We had the good fortune of connecting with Olga Kouklaki and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Olga, why did you pursue a creative career?
Because I could have not done otherwise ! For me, being a musician and more specifically a music creator is an absolute, organic necessity.

How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges and what are the lessons you’ve learned along the way?

In 2008, I released my first solo ‘electronica’ album ‘Getalife’ and since then, I’ve been creating music, performing and collaborating with various artists such as Poni Hoax, Fred Avril, Kid Loco, Nomi Ruiz, Yasmine Hamdan and others. It hasn’t been an easy journey for me, mostly because when I first started my career as an artist, I was completely ignorant of the “business” side of music, so I had to learn some lessons the hard way; that is, with experience. Also, it wasn’t easy because in the music industry, especially in the early years, we were very few female artists in electronic music production and DJing with whatever implications that might have. The main lesson I have learned is that trust between collaborators must be built and not taken for granted. When it comes to challenges, my love for music and creating has kept me pushing through them and moving forward! I love every song I’ve written and produced and I’m still excited about creating new ones, especially using new media and technology.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If it was a week long trip, I would suggest a friend to visit Athens (Greece) in May-June or September-October to avoid the summer heat and the busy tourist season. It would certainly be worth taking the time to visit all the “classic” historical monuments such as the Acropolis and the Temple of Poseidon but also the National Archaeological Museum in the heart of the city, the National Museum of Contemporary Art of Athens (EMST) and the National Gallery – Museum Alexandrou Soutsos. A beautiful walk could start from the central neighborhood of ‘Plaka’ filled with beautiful buildings of neoclassical architecture and then to the busier ‘Monastiraki’ ending the day in lively ‘Psyri’ for dinner and drinks. These neighborhoods are full of nice cafes, galleries, restaurants and bars. For music and cultural events, there is SNFCC (Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center) but also venues such as GAZARTE or FUZZ club. Another suggestion for “beach lovers” would be to visit the southern part of Athens (Glyfada, Voula, Vouliagmeni) to enjoy the sea, the view and the seafood.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I definitely have to give my ‘Shoutout’ to my piano teacher Aliki Piastopoulou who made me love music in the first place! Without that passion for music and the skills to express emotions through it, nothing would be the same. Also, to my then manager Harald Lundell who believed in my music and abilities and convinced me to go to Paris (France) to work with F COMMUNICATION (Record label), where my music career started. Also, to all those artists like Bjork, Massive Attack, Trentemoller among others, who, although I’ve never met, inspired and influenced me. Last but not least, a big Shoutout to all my friends and family who continue to encourage me and have faith in my musical journey.

Website: olgakouklaki.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/olgakouklakiofficial

Twitter: https://twitter.com/olgakouklaki

Facebook: https://facebook.com/olgakouklaki.official

Youtube: https://youtube.com/olgakouklaki

Other: SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0LmCj0nqZJPlrY4jcOZwi8?si=37DhOLQZSjShIv_iH2ehoA BANDCAMP: https://olgakouklaki.bandcamp.com/

Image Credits
Marc Kandalaft ARTWORK Dionisis Parheniadis Culture Box FRANCE 4 TV Yiorgos Mavropoulos

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