A conversation with Levka Rey

Located in the heart of Kreuzberg, on one of the canals of Berlin, Admiralbrücke is one of the best spots to enjoy the sunset in the city and no wonder it's one of the favorite places to all Berliners to just meet and sometimes if you´re lucky even listen to some unexpected good music. And that's exactly how I first discovered Levka Rey. A creative soul probably too much interested in so many different things to simply put her in a box. To proof this, we just have to visit her website, where she describes herself simply with a cloud of terms - songwriting, producing, electro, architecture, indie rock, tolstoy, literature, poetry, recording,... -, as if she had not found how to articulate a short bio that reflects who she is. Some weeks after first seeing her busking on the bridge, I had the chance to share some time with her and find out a bit more about this unknown young talent. This is the conversation we had.

Speaking of busking, which are your favorite spots where people could find you here in Berlin and how´s the experience of just stopping somewhere, and start playing for everyone (or anyone)?

Levka: “Mostly in places like Alexanderplatz, Admiralbrücke, next to Bode Museum or Eberswalder Station although during Corona I obviously did not go. Busking is a nice thing to do, I always liked it. I can try some things, I can play my songs and of course, you can be at places where no one cares and people just walk past, but I don't mind so much. I don't have super high expectations so it doesn't bother me. I just like to share what I do. And even on a day when many people walk past because I have a shitty spot or it's not a good time, there's a few people saying that this makes them happy or it touches them. Somehow, that makes my day better and it makes me really happy. I don't care about how many people see me or about the money at this moment. Of course it's nice but I don't have to make a living out of it, which gives me a totally different perspective.”

It was the poster on your guitar case what led me to your website where I could see that you studied architecture and that you're actually working in a studio here in Berlin. Besides architecture, what 's your plan with music, are you trying to make a living out of it?

Levka: “I do, because right now I'm more interested in music than in architecture. I still like architecture and I love doing it partly and I kind of want to continue with it. But there's like so many projects I started when I got to Berlin, like there are so many opportunities and things happening that I don't have so much time for architecture. But I'm not making a living out of music. It's very difficult. But for now, it's not necessary because of my architecture job and for the first time after my studies, I can fully focus on what I really like to do.”

Before going any further, I have to say that I'm curious to hear why you decided to change your artistic name from Rosanne (your real name) to Levka Rey. What's the story behind the name?

Levka: “I think the first reason was that Rosanne was already taken. I started with my name and I was like, ‘oh damn, actually no one would ever find me on Google or anywhere cause if someone wants to find me on Spotify there's like 50 other people under that name.’ But after all, I really like the idea of having another name. Levka is inspired by Leo Tolstoy which is my absolute favorite author and a great inspiration for my songwriting. I wanted to get it connected somehow and Leo is in Russian Lev. It was my flatmate who told me that I should just say Levka! And then ,from the sound I was thinking about something like Rey and in the end I chose it because Rey means king. So since Lev or Leo is lion, Levka Rey means Lion King, but no one guessed!”

When I talk with musicians who happen to be at the beginning of their careers, I'm always very much interested in understanding where they are and what led them to be where they are today. What do you have to say about this, what plans do you have or where are you as an artist now?

Levka: “I´ve done music since forever. I started as a kid and my whole family are musicians, so I always did music. But it was never something that I wanted to make a career out of it because it was just something that I really enjoyed. But then, when I studied I got into bands so I got more and more into it until I thought that this could actually be a career or maybe this had to be a career. But at the moment I do a lot of songwriting and I started to get into producing. I want to do the whole package. Write my songs, produce them, and also write for other people. That's one plan. But I have also started collaborating with different people although at the moment it is fun, just exploring different genres. When I studied I organized techno events with friends and I was doing live vocals and now I'm kind of continuing with it singing features or vocals for techno producers. I really want to produce my own songs by getting them more into electronic music. So I don't want to really stay on the Singer-Songwriter side. And of course, when Corona is over, I will get back to playing live in clubs, I love to do that.”

It feels like you´re still musically exploring, trying to find the place where you feel most comfortable.

Levka: “I grew up listening to indie-rock, The Kooks! Then, when I studied architecture and I had my first band we did more fun rock, super pretty crazy shit, really fun though! And that was more getting me into, let's say soul and then I started listening more to RnB. After that band, I got more into electronic music. I'm trying to combine different genres like Indie, soul and electronic, which is really messy but I don't want to say that I just do certain kind of music, I just want to stay flexible. People really like putting things in a box, they ask you to stick to a genre but I cannot do it right now, so I will not do it.”

During these months in which all kinds of events and concerts have been canceled, many initiatives have emerged. From streaming from living rooms to weird festivals with people in the audience in some sort of boxes. I personally expected more out of this situation but I haven't really seen anything surprising. What do you think about this?

Levka: “Yes but somehow, you need to do something! I played one live stream concert for the graduates of my university. There was not going to be a graduation party so my professor asked me to do a living room concert. And it was a super nice idea although when you play something, you just have the screen. And then when you finish, you just see this clapping emojis. I was improvising, somehow dealing with the situation but the whole distance thing it's just horrible for connecting.”

Is there anything positive for you to bring out of this worldwide pandemic?

Levka:  “As something positive, I did my first collaboration which was a fun experience. I met these producers after we already did a few songs and the experience of coproducing just by phone calls, sending files to each other was interesting. But it can also be complicated because you're just talking past each other and you don't really get what someone wants. Usually when I have a collaboration like that, I like completely getting involved with it, sitting next to the computer with no room for social distance.”

Have you seen anything out there interesting that probably under other circumstances would not have happened?

Levka: “For many people Corona has been an opportunity to do different things, to have more time. Many people felt kind of socially stressed because you always need to do something. And especially during summer, which is also super nice but...it's like when you're constantly playing live and being busy, you don't have the time to be just by yourself and explore things. So I have more time for that now.”

Personally I'm quite worried about how long this is going to last and also on how people here in Berlin are gonna deal with the situation. We now know that Summer has been like a break, where people could go out and hangout in terraces or parks, but with the dark and cold weather and increasing restrictions I don't know what to expect. It can be a very long Winter!

Levka: “Yes but I'm kind of looking forward to the winter. Which is strange, but I want to spend a lot of time producing and reading! So many of my lyrics are inspired by books and poetry and stuff so I can spend the whole day reading, on my computer or just writing. I love to be in that place. Of course you miss playing live, but that it's just one part of it. So for me, that I don't I don't make a living with music, it's good. I can just take time to explore these things and don't be in a hurry and just see how it goes. And I think this is great!”

You also remain kind of a mystery. You do sound pretty active with many different projects and ideas going on now but there is not much by you that we can listen to, so when are you going to release more music?

Levka: “For this year the only thing I will release is a single feature. I also don't really feel the point of releasing anything because when you're releasing something you want to play it live. This year is more like writing, writing, writing, writing.”

And to finish this conversation, how do you see yourself in a year from now?

Levka: “Definitely producing my own stuff and completely like being able to put my own songs together. Having my band project ready and playing with them live again. And having much more music released!”

Find out more about Levka Rey by visiting her website. Listen to her on Spotify and follow her on Instagram.