| Published | Title | Website | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Nov 2010 | Marina interviewed for X3M Radio Finland | X3M Radio Finland | [1] |
| Note: This interview was transcribed from a video and as a result some filler words may have been removed. | |||
Interview
Marina and the Diamonds, Marina, welcome. Hello.
Not some squeaky pop queen.
Absolutely. You said that you have a lot of people that are your fans, but they listen to a lot of, like, really extreme music like metal and stuff.
Yeah. I have noticed in the past six months on Facebook and stuff, there are loads of, like, hardcore fans saying, I listen to nothing but, like, really heavy rock and stuff. But I keep listening to you, which is I don't know. It's kind of bizarre. But I love that.
I think it's awesome.
Because I'm not like some, like, bimbo squeaky pop queen. [laughs]
No. Not really. That's right. That's right.
And they're like they're shocked that, they like my music or that maybe, not that they're not supposed to, but because they exclusively listen to, like, hardcore and, like, heavy rock and punk. They listen to my album, which is not hardcore music.
You are perhaps a bit too, how should I say, weird for the mainstream people? But then, for the, you know, the hipsters, which really required taste, you are perhaps too pop.
Too pop.
Are you aware of this so called problem?
Yeah. Oh my god. I probably think of it every hour per day of my life, the past five years. But I think, actually, there are many plus sides to that. Because the fans that you do garner are usually really loyal and they absolutely love you. So people either really like you or they really don't. There's really no in-between fan for me. All my fans are really kind of [mimics intense] which I like because that's what I'm like as a personality. I'm very intense. So plus, you know, it gives you somewhere to to go. I think you can grow a lot more, and you have the chance to grow more. Because if I'd had a massive pop smash, I would then be really tired, not even wanna go into the studio. Whereas on this record, I went into the studio a week after I finished the first one and started doing the second one. And the second one's even better. [laughs] So looking forward to that.
So you're a intense music listener. What kind of what do you hate the most right now music wise?
The shitty, American pop, which is basically, you know, Doctor Luke, the writer? No offence to him because he's just doing his job. But it's basically that kind of "hit factory" which, good pop songs come out of but no originality like Kesha, Katy Perry, Rihanna. [grimaces] You know what I mean? Yeah. It's that's it's not their talent. It's the production that's very boring. But that's just me personally. I don't really like it.
You have such wonderful words. Could you just do one favour for me? Could you say, my name is Chell. So could you say "I love you, Chell," with your voice?
I love you, Chell.
Oh! I will use that as a ringtone.
[laughs]
I will use that as the sound of my doorbell.
The alarm [laughs]
Everything, you name it.
I'm glad to make you happy.
And not only my day, my life, I believe.
[cut]
When did you discover your your voice? Like, the woah. I can sing in a way that nobody else did.
Like, 2 months ago. [laughs]
2 months ago? Okay. Wow. That's strange because your album has been been out for a while.
Really, because, now the live shows, my voice is so different. It's so much better. I didn't ever think that I had a good voice. I thought that had, a weird voice and I loved singing, and that I didn't want to be trained. Because every time I tried to go for training to improve, people would just say that I wasn't going to become a singer. Blah blah blah. And so, I just I kept quitting schools, but now who's laughing? [laughs]
Yeah. Have you encountered any of those people that gave you shit feedback for, like, few years ago and said you're never-
No. But they're totally rinsing and milking my name on their kind of websites and stuff. Like, saying Marina studied here at so and so school. It's like, fuck off. You didn't even give me a certificate. [laughs]
So one of your hit singles has been played a lot in Finland as well. It's called Hollywood. Are you just taking the piss out of Hollywood there? Don't you like it at all? You're all, you know, your cheerleader on the music video and everything.
No. It's actually kind of feeding into to my own obsessions, which is that I do love a certain part of it. You know, who am I to be critical of anybody? It's actually, a lot of what I do isn't critical. It's more just trying to explain my relationship with that thing. America is, for so many people, it's such a weird entity. It's weird. Even if you go there, it's weird. But I love it, and I'm very connected with American audiences.
[cut]
I do have a tendency to not go out because, I'm an introvert and I don't like hanging around with people all the time. I have to think about things and I can't do that if I'm with people. You know what I mean? You have to have time to process life.
Yeah. It's probably quite difficult with your recent success. Your phone is probably ringing the whole time.
I don't have a phone.
You don't have a phone?
Mm-mm.
Seriously? You don't have a phone?
I don't.
Did you, like, lose it or sell it or just decide many years ago that you're not going to have one?
No, no. Very recently, actually. Because it's just, I don't even use it. And if anyone does call me, I don't pick it up because I don't like talking on the phone. [laughs]
So what do you do when you're all by yourself, you know, when you need your solitude?
Actually, I'm writing. I can't remember the last time I did, like, a "normal thing". And not because I think it's bad. I'm just so focused on this next record. It's so important for me culturally as well, and socially. What I'm saying on it is very, it's a very strong point of view. And, yeah, I have to get on with it. I can't just, you know, sit and relax.
Don't you do anything else besides music? Like, do you write something that is not for the record? Do you just write poems or stories?
No. Someone has to hear them. [laughs] My big fat ego needs feeding, you know. [laughs]
Okay. You don't read, watch movies, do any games?
Yeah. I'm reading The Second Sex at the moment, which is a very objective view of the history of feminism. And that's kind of, actually that's all I do is read books on psychology, women, sex, and, occasionally, I like to go walking. But I'm quite boring socially. I go, I get really hammered, like, twice a week, and then that's, like, my outlet. I don't need anything else.
Yeah. But do you get hammered, by yourself or do you go out?
No no, with people. I would I would like to get hammered by myself. I would like to start at, like, 2 PM, but I'm not allowed because I'm a singer. [mimics being lectured]
You should move to Finland. That would be taken care of, like, in a party.
[laughs] Would it be very normal?
That that's what Finns do.
They, like, you know it's not a problem, you know. If you want to go, have a party and know that everyone's, well, know what's available or-
You can just go do it by yourself.
You can do it by yourself, you know. You don't have- there's the saying where you say that, you can have fun without alcohol, but you can also have alcohol without fun. So remember that.
[laughs] I'm gonna tweet that.
Absolutely.