New Music: interview with Rosi Golan
December 7, 2008
There is a fresh talent in the Folk music scene, Rosi Golan. Her newly released debut album, "The Drifter & the Gypsy" is a sweet combination of reflection and inspiration, a rare find when each song makes the whole better. Golan's guitar work is self-taught, complementing her sultry voice and poetic lyrics. This Israeli born singer/songwriter traveled the world to land in the most international place on earth, New York City, where she loves to perform live.
We asked Rosi Golan a few questions in this email interview.
How did you get your start in music?
I have always been an entertainer at heart. I started off dancing, then acting and playing the violin and singing crept in slowly. It wasn't until I was out of high school that I decided to figure out if I could do the music thing. I knew I would only perform if I was capable of writing my own songs, luckily as soon as I started I just knew that I had found the one thing I loved doing the most and felt I could do well.
What was the first album you ever bought? What is the last album you bought?
Well the first album I ever bought was Nevermind by Nirvana. My step dad turned me on to them actually, and I loved them right away. The last album I bought was Ray Lamontagne's Gossip in the Grain - he just has one of those voices and writes the type of lyrics that break my heart.
You traveled a lot in your childhood. Tell us a little about it and how it influenced you and your music.
I have been fortunate enough to do a lot of traveling in my life. At a recent show, a friend told me they could tell I liked to travel since I talk about leaving in a lot of my songs. I think it just instilled in me this feeling of urgency to keep moving in life, and it just happens to show in my lyrics, I guess.
How long did you work on your latest album, "The Drifter & the Gypsy"?
Well I have been writing seriously for about 5 years now and playing and writing for 7 years, and this is my first album. So, I guess you could say 7 years!
What is your favorite song on "The Drifter & the Gypsy" and why?
That is a really tough question. I am attached to each song in such a different way. Each one of them represents a time in my life, or something that affected me in a way that it ended up in a song. So, I feel like they are my kids and I can't pick a favorite, but if I HAD to, I would say I am really proud of Think of Me.
Do you prefer work in the studio or live performances? Is there a writer or producer you like to collaborate with the most? What is your favorite venue?
I think I prefer to be on stage, because it is so immediate and so satisfying to feel the energy of the audience and perform the songs with a different feeling every time. But being in the studio is great as well because it really forces you to focus and pay attention to details in a way you can't really on stage. One of my favorite people to collaborate with is Jamie Hartman. We wrote Think of Me and Slide together. I also really loved what Marshall Altman, who produced this record, brought out of me in the process of recording. My favorite venue right now is definitely Rockwood Music Hall. It has been a home to me this year and creates a great community feeling for lots of great local NYC songwriters.
How easy was it to find your band members?
Do you have about five years? Cause that is how long it took!! Getting a band together is like dating, you go through so many first dates till you find something worth spending time on. When I finally did find the right guys though, we all just knew.
What comes first to you when you write, the music or the lyrics? Is writing a spontaneous process for you or do you make a conscious effort to write?
I think the music usually inspires lyrics for me, but sometimes I have a phrase I kick around for a bit until I find the right melody for it. I definitely believe in making a conscious effort to write. If I waited for inspiration to hit me, I might now have most of my album. I set aside time to write, I think it's like anything, the more you practice the better it gets.
How were you inspired to write "Shine", I think one of the most beautiful tunes on the new album?
Thank you so much! Well, it was actually a melody that was kind of hanging around for a bit. Funny enough, I was babysitting at the time that I wrote the melody. Talk about multi-tasking! And there were some lyrics to it already, but when Pantene was looking for a song and I was called about it, Morgan Visconti (co-writer of Shine) and I finished the lyrics together to go in a certain direction. It was about that feeling of being so happy you can't stand it. Which I think rung very true to me at the time, and still does. It's something people strive for.
Do you feel you found yourself in Folk music or are you looking to venture into other genres?
I definitely write all types of music. And I think eventually when I am a little more stable in my own music that I would love to start a side project or two that are in totally different genres of music.
What's next for you?
Touring. I wanna be on the road for the next year, at least!
What is one thing you can't live without?
Food, haha.
You can find more information about Rosi Golan on her website, www.rosigolan.com
