Norman Vladimir

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I have been listening a lot to Norman Vladimir‘s debut album ‘Sounds’ lately and you should do the same. This well-crafted five-track EP reflects his musical eclecticism, exploring every style of music from pop to jazz. I can’t get enough of ‘Feelin’ Up’ and ‘Hurricane’. If you’re feeling down, Norman Vladimir’s soulful voice brings you relaxation and good vibes. Check out one of his live performances below and you’ll understand what I mean. Let’s cross our fingers we’ll be hearing more from this great New York based artist very soon!

Which ice cream flavor(s) do you like the most?

Great question! I LOVE ice cream, and because of that, I have to give you my top 3 instead of just 1. haha! So here they are: Butter Pecan, Coffee, and Dark Chocolate.

What is your last or upcoming project about?

My last project was my EP Sounds, which was a compilation of 5 songs I wrote.
Sounds was an exploration into the different shades of my musical personalities – there’s funk, acoustic guitar, a capella, straight up pop, and a love ballad. I made sure harmony was the thread that ran through all of the songs on that EP. It was a way to pay homage to my beginnings with music, which was based in choral singing.
I chose the name because love the roundness of the word “Sounds” ( it automatically shapes your mouth in a choral way when you say it!) and I absolutely love the use of harmonies – it automatically evokes feeling and emotion.
For my next project, I’m still looking to keep that harmonic aspect of my music, but I want more of a theme for the album, centering on ideas of love, relationships, and growth.

How do you make music? Any specific workflow or methods?

I must admit, I’m all over the place w/ my songwriting – but that’s not a bad thing. I’ll write down little lyric ideas on my notepad.
I’ll begin humming a tune in the morning that I had in my head from my dreams, and so I’ll record that on my phone. When I’m practicing piano or guitar, I’ll begin playing around w/ chords and something will click. It’s strange because I never know when something will stand out to me, so I feel it’s just important to always stay open to the song – you never find it, it always finds you.

How do you make a living?

I’ve had every random job imaginable.
No joke! From used car salesman to waiter, from legal assistant to working in a bakery.
It has been a fun and completely unexpected journey, but if you know your goals and what you want, then you’ll make those sacrifices to make it happen.
And you have to eat, you have to have a place to live – so it comes with the territory, but with all my jobs, the most exciting part about them is knowing that once I leave for the day, I get to work on music, and that makes me happy.

How do you feel about people sharing your music?

It’s such a funny thing! When people come to me and say, “wow! a friend of mine burned me a copy of your cd, and I love it!”. It makes me really happy that I have connected to that person w/out ever meeting them until that moment because they can relate to my songs.
On the other side of it, I would hope that if my music has made an impact on someone, that they would be willing to go back and buy the cd or MP3s properly or come to a show.
As musicians, we make so many sacrifices to live our craft, and I don’t feel that people understand how much time and money goes into producing a work. It’s not anyone’s fault – what we make is not a physical thing you can pick up or hold, but it is something that is important to our human connections and to the communication of our emotions and perspective as people.
We musicians just want to, at the very least, be able to live from our craft, and I don’t think it’s too much to ask.

Who was your musical hero[in]s when you were a kid?

I have a few, and I’ll tell you why.

– Bill Withers – a brilliant songwriter/musician who I grew up listening to. His songs were so relatable to me. He spoke of growing up in a small town, moving to a big city, the importance of family and friends, and love. I remember as a kid we used to sing his song “Grandma’s Hands” to our grandmother.

– James Taylor – Another amazing songwriter/musician. He was the best storyteller, and his voice is so soothing and beautiful – not to mention his excellent guitar work. I have so many memories tied to him because my dad would play his music on our drives to school, and that soothing sound in the morning coupled with the smell of diesel from our old Volkswagen bug is something I can never forget. Best way to start your day!

– Mary Stevenson – she was my choral director in the children’s choir I sang in as a kid, and she practically taught me all I know about harmony and blend. She has had such an impact on my musical life, and I’m forever grateful.

– Alberta Dawson – my grandmother. She was such a force in getting me interested in music and piano. A skilled pianist herself, she would give me new classical pieces to learn, and she was the one who really pushed me to pursue my dreams and to leave my small town in Tennessee to make the move to New York City.

What musical genre do you love but would never make yourself?

I love country music. Not so much the new country music of today, but the older country music of the 70s and 80s. I love Dolly Parton! Besides the fact that she’s from my home state of Tennessee, she is a brilliant songwriter (“I Will Always Love You” and “Jolene” are two of my favorites from her).
Other great voices in country that I love are: Randy Jackson, Kenny Rogers, Willie Nelson, Patsy Cline, and Tammy Wynette. I grew up listening to a lot of country music where I from, and I love to hear the sound of a well crafted, storied country song sung by that delicious, honest, twangy voice. It’s the best – but I could never do it! You have to be born w/ a country soul – you can’t create that voice.

Which artists are you following at the moment?

Ooh! Another great question! So, as of late I’m following some amazing European musicians that are really pushing the boundaries of pop music – and I love them for it. People like: Miike Snow, Robyn, Adele, and James Blake.
Some other artists I really enjoy are: Ratatat, Vampire Weekend, Milosh, Sam Sparro, Noisettes, and Twin Shadow. There are many others – I love hearing/discovering artists, so this list could go on for a while.