Getting to Know… Ania | Interview 🎤

In our 175^th interview on The Musical Hype, we get some sweet insight from intriguing Polish musician, Ania. 

“In the end, all my music comes from my heart and I hope it inspires people to live the type of life they want.” Love that answer 🎙 Ania (Ania Thomas)!  The Polish musician is the subject of the 175^th interview in our Getting to Know… series – and we’re so honored to have her.  She continues her response to our initial question in the Q&A, stating, “I also want people to listen to my music and learn to think independently for themselves… I want my music to provide people with hope and I want my music to build a better world around us.”  Not that’s just awesome.  I could continue to excerpt the wonderful, insightful thoughts Ania provide us with, but that would be ridiculous when you can read her thoughts for yourself.  So, without further ado, here is 🎤 Getting to Know… Ania: Interview No. 175!

Welcome Ania! I’m hella excited to pose some burning questions to you.  Hopefully, you’re fully prepared to answer them! Here goes nothing! For someone who is completely unfamiliar with you, who are you? LOL? In other words, what makes you stand out musically? How are you distinct or unique?

🎤 I believe I’m distinct from other artists because I have my ears (this means a certain taste in music I developed over time thanks to bands I listened to) and my unique POV because of how I was raised as a person in this society (This is what I believe in).  I’m a female guitar player from Poland, who loves rock, and has a certain belief system. In the end, all my music comes from my heart and I hope it inspires people to live the type of life they want. I also want people to listen to my music and learn to think independently for themselves. I believe questioning society is the way to go while personal freedom is what everyone should strive for. I want my music to provide people with hope and I want my music to build a better world around us.

You survived the first question, congratulations. Okay, onto the next one.  How do you rock the audience’s socks off Ania?

🎤 I play a bunch of guitar riffs, guitar solos, and scream my heart out. Playing metal and hard rock is also an outlet that helps me decompress from my anxieties related to everyday life and daily work 😅🤣😆. Similar to that anime show 📺 Aggretsuko.

Okay, let’s keep on trucking! How did you get you start? What were some of your goals or visions early on?

🎤 I started singing in church and dancing in front of the polish MTV (called Viva) to Britney Spears songs when I was 6 years old. Eventually got a guitar, took lessons, and ended up in music school. Then, I started writing original music to get gigs. The more I created. The more I performed, the more opportunities kept showing up. Now I do music all the time. Once you figure out a songwriting workflow that helps you achieve a professional sounding song, then that spikes dopamine in my brain. This feeling is SO addicting. It is similar to collecting your favorite band t-shirts or albums on vinyl.

Have your goals or your perspectives changed since first starting out? What do your career aspirations look like now?

🎤 Yes definitely my perspective has changed since I first started. This is because I did not have a clear vision as to what I wanted my goals to be and what I am capable of achieving as a musician. At first, I wanted to be the best guitarist/musician; This meant hitting the most amount of notes. Now with my knowledge of theory, I learned that rhythm and harmony are also important. I think every musician goes through different phases.

Similarly enough, one door leads to another door. Each path is different and while all this is happening you figure out what works for you and what does not. There is no straight path in music.

Next burning question. Who influences you and how are they influential?

🎤 I love rock music. All kinds of music and all kinds of genres influence me. A few of my influences are NIN, l7, Tool, St. Vincent, Blondie, Alice in Chains, The Melvins, and the list goes on.

NIN influenced my production techniques and my love for synths within rock music. I believe Trent Reznor’s lyrics and songwriting are very strong. I also love the film scoring he has done. L7 is an amazing band. I love their songs and their message in the music. Seeing Donita shred, made me want to pick up the guitar and be like her.

Nirvana influenced me by the beautiful song writing, song structure, melody within chords, and mood. Kurt [Cobain] really wrote killer tunes which were largely inspired by The Beatles. The Beatles are considered one of the best songwriters of the century. I therefore believe Nirvana is an alternative version of the Beatles.

Marty Friedman was always my favorite guitarist. I love his use of metal scales. He really sounds exotic using harmonic Minor, Phrygian dominant scales, and Dorian scales. Music is similar to food for me because I listen to all kinds based on different moods.

Talk a little bit about the creative process.  How do you go about writing songs? What’s the recording process like? We want the juice!

🎤 I write to drum samples or I create an idea randomly when jamming. If the idea is good, I develop it into a demo. Then I figure out the song structure, call my friends to play the instruments I don’t play (usually bass and drums), and lastly, I usually add different parts to fix up the arrangement. In the end, I have someone else mix the song and master it. The process changes – it all depends on the song, who’s around, and what the song needs.

Up until this point, what would you describe as your favorite song you’ve recorded? What makes that particular song special? 

🎤 I think this song is in my secret unreleased pile of music. So far, I think the song 🎵 “Doors Close” since I love the vibe of the track and the guitar solo.

Again, congratulations for surviving this Q&A. We’re on the penultimate question, so, you’re almost done! is there anything else awesome, cool, or left of center the world should know about you? Secret talents or surprising tidbits? 

🎤 Haha, ugh. I drew all my album covers for 💿 Ania in Chains. I love drawing and painting. (I almost went to art school for college. I started college for architecture then transferred into music at USC). I love to run and play volleyball. I know recording and engineering stuff. I know how to dance. I have a talent of putting peanut butter on everything!

Closing things out, what are you currently working on, promoting that you can share with us or want us to know about? We love secrets, but there’s no pressure.  

🎤 I’m writing on Ep #3 and finishing all the arranging on that EP #2. (For EP#2, I am focusing on the details of music production.) Mwuahaha ep 3 is grungy neo synth rock girl anxiety.  

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer these burning questions.  Keep us posted about any future endeavors! 

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Getting to Know… Ania: Interview No. 175 🎤 [📷: Ania, Brent Faulkner, The Musical Hype]