Marta Raya - The dark lady of sad wave

Despite the growing gentrification that is unfortunately transforming it, Berlin remains the European capital of electronic music, still giving ideas and space to new talent. Among them, you've probably never heard of Marta Raya, keyboardist, bassist, singer and composer, who is making a name for herself in the German goth/darkwave scene. Having arrived from Poland in the right place, she shows with her debut album that she's growing as an artist in an ideal environment. "Hidden Emotions", released in May 2018, stands out for its engaging melodies, dreamlike soundscapes and melancholic atmosphere. A fascinating dark lady with long black hair and Egyptian-cut eyes: her look mirrors the dark and mysterious content of her music.

Thanks for agreeing to be interviewed. Would you like to tell us a bit about yourself?

Gladly! I'm originally from Poland. Actually, I'm half Polish, on my father's side, and half Russian, on my mother's side, but before moving to Berlin I was living in Poland, and maybe it's worth adding that Marta Raya isn't my real name, but my stage name. I'm telling you this because a lot of people kept asking me if I had Spanish origins.

I grew up surrounded by music, and I always used to say that when I grew up I'd be a singer. That dream came true in 2011. As soon as I moved to Berlin, I formed a dark-punk band with my friends, Tanzkommando Untergang, and I was the singer. We released an LP with a Polish post-punk band, Wieze Fabryk. Tanzkommando Untergang were active for about two years. After they broke up, I started a new project with my friend Daria. It was called Monowelt. This time our music took a more darkwave direction. We released an LP and were active for four years. My solo project began when Monowelt split up. I officially announced "Marta Raya" at the start of 2018, but I had started writing songs on my own back in 2016. Most of the tracks on my first album are actually "first takes", meaning I took them from my jamming sessions at home, during which I wasn't even aware I wanted to release them one day. That's why a lot of the songs are so long: they were the result of jamming. I decided not to change them much, or shorten them, because I really liked the idea of keeping the original version.

What's it like living in Berlin for a musician?

Living in Berlin as a musician has several advantages, I have to say, especially because the alternative scene here is very much alive. When it comes to playing live, you have plenty of opportunities. There are lots of events and venues where darkwave and post-punk are highly appreciated, and there's always a big enough audience for these genres. I also think Berlin is a very artist-friendly city. If you're an artist, it doesn't matter if you're a musician, a painter or a photographer, Berlin loves every form of art, and I hope that never changes.

Let's talk about your debut album: what themes does it deal with? Even though the question might be a tough one, how would you describe your music?

The themes of my first album are... hidden emotions! I mostly talk about my inner world, about things that stir up strong emotions inside me. From difficulties in interpersonal relationships, to melancholic and depressed moods, to dreams and desires for untouchable things, deep obsessions, nature and our planet. It really depends on the song. I'd say my lyrics are very personal on one hand, but on the other hand anyone can relate to them, so I hope people can identify with the themes I deal with. Musically, for me it's a reflection on myself. Suggestions born out of dreamy, romantic moods, running through anger and deep emotions, in my world made of melancholy and unsettling soundscapes. I call it "sad wave", I think that term fits well. There's also a theatrical touch to it. I love the theatrical side of darkwave/goth music. You can hear it in some of my songs. Generally speaking though, it's so hard to describe your own music in words, especially because I don't have any particular concept or vision in mind when I create music, it just happens naturally.

Which bands and culture have influenced your work?

There are so many bands that have influenced me, and so many different genres. I started listening to alternative music at a very young age and I listened to everything: grunge, hard rock, metal, punk, reggae, ska, rock'n'roll, rocksteady... and eventually goth. So also post-punk, synth- and darkwave, Ndw, minimal-wave, Ebm, new beat and much more... I think all these genres have had an impact on me. Even though my music can be labeled darkwave, my influences are quite varied. Even though, for instance, there's nothing of the reggae sound in my music (she smiles), all these genres have really influenced me. It's not just about them influencing me musically, it goes beyond that: some bands push you mentally to do a certain thing. Sometimes it's also about attitude, not just music. The Clash are one example for me: still one of my all-time favorite bands. They didn't influence me musically, but more on a mental level. I don't know how to explain it. I saw them live on TV back then and thought: "Ok, I want to do this too. I want to be on stage. I want to make music and go wild on stage like Joe Strummer." That's more or less what I meant. Right now I listen to a lot of 70s rock at home. My boyfriend isn't too thrilled about it (she smiles).

About a year after the release of your first album, you joined the Italian band Dystopian Society as a keyboardist, and with them you played at Wave Gothic Treffen, the biggest goth music festival in the world: what's it like working with this band, and how was your experience at the festival?

It's fun being in a band again! I like the more low-key role of keyboardist, and not being the one out front all the time. I think it's a good balance. I have my solo project, where I'm the main person, actually the only one on stage, and where I do everything myself: I play, I sing, I perform and I write the music completely on my own, while in the band I only contribute synths and I'm just one of the four musicians on stage. I also like the fact that my solo music is different from Dystopian Society's: this way I get to play in two completely different styles. Plus, playing with friends is a lot of fun. I've known Sara and Max since 2011, so it wasn't like starting to work with total strangers, which I think made the decision to join their band an easy one.

About WGT, it was a great experience. At first I thought playing there would make me really anxious, because everyone says: "Wow! WGT is a big deal!", but honestly, for me it wasn't any different from playing at any other small venue. The overall atmosphere, both on stage and backstage, was very relaxed and friendly. I'm happy the band got the chance to play for a bigger audience. So yes, it was definitely a great experience.

What are your future plans? Can we expect a new album soon?

I think I'll be focusing on both my solo project and Dystopian Society. Besides that, I've recently collaborated with several musicians as a guest vocalist, but now I'd like to dedicate myself to my second solo album. So yes, to answer your question, there's a new album coming. I'm working on the new tracks, but since I've often been busy with live shows, I haven't finished them yet. I plan to do that in the coming months, so stay tuned, because soon you'll be able to hear something new again from my sad wave, with a little dramatic, theatrical touch (smiles).

Ride the wave of great music

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