Following the release the unmistakable and powerful Ophelia Relieved, we were blessed with the opportunity to interview artist and songwriter Niko Biberger, to find out more about his creative process and his hopes for the future. Here’s the conversation in full.
* * *
Hi Niko – thanks so much for the interview. For those who donʼt know – how did you first get into music, and how would you describe your current approach to writing and composing?
I started playing the piano when i was six years old. What really got things going for my was when I bought my first CD back in 1997: Sehnsucht by Rammstein. It opened up a whole new world for me. Both the music and the aesthetics were shocking in the most positive way. It inspired me to pick up the electric guitar and write my own music.
Over the years I ventured into many different genres, from starting out in Punk Bands over to Black Metal and Prog Rock.
At this point in time I donʼt limit myself in any way. I write music that genuinely moves me, regardless of any artificial limitations. It needs to come from the heart.
My music is the spiritual expression of what I am.
What does the track Ophelia Relieved mean for you – what does it represent, and how does the video tie in with the concept?
It is a Gesamtkunstwerk. The inspiration for the song came from the painting Ophelia by Lisa Schubert (www.vinsterwan.de). In her work, she merges elements of dark surrealism with symbolism. I tried to translate her artistic and aesthetic approach into music and to harmonize the vibration of the song with that of the painting.
I did a literal translation from one medium into another. Song and Image are two sides of the same medal.
What you hear in the song is what you see in the picture. They are entwined and identical in what they convey.
What was the writing and recording process like for this release?
I first mapped out the architecture of the song in my head.
Then used some rather unconventional recording techniques to bring the music into manifestation.
I offer a deeper insight into my creative process on Instagram.
Thereʼs an album on the way – what can listeners expect from that project?
The joy of experiencing music lies in tapping into the unknown. Expect the unexpected.
If you could only listen to one song or composition for the rest of your life – which would you choose, and why?
The fifth Beethoven Symphony, conducted by Herbert von Karajan.
It is arguably one of the pinacles in the history of recorded music.
The sheer intensity of both composition and performance are truly out of this world.
Whatʼs the live scene like where you are for this kind of music or performance?
I don‘t bother with any kind of scene.
Whatʼs one of your greatest aspirations or dreams as an artist right now?
It has and always will be the same: to give people something.
What do you hope people take away from your music?
Whatever they want to, as long as they are moved by it.
I use music as a medium to process my inner experiences. In terms of emotions, it is a very precise language. While the events and trials people have to face in their lifetime may differ vastly, what happens on the inside is oftentimes very similar. Music is my way of saying “You‘re not alone. I‘ve been there.”
Is there anything else we should know?
“Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack in everything
That’s how the light gets in”
-Leonard Cohen-
* * *
Find & follow Niko Biberger on Facebook & Instagram.
