Born in East-Berlin, Clara Hill did her first musical experiments on an East German Triola, a plastic guitar and a small plastic piano, while always playing by ear as she never learned to read music. She has built a reputation as a superb live vocalist with several band s, Jazzanova amongst others, as well as with her solo live PA performance. For almost 8 years she was one of the leading figures of Berlin-based Label Sonar Kollektiv. Now she returns to her childhood inspirations – sound and nature – to combine them with the musical knowledge she has since accumulated. She also draws upon fresh musical inspirations such as Broadcast, Meredith Monk, Linda Perhacs, Cortney Tidwell, Tim Hecker, and Ben Frost. Her new album “Walk The Distance” is out now on Tapete Records.
Facts
Sun
Moon
Stars
Questions
What is the biggest inspiration for your music?
Analog and digital sounds, fragments of noises, intonations of words, sounds of the nature, music of other artists and the process of creating music itself
How and when did you get into making music?
At the age of 3 or 4 playing on GDR and Bulgarian plastic instruments.
What are your 5 favourite albums of all time?
Nick Drake / Pink Moon
Linda Perhacs / Paralellograms
Boards of Canada / Music has the right to children
Beatles / Magical Mystery Tour
Talk Talk / Laughing Stock
What do you associate with Berlin?
My home, my friends and my family.
And i also associate it with old buildings that disappear more and more
What’s your favourite place in your town?
The patches of nature
If there was no music in the world, what would you do instead?
I would not exist
What was the last record you bought?
Beck / Morning Phase
Who would you most like to collaborate with?
I would love to work out strange choirs with Meredith Monk
What was your best gig (as performer or spectator)?
At MADEIRADiG 2013 my “Walk the Distance” record release show with Hanno Leichtmann
In South Africa at Kirsten Bosch Garden
In Tokyo, when I was playing drums together with Christian Prommer
How important is technology to your creative process?
It is important to transpose complex ideas that i have, but it is not important to create music.
Do you have siblings and are they proud or jealous of you?
No
Our Favourites:
Clara Hill – Lost Winter
Clara Hill – Insomnia
Clara Hill – Glacial Moraine (live)
Links: Soundcloud | clarahill.com | Facebook | Interview with Clara Hill by Digital in Berlin