Rachel Row

DMC World Magazine·
Features

The songstress from Bulgaria with one the records of the summer


Interview Dan Prince

Hey Rachel, welcome to DMCWORLD and congratulations on the new track “Follow The Step’ which is being tipped as one of the anthems of the summer. Before we speak about that, let’s rewind a little as it seems you have been singing your entire life. I hear you are from a musical family back in Bulgaria?

“Yes, my mother Camellia Todorova is one of Bulgaria’s best pop and jazz singers. My father, unfortunately deceased, was a music producer for many years and owned a music distribution company in Bulgaria. My grandmother on my mother’s side and my grandfather on my dad’s were both singers as well. A fun fact is that although it seems I have a big musical family, most of my cousins are professional sportsman.”

You started singing at the age of eight years old – at what point though did it become clear for that you wanted to have a career in music?

“I’ve been a witness to my mom’s career basically my whole life and I’ve seen the ups and downs of it and the toughness of the profession. I’ve always wanted to be on stage, but there was a time when I considered law or marketing, leaving the music to be just a hobby. That of course didn’t work, because I was accepted in The National Academy of Music.”

You graduated and then performed in some musicals. These forms of music is certainly different from having your record played at Pacha in Ibiza – how did you first start to develop a love for dance music?

“Dance music was something I discovered in the early 90s and specifically the UK with rave, garage and jungle. I’ve been going to parties from a very early age and started getting familiar with more underground artist and genres. At some point I met KiNK, we fell in love and way later started working together. I’ve always enjoyed playing in musicals, because of this perfect combination of music, dance and drama, I think that helped my stage presence.”

Who are some of the other musicians we should be looking out for in Bulagaria right now?

“Bulgaria is quite a small country, but that doesn’t mean there’s little talent. As a songwriter here I work with a lot of talented singers, from which I’d like to mention Krista, JJ and Ruth. A favorite album of mine is Rushi Videnliev’s ‘Post Sleep’. Production wise the best in dance music would be 1000 names, Nick Nikolov, Cooh…and KiNK of course…”

What was it about his style and ideas you liked?

“When we met I was still only a singer. Then in the academy I started writing my first songs. When I was at Strahil’s place he was always working on something, one day I started singing along and wrote some lyrics. That’s how we collaborated on a couple of things before realizing that he’d be the perfect person to help me produce my own music. I was amazed by the beats he was doing and the fact that he could do every kind of genre he’d like – from hip hop to jungle, to French jazzy house, acid or techno. And he’d always search for his signature sound. All that was very inspiring and made me see the importance of being unique and different as an artist. So ‘Follow The Step’ was just that – having a sincere lyrical confession over a beat combining basically all styles I like into one.”

‘Follow The Step’ has been around since last year…talk us through how Defected came to pick the track up…

“The story begins with KiNK’s remix, a day after I presented the video (to the original) to the Bulgarian public. He uploaded the track on Soundcloud and in 24 hours we had over 20,000 hits. Some managers of famous DJs started asking for the track and it even landed on Tiesto’s radio show. That was when we knew we needed to get this on wax. We had negotiations with different labels and signed it to Pets Recordings. It came out in December and KiNK’s mix killed it. Greg and Voitek (of Catz ‘N Dogz and Pets owners) wanted a Justin Martin remix for their compilation ‘Friends Will Carry You Home Too’, and a few weeks later Defected came into the picture.”

 

 

What were your thoughts on Justin Martin’s fabulous mix when you first heard it, a totally different vibe on the record…

“Yes, but that’s what I love about remixes…hearing your idea in a completely different way. Justin’s remix is deeper, more chilled regarding to KiNK’s heavy beats and crazy sounds. I must say I’m a very lucky girl havig those two artists to remix my first single.”

What are the plans for live shows for yourself this summer, where can we catch you?

“As we speak I’m preparing my live show with KiNK, he’s helping me out to do my own show, but as a start we gonna do some shows together this summer. Staring off at Defected’s Ibiza Party on the 10th June, then off to Sonar. I have a gig back in Bulgaria; July and August will be the time for some serious studio sessions and in September back on the road.”   

Tell us about some of artists you are listening to at the moment?

“As I’m in the middle of making my album, I listen to very different music. It’s hard to tell you it all – but starting with the 19th century impressionism music, jazz, I love the raw experimental way of recording funk and soul music in the 60s and 70s and all kinds of inspirational female singers like Bjork, Oh Land, Dillon, Kimbra, Kate Bush. Rush Hour is a label I like to follow. More often I get back to Warps 90s catalogue – still loving the Tri Repetae album by Autechre. From the more pop dance scene I really enjoy the production of Disclosure.”

Who is the person that has influenced you the most in life?

“I can’t say that’s only one person – my family, my friends and a very dear lady that I met at the perfect moment I needed her – Ms. Virginia Zdravkova.”

What is the temptation you wish you could resist?

“Eating sweets haha…”

The song that means the most you in the world…

“Wow, that’s a tough one…I think today that’s gonna be Opus III – It’s a Fine Day.”

And finally, what is coming next from the Rachel Row studio?

“My next solo single is coming hopefully during the summer or right after it; I did some songwriting and vocals on KiNK’s album, collabs with Snuff Crew and an British artist called Ghosting season. KiNK and I also did a remix for Neville Watson’s track – “Stronger”, from his debut album “Songs To Elevate Pure Hearts”.

 

http://www.beatport.com/release/follow-the-step/1078975