Get to know FELIVAND, an Australia based New Zealand-based R&B singer who is changing the game with her storytelling and incredible voice.
Congrats on your debut album Ties! What was the inspiration behind the name for the album?
Thank you so much! All of the songs on Ties come back to connection and was me exploring my ties to people, home, my spirituality and mental health. The word also weirdly kept coming up in conversations when I was talking to my friends, it just felt really right.
Walk us through your songwriting process, is there a certain method you use every time or does it change depending on your mood?
It changes every time but one thing that stays the same is always music first and then lyrics/melodies after. Sometimes I record a song from scratch by myself in my own little cocoon and other times I like to work with other producers and writers. I like doing both equally! I still can’t seem to record vocals with other people around though, I get too self-conscious, so I always end up coming back to my home studio to record vocals.
How did you get your name FELIVAND, Is there a special story behind it?
It came about accidentally! I needed a username for Soundcloud before I started releasing music and I couldn’t think of anything so I just meshed the first four letters of my first and last name together. Then I ended up posting my demos on that account and people started to know me as FELIVAND. It’s funny because it seems super ambiguous but its actually super basic.
We love the music video for Not My Way. What was your favorite part of making this video?
Definitely running around Luna Park after hours when all the rides were off and the park was completely empty except for a couple of operators for the carousel. It felt so eery and surreal, and it is definitely a memory I will treasure forever.
Who is your dream collaboration?
At the moment, Tkay Maidza. She doesn’t miss!