a city you’re especially looking forward to visiting and seeing your fans there?

Daria

It doesn’t really matter to us which city or country we’re playing in. What matters is the people who come to hear us. Wherever we are, we’re excited to meet the audience and share our music with them. We’ve connected with so many people online, and getting to be in the same room together is what makes touring special. For me, that connection is much more important than the name of the city.

Reuel

Thank you for your time, Daria! Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Daria

Thank you for having me! And thank you to everyone who’s stayed with us as we’ve developed NOAPOLOGY, as well as everyone discovering the band now. We put a lot of ourselves into this music, so every listen, share and person who comes to a show matters to us. If you haven’t checked out ‘Test Me Now’ yet, give the video a watch. And if we’re coming to your city this autumn, come and make some noise with us!