I Ya Toyah landed here to spread the disease of music and infect the human race.
Interview conducted on April 26, 2021
By Dan Locke
‘I Ya Toyah’s amalgamation of industrial, electro, rock, and a whole other slew of genres intertwined makes for one hell of a thrilling ride.’
Brutal Resonance
What is your upbringing?
I was born and raised in Poland, in an environment of love and… extreme hardship. Ever since I was a child, I’ve been finding solace in music. When I was 5, I picked my big sister’s guitar and asked her to show me basic rhythm patterns and chords. Soon I was performing at the preschool/school/ family gatherings singing and playing this oversized guitar. It was my escape from all the difficulties that were part of my life then. My parents decided to let me audition for the Music Institute, into which I was accepted. Life before that was all about spending time outside in nature, playing with my peers, and sharing music with them. With the institute AND regular school together, it changed and became all about education. I vividly remember being very dedicated to this, like life depends on it. When I came to the USA, I knew I wanted to have a career in music- but first came security: building my life from startup. Before the equipment and recording studio came the first spoon, mug, survival. Looking back- and it wasn’t that long ago really- I’m thinking to myself that I’m very thankful for my upbringing and the values I was soaking in as a child. They gave me strength and certainty that all we want can be achieved with the proper commitment.
How did you discover music?
It must be that music discovered me. I was told that I enjoyed it since the day I was born and I would cry and scream until the music was turned on, loudly. Obviously, I don’t remember that but, very soon after I just couldn’t escape the love for music- and even more, the love for creating it. I was writing songs as a very young child, singing and playing them on guitar. I have been in some vocal competitions since I was 3 but it was never about winning or losing. It was always about creating and performing and finding the right tune for the right mood to share with the rest of the world.
How did you start to write music?
As I picked up the guitar when I was 5, I immediately started making up words and melodies based on how I felt. When in the Music Institute, I got to know music theory and all the math behind the notes. Later on, as an adult here, in the USA, I decided to learn DAW and music production to take my process from just paper and instruments into an actual full arrangement. I somehow always have the full idea in my head the moment inspiration for a song comes. I always carry a mini recorder with me and when this inspiration hits me, I quickly track the idea with my voice: mimic drum sounds, bass lines, guitar solo, lyrics, melody, etc. Then, when I’m back at the home studio I can take this idea further. You studied classical guitar as a child.
How did you get your first guitar, and do you still have it?
As I got accepted to Music Institute, my instruments of choice were guitar, voice, and piano. In the beginning, I was using a school rental guitar- my parents couldn’t afford a guitar for me, but then for my 12th birthday they told me I’m finally getting one- they were saving up. We spoke with my guitar teacher and he suggested a Spanish guitar. It was so beautiful, soft, the tone was so rich- I cried as I knew how much my parents had to sacrifice to buy this for me. It was November 2nd. 4 days later, November 6th, I was coming back home late evening from music school. My father was driving. He was tired and didn’t look while taking a turn into the big street. A big car hit us. My beautiful guitar went to shreds, the only headstock was left intact, and I ended up with a fractured skull, and … in a coma. When I finally woke up from it, miraculously, music was no longer a part of my life. In a way, I guess I was afraid to love this passion of mine. Plus, I had to focus on long-term recovery and catching up at regular school. Only a couple of years later, as a young adult, I realized that there’s been this void …
What is your guitar of choice now? Year, make and model?
On stage and for certain studio tracking I use Epiphone Gothic Explorer for the low end, darker and heavier riffs, and also Epiphone Les Paul, Standard 60S for more textural playing, mid to high tones solos, and fingerpicking. I love custom tuning and both of them do very well with that. For writing and fun, I got a 12 string Taylor 356e which I adore, and an acoustic Yamaha guitar that was my very first guitar I got in the US. I also have an Ibanez Artcore to jam on and make up funny songs I serenade to my dog Benek.
How did you pick I Ya Toyah for your name which means It’s Just Me in polish?
My nickname when I was growing up was always Toja (English: Toyah) which means ‘it’s me’. Since the start of my solo project, I thought it’s only proper to make a meaningful name for it to express not only what I do, but also to connect with the roots of my being, my past, who I am. I Ya Toyah does exactly that because it is just me on stage performing, but there is an additional element of authenticity, transparency that takes it further with the Polish twist.
Describe your music.
My music is dark, but not without hope. I create to evoke feelings, not to fill the space with a wall of sound. My compositions are chaos and balance- just like life. It is electronic, industrial, melodic, and vocally driven. I use guitars to cut the edge of synths’ intensity and bring the additional organic element to my songs. Each instrument, each beat is to hypnotize, to hit smoothly, to entertain while penetrating your mind.
What was your first performance like?
It was magical. I worked very hard to program everything, to prepare my machines for the flawless show. I was stressed out it is stressful when you rely on a non-human element during the performance. My show depends on electricity, on cables, connectors … all the things that bring life to my musical and visual machines. I remember worrying about a million things and then… I started playing and I entered this surreal mode, a transcendent place where music just keeps coming, and I am in it, I am ‘it’. It’s hard to explain but the audience does it all for me. The house was filled that night and the energy was just so powerful, I was fueled. It is like this every performance. Oh, I miss touring and playing live!
Do you belong to any to songwriters’ organizations like the International singer-songwriter association, SESAC, BMI or ASCAP?
Yes, I am a part of ASCAP both as a writer and separately as a publisher.
What makes a good songwriter?
There might be many opinions on that subject- I feel like it all depends on the perspective but a good songwriter can grab the listener instantly with their composition and lyrics. Build a song to where the listener not only doesn’t lose interest but also connects with the material. The good songwriter needs to know why they write what they do, and use that purpose to form a piece that is meaningful on every layer of the song, to convey these feelings and emotions in the way the audience understands and reflects on them as they are their own.
What was the title of your first original song?
Did you record it? I made so many original songs when I was very young, it was always the way for me to deal with emotions, feelings, events. But the first one I wrote and recorded on my own was Confession, an acoustic guitar plus voice song. It is still somewhere on Youtube but pst, don’t tell anyone.
What is the process of writing your music?
It always varies. It’s never the same creative process- it is always very dependable on my mood and vision for the particular song I work on. Then, layering, cutting, tracking, tracking more, until the vision is achieved. Then I track draft vocals and after all I tweak the music further. A lot of times I rewrite the lyrics at this stage as well. It is usually quite a mad process, actually. I talk to myself a lot when at it. I also take frequent breaks to cool my brain as it always feels like on fire when I make new music. I get very lost in the process, and I let myself enter this crazy mode as I’m curious what comes out of things when I let go of the control and just create. It is exhausting and relaxing at the same time but I don’t imagine my life without it. I LOVE it.
What is the process of writing your music?
It always varies. It’s never the same creative process- it is always very dependable on my mood and vision for the particular song I work on. Then, layering, cutting, tracking, tracking more, until the vision is achieved. Then I track draft vocals and after all, I tweak the music further. A lot of times I rewrite the lyrics at this stage as well. It is usually quite a mad process, actually. I talk to myself a lot when at it. I also take frequent breaks to cool my brain as it always feels like on fire when I make new music. I get very lost in the process, and I let myself enter this crazy mode as I’m curious what comes out of things when I let go of the control and just create. It is exhausting and relaxing at the same time but I don’t imagine my life without it. I LOVE it.
Tell me about your new single, “Out of Order” from your new EP?
Are you trying to tell the true story of how 2020 was for you? Definitely. Out of Order single and E.P. would not happen if not pandemic. It consists of feelings that were born in this disastrous, uneasy year. It’s the fact: I’ve been out of order and I wrote an album about it. Out of Order is a pandemic E.P., as it’s expressing the quarantine moods of isolation, uncertainty, chaos and inner distortion. I wrote it feeling these emotions and being unable to share them as we all used to- through the togetherness, a hug, and live music experience. In the future the pandemic will be over, but the need for this connection will remains. I hope this album will be a reminder of how we survived this dark time, and how fragile yet strong we all are- even when we are out of order.
Why did you write concrete?
Concrete came from an overwhelming feeling of anxiety. One day I felt like I couldn’t breathe, due to all the commotion, and it felt like my blood was made of concrete, so heavy, too heavy, and too hard for the heart to pump. I immediately felt I needed to share this. So many of us experience anxiety but there are never enough of us actually talking about it. With everything I do, musically and beyond, I always want to take part in normalizing the fact that it’s ok not to be ok, we all are sometimes.
What is your favorite track on your album?
It’s hard to tell. Vocally, it is Pray. Lyrically, it’s Out of Order. Sonically it’s Concrete. Emotionally it is Vast Spaces. Groove-wise, it’s Death’s Kiss. I love them all with equal strength, for different reasons. They are my children.
How do you stay healthy while performing?
Water, tons of water. My performance is a heavy lifting kind of thing- both mentally and physically. So many things to do since I am a one-person band. Water is to hydrate and flush all the toxins. On tour, with day-to-day shows, I completely cut off booze, and prioritize sleep as the most important thing for my body recovery and readiness for the next day. With air conditioning, changes of climate, travel, etc it’s also very tricky to keep the voice in a good shape. I always have my hand-held steamer with me to help with that. I also take supplements, basic vitamins because on the road nutrition is often neglected and you don’t always have access to juice or salad. Mental health, beyond all, is the key though. Deep breaths, affirmation, these things help with physical health.
What are you feeling about streaming music?
I love it and hate it. Ugh, hate is a strong word… but yes. It’s good and bad. It’s an exposure, but also a rip-off for artists. Bandcamp is a place of love to counterbalance that.
The symbol # is known as the number sign, hash, or (in North American usage) pound sign. The symbol has historically been used for a wide range of purposes Since 2007, widespread usage of the symbol to introduce metadata tags on social media platforms has led to such tags being known as “hashtags”, and from that, the symbol itself is sometimes called a hashtag. Are people forgetting that the # is a part of music?
I think most people don’t know or remember this from basic music classes. But I’m sure musicians do even though # became such a commonly popular social media mark. In Polish, in music terminology, we call it ‘krzyżyk’ which translates to small cross, haha. Who knows what happens to hashtags in a few years- seeing how the world progresses, the speed of changes and trends, hashtags might be gone in the future? But musical symbols will hopefully stay here forever. After all, language of music is a world of its own.
Digital vs. vinyl?
Both. They are too different experiences. Digital is that quick access on the run. Vinyl is the glass of wine, sit back and relax at the end of the day kind of thing.
What song from the past is in your mind right now?
Moreover, what is the meaning that song means to you? I’ve been revisiting some of the Soundgarden music recently, with ‘Fell on Black Days’ lingering in my head. It’s such a good song, Cornell wrote it about the depression he experienced during his teenage years when he locked himself in the house for a year without leaving once. He said that the song is “about waking up and realizing you’re in a dark period of your life.” It’s just so very pandemic like, lockdown like … And I guess what it means to me right now, is it helps me realize how thankful I am that I was able to take my dark emotions, mu ‘black days’ and turn them into something productive, like Out of Order E.P.
You were going to start a tour with Stabbing Westward, then the virus hit. What did you think about it during that time?
It was a mental disaster. I was so excited to share the stage with my musical heroes. I was growing up in Poland when Darkest Days album came out, I mean this was such an honor on so many levels to have this opportunity … and then boom. All gone, just like that. I was very down but I did realize I have no control over this, no one does, and I am not the only one that is affected.
With the Pfizer, Moderna and other vaccines being released. How long before the whole world will be vaccinated against the virus. You have to remember there only has to be a 70% for Herd immunity (Herd immunity occurs when a large portion of a community (the herd) becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. As a result, the whole community becomes protected — not just those who are immune.)
Coronavirus in one form or another is known to humankind for decades, but the recent pandemic is a very unfortunate case that changed the world as we knew it. I don’t want to say that this will happen or that will happen- I barely know what is going on, the only source of information about it is what we can find online, or what is fed by the media so … I don’t think I am in the position of making a statement. All I can say is, I hope we are on the right path of bringing things we love and need back to our reality- including social safety. If “Video Killed the Radio Star” do you think that the Covid-19 virus has killed live music?
Do you feel the Covid-19 virus going to affect the music business in the future?
Pandemic definitely has a long-term effect on how things in the music business and any large entertainment event will function. In a way, it seems it was a long time coming, considering all the factors, the lack of hygiene in general social gathering situations but who would truly embrace the fact that we might be doing something wrong back then, before the Covid-19. I don’t think there is a power big enough to kill the live music though. It is a matter of time, but live music will be back, probably stronger than ever. But some things might never be the same which is a long run might not be bad for humankind as a whole, but it will affect us here, right now for sure, and unfortunately, we just gotta adjust, be patient, and embrace these changes.
How is your new studio coming along?
It’s not … Yet. For now, I’m focusing on DIY remodeling of some main parts of the new home, to have the basic functionality in place. I set up a temporary studio in my unfinished basement space to work on my live show programming, and recording/remix/score work. I envision the space and have an idea how it will be and I can’t wait to make it happen. It is a costly and time-consuming endeavor, as you can imagine so I need to be patient.
Why did you start to have your fans to do review of your new music? Do you feel they have a better insight on who you are then music writers?
I just really, really care about what my fans think and feel. I mean, they are the main drive behind my delivery of material. They are the audience and I want their genuine feedback on things, just so that I know whether the direction I’m going brings us closer together or disconnects us. I always go for the closeness, connection, that common vibe- comfort and discomfort we feel. And I want my music to reflect that. There are so many ways you can go about the song. All these ways are tempting and interesting but at some point, you, as creator, need to pick one. And I think it’s very valuable to have those you create for, tell you whether it was a good choice. The fan review contest of Out of Order E.P. that I did back in January was the first time I attempted this kind of thing publicly. This being said, I often asked my fans in personal conversations for honest feedback before, and I’ll continue to do so, forever.
Doing the lockdown, you did a few collab projects. This must have kept you very busy?
Very, very busy. But I love being busy in my musical world. From The Joy Thieves, Mary’s Window, Julian Beeston’s Featured project, and many more collaborations that are yet to be revealed, I’ve found myself actually happy and fulfilled in the darkest time that was the pandemic. I guess this is the way for me- keeping busy in my creative reality is keeping me alive. How was it to work with Ralph Klisiewicz?
What project were you working on?
I absolutely love working with Ralph. He invited me to work on the score for his short film The Artifact and it was just a fantastic experience. And now the film is getting a lot of attention, getting some major nominations at multiple different film festivals… I mean, it’s just all super exciting. I must say I love score work and foley work, sound design. Ralph invited me to collaborate on the score for another film, Bless me, Father, For I Have Sinned recently and now there is a talk about making the short an actual feature so … it’s just all great stuff, creatively. My upcoming music videos have Ralph’s involvement as well, I’ll be announcing those things soon but I just really connect with the style and work ethics he brings to the table. And his cinematographic skills are mind-blowing. I can’t wait to share what we’ve been working on for I Ya Toyah!
Have you discovered or rediscovered any new hobbies?
Oh yes. Painting on canvas is my new thing. I love it! It actually started this idea for an Art Auction For Mental Health I did last summer. I invited a bunch of artists to paint a piece to the lyrics of one of my Code Blue album songs- since the album is devoted to mental health and suicide, I thought it’s a cool idea to create visual pieces to then auction them off and donate all the money to American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. The response of artists and people was mind-blowing! So many beautiful people, coming together through the power of art to make a difference.
Many artists are doing nightly concerts over either YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. In October that is going to change at least on Facebook. Facebook is cracking down on livestreamed shows that include recorded music with new terms of service, preventing artists from using the platform for “commercial or non-personal” purposes, unless they have obtained the relevant licenses. The updated music guidelines state that users “may not use videos on our products [which include Instagram] to create a music listening experience […] This will include [Facebook] Live,” and stipulates that such content should be posted for the enjoyment of friends and family only. How do you think this will change the landscape of Facebook?
The change is already visible. Facebook strategies have a big influence on artist pages visibility which is not good for business. The truth though is, Facebook never promised us anything. So, this can go two ways: we feel entitled and continuously complain, or… we embrace the change and get creative. I’m always up for the latter 🙂
How can bands keep their fans if they cannot play live in front of the fans and sell merchandise to them at the show?
The big thing is social media and online communication. It’s the reality that changed but the need for artist-fan relation remains and it’s an essential part of life for both sides. I’ve been trying to find creative and fun ways of keeping that fire going, mostly because I would never want to leave my fans just because the circumstances got difficult. We all need each other, probably more than ever now when we cannot have what we love so much.
Is pay to play still a thing? Now pay to play also means thinks like playlist on the internet and opening slots for a major band on tour.
It’s very much still a thing. Both in live settings and in the online world. It’s almost liked a part of modern marketing. Gotta invest wisely, making sure is worth it in the longer run, not just a short term.
What about Holographic concerts in our living room?
I think it’s awesome. Technology has so much to offer and I love all the possibilities and options for creating content and sharing it. I’m all for it, but not as the only solution. This is perfect in addition to the real thing.
Governments around the world are hearing the call of thousands of music creators and included protections for the music community in the omnibus bill. In addition to extended and improved unemployment benefits and small business loans for freelance creators, the package includes several bills which the Recording Academy, its members, and the larger music community advocated for. From the Save Our Stages Act, provided a lifeline to performance venues and promoters, to the CASE Act, which creates an avenue for smaller creators to defend their copyrighted works, Congress has ensured that both music creators and those who act behind the scenes to bring music to life are given the support they need during this difficult time.” Do you think this will save music venues?
I think any effort matters right now. We all want the venues to survive this dark time, and the solution begins by talking about it, sharing the news, and building awareness of how severe the times are for the live music establishments. It’s definitely not enough, because how to possibly sub the regular revenue streams that occurred with live events in place … But hopefully it helps.
Did you know that the Grammys MusicCares can help artist? The MusiCares COVID-19 Relief has helped thousands of music industry artists and professionals during these difficult days. This is the most recipients helped, for any single event, in MusiCares’ history. The need remains great, and these unique times remain critical for music people. It has taken a community uplifting one another to get through this pandemic, and MusiCares has pulled together a list of additional organizations and resources to further support you. https://www.grammy.com/musicares/get-help/relief-resources. Have you applied for it yet?
Yes. I applied for probably every available help out there. It’s tricky to get it though.
In the past if a musician stop doing music, they find a new career. For example, David Lee Roth from Van Halen became a licensed EMT in NY for 6 years, San Spitz (guitarist for Anthrax) became a master watchmaker, Dee Snider (Twister Sister) voice over work for SpongeBob SquarePants. If you can’t do music, what would you like to be doing?
It will always be the music. Additionally, though, I love anything related to film and acting, including score work- loops, music again. Also, culinary arts are a fascinating and relaxing thing for me, I love creating new dishes and I could see myself having some sort of a side career with that. And fashion- the design is something I love, starting from putting my own stage outfits together, to perhaps having a full fashion and cosmetic line available to public.
What is your happy place?
My dog Benek. He is my ultimate comfort.
A lot of musicians such as Stevie Nicks, Bob Dylan, Taylor Swift, Journey, Def Leppard, and Shakira have sold their catalog rights within the last year. Bob Dylan sold his entire catalog for a reported $300 million. Once you get to the age of about 70. Publishing is far more lucrative than the mechanical royalties paid to artist based on sales, airplay and streams. A good example of this is Michael Jackson brought the rights to the Beatles catalog in 1985. And in the late 80’s the Beatles Revolution appeared in a Nike commercial. The lump sums being offered by publishing firms are more tax friendly concerning estate planning. Do you think you would be willing to sale your back catalog if someone like Universal is will to buy everything, such as all the rights to all your songs? Another factor is mortality.
I’m not sure, to be honest. As of today, I value my independence and the ability to make decisions freely. At the same time, if a very lucrative offer came, I’d have to look at all the angles of life and see where I am at the time, what my next goals are, etc. It all depends I guess
Spotify’s ‘Stream On’ event on Monday (February 22), the company confirmed that more than 60,000 new tracks are now being ingested by its platform every single day. This means people are added new tracks uploaded to its platform every 1.4 seconds. The figure, announced by Spotify’s co-Head of Music, Jeremy Erlich, means that across the course of this year, approximately 22 million tracks will be added to Spotify’s catalog. Spotify confirmed in November last year that its platform now played host to around 70 million tracks. Therefore, it’s reasonable to assume that, by the end of 2021, SPOT will be home to over 90 million tracks. And that in the early part of next year, it will surpass a catalog of 100 million for the first time. But still, back at the beginning of the year, Spotify deleted 750,00 songs, mostly from independent artists. What do you think that could mean to an independent artist?
It’s a difficult discussion. It brings up the subject of how we value art and creativity versus popularity. I personally just love BandCamp, because this platform supports independent acts in ways no other Bandcamp does. This being said, my music is on Spotify and I’m grateful for every stream but at the end of the day, it’s BandCamp sales that put bread on my table- not Spotify plays. As long as we have alternative options, I think we should all choose what works for us.
Sony Music in November and Warner Music Group in December, The ByteDance-owned video app revealed on (February 8) that it has struck an “expanded” global licensing agreement with Universal Music Group. Now that TikTok is now fully licensed by all three major record companies, will you start using TikTok more? I’m not sure.
Somehow, I never fully connected with the idea of Tik Tok. There is only this much time in the day, and my attention span is short. Tik Tok is fun but I’m not sure it’s for me and my content of preference, simply.
The British government, buoyed by early good news on a brisk roll-out of vaccinations in the UK, set out a roadmap that, as things stand, would see the re-opening of large music events in the UK, with no audience limit, on June 21. Live Nation and its subsidiary, Festival Republic, didn’t hang about after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson made this announcement on Monday (February 22). The companies quickly announced that their Reading & Leeds festival – an annual fest taking place across two locations in the UK with a combined capacity of around 180,000 – would be going ahead between August 27 and 29 this year, and that tickets were on sale. With this announcement Live Nation; USA wants to following the lead of Live Nation: UK. If this happen and live concert start happening this summer, would you be up to playing live shows again and under want precautions, would you like to have in place?
I definitely miss playing shows. So much it feels I’d do anything to get this back, to be able to perform in live settings again. But, in the current situation, it is very tricky to say what is considered safe and what is not. The job of an artist such as myself is to entertain people, but what kind of entertainment are we talking about if they are stressed about the potential threat of getting infected. Also, there is more to this decision. With precautions in place the logistics change rapidly, and then we might see the rise of ticket prices, smaller cap, less liquor sales at the venue, less merch sales for touring artists … I guess I will be considering all this, and much more, before getting my show back on the road.
Anything you would like to say in closing.
Thank you so much for having me! To all my fans: I love you!
