It's hard to imagine another singer that embodies roaring quite as much as Tatiana. If you haven't checked out her band, please do, they're called Jinjer, and they combine styles like jazz and reggae and funk with metal.
You know, you cannot be creative, and just think with your heart all the time. Sometimes the best and happy life is when you find balance between heart and your mind.
We chat about how Tatiana learned to scream, her thoughts on being an extrovert on stage and an introvert in life. And of course, her journey from being a student in Ukraine to being a metal artist.
How would you describe your music and what you do?
Ooh. It's just like short words. It's walking on the edge. Diversity. And when you try to mix unmixable, you know. Mix the unmixable, I love that. Yeah, it's like metal and jazz, for example, or metal and reggae. It's kind of like, a Ritalin mixture.
And how did that come about for you? Like, was that something that was just natural? Or did you think that through, was that an aim?
No, it's natural because it's like, I'm so indecisive. So I just don't know what I'm, do I want to sing reggae in this part of our song, for example, or do I want this to be like more jazzy? Fuck it, I'll just do everything, you know, just like putting everything that you have in your closet that you love and not giving a shit, like, fuck, what people will think about you, everything at once.
So let's go right back to the beginning. Well, we have the same question for everyone in this podcast, and that's what was your worst job? But what I really wanna look at is what your life and your career was like before music. What was life for Tatiana before music?
It was pretty tough and boring, I think, at some point, because I started to sing in Jinjer when I was a student. And that's when I decided that education for me. It is not the first thing in my list. It's not a priority for me, although I knew that, okay, I need to finish my, need to graduate, at least with good marks or whatever. But then I realized that, fuck it, and I started to study really shitty, I think on the third year of my university. Everything went wrong because I spent so much time in the rehearsal rooms and just like practicing and stuff, writing music and just discovering new music in the band, and working on my singing skills and stuff. So I just didn't care about my education at all. And when we had this like graduation, like exams and stuff, one teacher or whatever, she said, like now we understand why you have been studying so shitty, because my son, he was at your concert, and he said you sing beautifully. And I said, what? And she said, good luck with whatever you want to do in your life, so good luck with music. I said, thank you, thank you. So she gave me her blessings and yeah, that was amazing. So that's when, I think I was 23, 22.
And did you think that this would be your journey?
I was sure. I was not only hoping or wishing upon star. Right when I was 11, I think, I already knew. I imagined myself doing concerts, playing concerts, basically. I thought that I would be a guitar player in a girl's band. But there are things that I know they would happen. They will happen. It's a crazy feeling. Like, I knew that I would go to Mexico one day. I just knew it. And yeah, I went there. Yeah, it was amazing.
Why did you go to Mexico?
Just on tour, but when I started to, like, get really twisted on like, really crazy about Mexican culture and the whole like history and everything, I really wanted to go there and get lost in some village. And yeah, I really wanted to go there. So I know just, I know, again, that all we say come true. It just depends on how strong your desire is, your wish.
Oh, well that leads me really nicely onto, do you believe more in fate or choice? How much is fate and how much is choice?
I believe in fate, probably. I think that something has been already written on some piece of paper about you, predicted like about every step you take. And even if you think that it's your choice you make, for example, to eat a piece of meat or a cucumber, you like try to think, okay, I really want meat, but I'm gonna eat a cucumber, but that's already was predicted somewhere in the universe. But I don't know, maybe I'm wrong, but I like to think like that.
I like the idea that someone's written down when I eat cucumber, for sure. But let's go back to when you started singing. You started, did you start with clean singing or did you start with screaming?
No, no clean singing. I was eight years old, I think, and started singing some pop songs and just songs for kids from cartoons. That will be so scary for my parents if I sang like this growls and stuff when I was eight, fucking .
So when did you start doing growls and things like that?
I think I was 15 or 16 when I first heard, Otep Shamaya, you know, the band Otep. And then I was shocked, genuinely shocked, because that was the first lady who screamed and growled, crazy, crazy. And I thought that was a guy, and then my friend who showed me the band, he told me "No, Tati, it's a lady." Oh my God, I want to do the same.
This is something that's been super refreshing for me, because you've done that for a lot of women who didn't realize that that is even possible or a lot of people in general don't realize that it's possible and then they've seen you do it. I guess it's almost like gender-defying, 'cause people expect it to be a stereotypical male thing.
Was that a choice, or was that just something, again, that was natural for you to be like, I just wanna do that thing?
I think I was looking for profit from that. I was looking for attention or something. I love everything that someone thinks is impossible, and I thought, oh my God, that's crazy. That was a revelation for me, like, I mean, what? A girl singing at that time. Like right now, it's not really, it's not really something surprising anymore. There are a lot of bands. Like, we are touring all the time and then like the promoters, they invite all female-fronted bands who screams, trying to scream and growl and stuff. And the number is growing, I mean, those bands. But that time, it was something unusual. And that I wanted to be unusual. Now, it's something, I don't know, like more maybe feministic or not. It's hard to say, but more and more bands, they start their career by inviting female who can, will, maybe in future start doing extreme vocals for wrong intentions. They think that only because we have a girl who screams, we're gonna reach the top, but it doesn't guarantee anything like, it doesn't depend on your genitals.
Do you prefer creativity or logic?
I try to incorporate logic into my creativity sometimes, because I try to make right decisions. Because I'm very like, I'm indecisive, so like I love thinking logically now and then just, I really love detective stories and stuff. So that's something that, I think it's kind of like power, I don't know, that human possess. You cannot be creative and just think, and just think with your heart all the time. Sometimes it's the best and happy life is when you find balance between heart and your mind, brain. That's what keeps you away from troubles.
How did you learn to scream?
Well, after the band that I heard, Otep, and then I heard Mudvayne and all the crazy metal core, and I just try to imitate. First of all, I didn't have internet in my house, and that's why I didn't watch any videos. And then I just went to like, to the outskirts of my city, and just yelled at cars. Believe me, that sounded really, oh, sound like crap, sounded like crap. And I was really disappointed, but I knew that you have to train. You have to train and practice. And someday, I just discovered that I build it, build it up and fuck, yeah. But still, I can tell that I'm still learning. Sometimes I forget how to do that.
Really?
Yeah, yeah, seriously. It's something that you, it's not that, it's not like you learn how to ride on bicycle, and you will never forget how to do that. It's something that you constantly have to train, train, train.
What type of screaming do you use?
I just know that I don't use fry, whatever it is. Well, you know, after like, I mean, like recently, I only got interested into like what types of screaming, for example, people can do. And then there was fry, what the fuck is fry? I don't know, what the is guttural or guttural? I have no idea. And then I realized and I've said that nope, that's not it. There's no such thing, I think. Or maybe there is, but I haven't yet found the information on that. Yeah, some say that I use like false vocal cords, well, maybe, I just don't know whether they-
Well, you are quite dividing in the singing-teaching worlds, because everyone's like, no, she uses this and no, she uses that. So I wanted to see what you say. And I think like, it still will be a mystery forevermore.
Yeah, that's why, there are a lot of people who asked me to do a vocal lessons, but I say, oh, you guys, I really, I wish I could do that, I wish I could share, but I know that I developed my own skill that I cannot share because I have no idea how to explain it.
What defines metal to you?
Being a rebel, rebellious music for rebels. Yes, it's almost like punk rock to me, but more, like more atmosphere. It's a serious music, serious genre, I think, very serious. Just like classic music. It's only for intelligent people.
And what do you think draws people to metal?
I think it's not about only metal, but it's music in general, people stick for some secrets maybe to be revealed. They try to find some help in music.
Well, so then what drew you to metal, or to any of the genres that are incorporated in it?
People usually start to listen to music when, to listen to metal when they are teenagers or, yeah, teenagers. So you know the period, this period of your life is crazy. A lot of things going on in your head and you're like, hormones and stuff. A lot of kids, for example, they grow up in families where it's just like only one parent, and they're full of anger. That's that, so for me, I think, like for me, I have always been strange and quiet, but with a loud mind, and I couldn't talk to everyone, because the minute I start talking, they just, I see misunderstanding in their eyes. It's like, fuck you guys, I'm gonna communicate like through music. So I started to like write some lyrics or poems. Oh my God, I'm so sad, you know, just like emo shit.
How you perform, you have to be so big, and sometimes so aggressive. And as like someone who is more of an introvert, how do you find that? How do you find that kind of extrovert on stage?
They say that there are no complete extrovert and introvert. We are made of two pieces, and it's usually not balanced. So you have probably 90% of introversion in you and just 10% of extrovert, and that's what you do. That's what helps you to socialize. We need to socialize to go to work, to buy, for example, some goods, food or whatever. That's your extrovert part to say, hello, can you help me, please, I need, this 10% of extrovert in you, and the 90% is just like sitting at home and just like being afraid of drought and stuff. So it's always like a box that it needs, okay, it's time to let you out. Crazy Tati. And then I just put it back into a box until the next day, until the next show.
Do you ever doubt yourself?
Yeah, sure. Always, constantly. And it takes a lot of strength and energy to fight that feeling. It leads to anxiety and all that. And it's a shitty feeling, but sometimes I usually listen to my guts, and just trust my intuition. Or I remember what I did, so I ask my subconscious questions before going to bed. Actually, I said like, okay, can you help me right now? So I need a certain answer to my question, then I ask it, and then I go to sleep. And then in my dreams, I can find the answer.
That's a super nice way of thinking about it. Have you got any advice for anyone trying to make it in the music industry? What would you say for those people?
Learn how to perform good, first of all, live. And then you work good in the studios, but mainly you have to be good on stage. Forget about like your image and your very expensive equipment. It's not gonna do the job for you, like instead. Yeah, and then don't trust that it's a fucking fairy tale, it's not. When I was 11, I thought that it's so easy. But now, when I start to complain, they say, why don't you just quit? You know you are going to. And I said, no, I was 11 when I started to manifest my wish, my dream. And, of course, I didn't know the reality. And also, try not to listen to anyone who told you that this it's gonna be, that's gonna make money. No, this kind of music, just do it, I don't know. This world needs more warm uniqueness.
Big thanks to Tatiana and Andy from Metal Blade for setting up this interview. If you'd like to check out Tatiana and her band, Jinjer, please do. They are really, really wicked. And you can find them on all social media platforms. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and review us on your podcast app of choice. It really, really helps us get out these episodes to more people. If you've got any feedback, please do send us an email at goodjob@bethroars.com.
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