Interview with Victoria K.
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Interview with Victoria K.
What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today?
Music has always been a big part of my life from a young age. Ever since I was young, I have been involved in small musical theatre productions and dance, so music was always there. Through the years I’ve explored my passion for this art not just through vocals but through instruments such as, piano and viola. I’ve been involved and played in small orchestras and concerts that have allowed me to explore new styles and genres, which is something I am very grateful for. I’ve always enjoyed writing and visual arts like painting, drawing and tailoring as well, so if music was not the biggest influence of my life, I think I would try to pursue something in one of those fields of either writing or visual arts.
What do you like to do when you are not playing music and how does that influence your creativity?
I love visual arts as I said before things like painting and drawing. In my spare time, I have explored new mediums my favourite, at the moment is oil paints! I like to paint small pieces to better my technique and just to express my creativity in a different way. I also love tailoring and sewing. So, I like to make and design my own clothes, this is something that I picked up in high school during a sewing class! But I think that both outlets let me harness my creative energy into different mediums and forums. I would say that the visual arts have influenced the way I see certain aspects of the world and have given me a knack for understanding things about image and presentation when it comes to ‘Victoria K’. But overall, I think having different outlets is a great way that I can express myself creatively.
How long has your band been around?
Before the band ‘Victoria K’ was a solo project and the band was formed in 2019, when we recorded and worked on ‘Essentia’ and though that we got offered to play a support show with Swiss folk metal band, ‘Eluveitie’. Due to covid a lot of the band's progress was put on hold only because of the restrictions in place so we kept working on new music in that time and filmed out ‘Essentia live stream’. Recently we’ve been travelling around the country on our national ‘Essentia’ tour which has been of my favourite experiences so far! Overall, the band, as a whole, has been around for about 3 years.
Where are you based out of and how did that influence your music?
We’re all from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. In Melbourne, the music scene is massive with so many different genres and styles that are so accessible! Being in Melbourne, I think the diverse culture and eclectic music scene has inspired ‘Victoria K’ so create music that tries to experiment with different sounds and feelings. On the other hand, there is a big prog metal scene in Melbourne which has had an influence of the sound of the band!
How did you come up with the name of your band and what does it mean to you?
The name came from me basically hahaha, Since ‘Victoria K’ was originally a solo project when the band formed around the already existing music, it just made sense to keep the name. ‘Victoria K’ stands for my name which is Victoria Knight.
Tell me about your most memorable shows.
There are so many different experiences that I could call memorable because every show we’ve played has had amazing moments! One of our shows, which I would say is the most memorable, is when we were the guest act for ‘Eluveitie’ in 2019. The show overall had an electric energy and vibe that has stuck with me ever since, and the opportunity to play with such hard-working and talented musicians had been something I am forever grateful for. There are also the shows from our recent tour which I have loved every second of, the whole tour has been extremely unforgettable because of the energy and the amazing people we met and friends me made, like Carmeria! I would have to say that our co-headline show in Sydney with Carmeria in 2021 was one of my favourites from that tour, again, because the crowd and the overall energy at that show were incredible! The show left us all on a massive high which I will never forget.
What is your favourite venue to play at, and do you have any places you want to play that you have not already?
My favourite venue so far would have to be ‘The Crowbar’ in Sydney, I just love the stage there, it’s such a joy to always get up and play a gig! I also have always found that the sound at that venue is always on point, it’s just a great venue that always has killer energy! I would love to play at Wacken Open Air in Germany. It’s not so much a venue but the festival is something that I am aiming toward playing in the future! I have always found that the stages and vibrancy at ‘Wacken’ is something that really can’t be matched! Other places I would love to play are ‘Bloodstock’ Open Air in Britain and ‘70000 tons of metal’ for the same reason, just to experience the vibrant energy of playing at those festivals.
If you could play any show with any lineup, who would be on the ticket?
Oh wow, that’s such a tough question haha, there are so many awesome bands I could think of! First, I would have to put Nightwish on the bill, their music has influenced me so much through the years and they are still one of my favourite bands to this day. I have such respect for their artistry and their music! I would also put on Kamelot, mainly for the same reason, I have always adored their music and seeing them live in Australia was such an immersive experience, their live show is killer! For something completely different I would have to say Lorna Shore! They’re another one of my all-time favourite bands. Their singer is killer and their music is just amazing! I love the deathcore genre so it’s just a no-brainer to have them on the set. There are also so many other bands like Spiritbox and Epica that I would put on there, there are just too many to count!
What is some advice that you would give to someone who is just getting into playing in a band and some advice that you would give to your younger self?
Well, if you’re just starting out in a band, I would just say work hard and take every opportunity you get. Opportunities do not come without putting in hard work, so it is important that everyone
has the same drive and motivation to put in that effort, and if everyone puts in 100% then everyone will have trust in each other and will enjoy the process more! That’s what I’ve found! You never know what certain opportunities will give you, so I have always just taken them and gone with what I feel is right. You can always trust your own judgement. So, by taking all the opportunities, you have more chances that you will get the outcome you want! I would tell my younger self to keep on working hard, because it does pay off. As I said, opportunities don’t come without putting in the hard work and effort.
If you could go back in time and give yourselves advice, what would it be?
Like I said before, it would be to work hard. I know that opportunities don’t just appear and that they only come because of all the effort you put in. So, I would tell them to keep practicing and writing and creating. I would also tell them to stop worrying about what other people think and want, and not to “people please”. If you always stick to your gut and do what is right then everything ends up working out for the better, and not caring about what people think of you will allow you to explore more opportunities.
Which one of your songs which one means the most to you and why?
From the songs that have been released, I would say ‘Forsaken’ from our debut album ‘Essentia’. It was written out of a dark place in my life, and sometimes that still affects me. Writing that song to me was a cathartic experience and a moment where I genuinely put my heart on my sleeve. So ‘Forsaken’ is always going to be that song that relates and connects closest to my heart and soul, as I am bearing it to the world.
Which songs are your favorite to play and which get requested the most?
My favourites to play so far have been ‘Lacuna’ which was our debut single because when we play it the crowd love it too! To be fair I do love singing that one as well haha, but the way that energy in the room becomes amplified is probably why it is one of my favourites! ‘Lacuna’ is also the one that people request to hear, a lot! Another one that I love to play live, is our new single ‘Persephone’. I love sharing the new direction that the music has gone in, with the audience, and I love the vibe that the song gives off!
What is the creative process for the band, and what inspires you to write your music?
Writing is a constant and it never starts or ends, the process can be a bit different for every song and there are still many songs that have been written and are just waiting to be used. All the songs are written and composed by myself and our producer Lee Bradshaw. First the songs are written in with just piano tracks, lyrics, melodies and basic progressions/arrangements. Lee and I then go in and compose the instrumentation around that, and edit and refine the lyrics. After it is all composed the sheet music is sent off to the instrumentalists who record their parts and add their own ‘spin’ on it. The songs are constantly changing in the process, with lines and melodies sometimes being tweaked in the recording stage. For me personally, I find that different aspects of music, art and literature inspire me to write. If I hear a song I love with a certain kind of vibe, I like to go and write. Similar to when I read something that speaks to me, I like to go and write based on that. I like to take inspiration from many different aspects of life, from what I observe and experience and then just feed it into the music.
What kinds of messages do you like to get across in your music?
It depends on the song. In ‘Essentia’ a lot of the songs encapsulated the dark and melancholy themes of the human condition, something that I feel interested in and gravitate towards. Songs like ‘Forsaken’ and ‘The Haunting’, focused in on past trauma/events and the underlying effects
of those things. While ‘Shroud of Solitude’, was inspired by a poem I read about a mute spirit. This translated to the idea of being unable to vocalise feelings or express dark emotions. Then ‘Lacuna’ is about the missing space, and man’s search for meaning which some people sadly never find. All of those songs were about the tortures of being human in our reality and the intense and dark nuances of our condition. On our upcoming album ‘Kore’, as much as it is a concept album the songs focus on modern-day issues such as social structures/hierarchies, beliefs and systems, femininity and female autonomy which is something that being a woman, I hold very close, as well as philosophies questioning our realities and belief systems.
What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that is coming up?
We are releasing our sophomore album ‘KORE’ on the 14th of October, we recently released the first single from the album ‘Persephone’, and we are so grateful for the reception so far. But look out for a lot of new music to come very soon before the album's release on October 14th!
The music video for “Persephone”
Digital pre-save at the following link – https://bfan.link/persephone
Album pre-order – https://bit.ly/VictoriaK_Kore