Exclusive Interview with Dikta
By: Lauren Miller
Check out this interview with the, Haukur, the lead singer of your new favorite Icelandic Pop Rock Band.
Q- How would you describe your music to someone who hasn't heard of you or listened to your music?
Hmm… that’s a tough one. We try to leave descriptions of our music to other people, as we’re not very good at it. Our music has been called indie rock, pop rock, music-from-Iceland-that-actually-isn’t-strange-and-elfy-like-Björk-and-Sigur-Rós. But we actually love Björk and Sigur Rós, but I guess it’s fair to say our music is a bit more traditional. But still sexy. Always sexy. That’s very important. The sexiness.
Q- What makes you different from every other musician out there?
Wow, hard-hitters straight from the get-go. Who says we’re different?
Well, maybe the fact that our music is quite diverse makes us different…? We all like many different styles of music, and that comes through in our own music. We’ve got pretty hard rock songs, soft acoustic ballads and piano-driven anthems. If the song is good, the song is good. And it will go on the record. Iceland’s tiny market means the record label business is tiny as well.
We’ve been able to do just whatever we wanted, free from any pressure, and this complete freedom has helped us evolve as musicians.
Q- What song of yours would you recommend to someone who hasn’t listened to your music before?
As I explained above, it kind of depends on which style of music that person wants to hear and what kind of a mood he or she is in.
‘Thank You’ has been our biggest hit so far, so that would probably be the safest bet, but From Now On is also one of my favourites.
Q- Who writes all your songs? Where do you get inspiration for the songs?
It varies. We’ve now started to write more and more together during band practices, but sometimes I or someone else comes with a complete song from home and we then arrange it with the band. Every time the song takes on dramatic changes because we all have a lot of creative input.
I write all the lyrics, but Skúli [Dikta’s bass player] wrote lyrics to one song on our last two albums.
Q- What has been your biggest challenge so far as an artist?
I guess our biggest challenge yet, is to create a better album than Get it Together.
That will be one hell of a task, but with the songs and song ideas we have thus far, I'm confident we'll overcome that challenge.
Q- What has been your favorite show to play and why?
That will be one hell of a task, but with the songs and song ideas we have thus far, I'm confident we'll overcome that challenge.
Q- What has been your favorite show to play and why?
Just about every single venue (and non-venues) in Iceland. We've been traveling a lot lately, going to Germany, England and USA.
I guess my favourite show so far was when we played for 4000 people in Berlin, Germany, supporting The Kooks last September. The crowd was awesome, although we were new to them, it was an open-air concert and everything just clicked.
I guess my favourite show so far was when we played for 4000 people in Berlin, Germany, supporting The Kooks last September. The crowd was awesome, although we were new to them, it was an open-air concert and everything just clicked.
Q- How do you get pumped up for a show?
I usually just walk around in circles like an insane person and warm up my voice :)
Q- What’s your favorite and least favorite thing about performing?
My favourite is probably just feeling the energy from a pumped-up crowd, it’s an amazing feeling. I love performing, I have no complaints.
Q- Who is someone you would like to tour with?
Radiohead. And A Perfect Circle. Preferably together :) Heh, that would be a show to remember.
Q- Out of all the songs you've recorded/written which is your favorite?
That’s for me to know and you to never find out.
Q- What do you hope you’re doing with your music/accomplishing in a year?
Hopefully we’ll be touring the US and the rest of the world like crazy persons.
Q- Do you have any advice for someone who wants to pursue a career in music?
Yeah, get ready for things progressing slowly. But don’t give up. Write songs and then write more songs. Then play a few songs and then write many more songs. Rinse and repeat if desired.
Q- What has been your weirdest experience with a fan?
Well, hearing someone say to you “I want to have your babies” was a pretty weird experience.
Q-Who first inspired you to go after your dreams of music?
Probably my dad. He’s a doctor and a musician and so am I. I’m such a cliché.
Q- What’s one quote or lyric that inspires you most?
“Immerse your soul in love”
Q- What’s something your fans don’t know about you?
I never wear white socks. Ever.
Q- When writing a song what comes first the lyrics, the tune..etc?
Almost always the music comes first and then the lyrics from the mood of the song or the mood I was in when the song was first written. I always blabber something when I write songs and sometimes good lines come out and stay into the finished lyrics.
Q- If you could collaborate with anyone who would you choose and why?
Elliott Smith, because he made some of the most beautiful melodies ever made. And he’s dead.
Q- If you had to be any color crayon which color would you choose?Navy. Because I’m blue and I’m black and I like the ocean?
Q- What t-shirt in your closet best describes your personality and why?
My tuxedo t-shirt. Because I’m a nerd with no taste in fashion.
Q- Describe your ideal date?
Sure. July 27th. That date is just so friggin’ awesome!
Q- Any upcoming plans in the works for you we should know about?
Yeah, we’re going to tour Germany and Denmark in May, and then we’re crossing the pond again in July. We’ll mainly/only be in Los Angeles this time around. Look us up on www.dikta.is with more details later on.
Q- Anything else you’d like to include about the band?
Dikta is your friend.
Q- What’s your favorite flavor popsicle?
Tívolí-Lurkur is my favourite one. What’s yours?
thank you for this interview :)
ReplyDelete