Interview with Vocalist Kremena Nikolova of Bendida (Bulgaria)

October 01, 2020

Interview with Vocalist Kremena Nikolova of Bendida (Bulgaria)

By Mick Michaels

COSMICK VIEW: Hello, Kremena! Welcome to TheCosmick View. Thank you for taking some time out of your day to chat with me, it's greatly appreciated.
Kremena Nikolova: Hello, it’s my pleasure!

CV: Do you feel Heavy Metal music in general is viewed differently by fans in Europe compared to fans elsewhere, especially in America, and if so why?
KN: Through the years we found lots of fans all over the world and it’s a big pleasure to communicate with foreign fans. We shared our music with people from European, Asian, American countries and so on. There is one thing that unites them all…the great love for metal/rock music! All fans can forget about the borders and cultural differences if they speak that international Heavy Metal language. I can say much about the differences between all the fans but they are really very personal and focused over the unique personality of each one, it’s not about the country location, it’s about the soul and sensitivity.

CV: What do you feel makes Heavy Metal music so alluring to the fans? What is it about the music that personally resonates so strongly with you?
KN: Maybe the reason for this addiction is a full mystery and the secret key was hidden somewhere in our past lives. I imagine all metalheads were people with strong individualism…spiritual creatures with extra-skills and magical power…magicians, witches, story tellers, travelers, ancient bards, warriors, semi-gods, people of art and music, dragons, monsters, fairies and others. Ages have passed, we came back on Earth… then we heard this music…and we started to remember…Not everyone can understand, not everyone have the senses to hear. The music can give us an answer of the question…Who we are?

CV: Has Metal splintered into too many sub-genres in your opinion, thus, making it harder for newer bands to actually classify themselves as one style over another? Is it confusing for fans as well?
KN: Yes, there are so many genres in metal nowadays and they are becoming more and more. I don’t mind it of course. It’s good to have choices. Some bands want to be discoverers and build new paths by aiming at something new…other bands prefer to get the sure audience of the most exploited genres or make cover-songs and tributes, because this will help to get the “easy fame”.

CV: How would you describe the current state of the music business considering we are now living in a COVID aware, and maybe even feared world? Have things drastically changed long-term for artists and bands given the recent pandemic? What are your thoughts?
KN: Everything changed after the COVID monster came. We all became its “slaves” somehow. It took so many lives and it pushed at the bottom the ship of music, arts and theater. We have to find a way to survive after all. Maybe that horror came to teach us something.

CV: What do you feel makes your band and its particular approach to songwriting work? What keeps the band together and making music?
KN: What keeps us together is our music and friendship of course. Vinnie Atanasov is our precious songwriter who gives us the main motivation to go ahead with his unique compositions. We are from the kind of band that has one person who writes the music and the rest of us are taking care about the best possible way of performing our parts.

CV: On a more global view, how do you see your band’s music and songwriting separating itself from just being another Heavy Metal act?
KN: Our band runs away from any borders and standards and I like it for sure. Which is Bendida’s “trade mark”! We combine metal music with traditional folklore rhythmic, symphonic elements, choirs, lots of classical instruments and even viola da gamba, a unique instrument from the epoch of baroque. Our music includes elements from power metal; folk, symphonic even death, thrash and black metal. This mixture is made by using the “recipe book of Bendida”… so the final result is always recognizable.

CV: Can an artist truly be unique? Some would argue there is no such thing as being unique; that it’s nothing more than a compounding of influences making an artist who or what they are. Would this then say that artists today are destined to be just copies of those who have already come to pass?
KN: I think it’s a point of view and personal expectations. If you want to search for something unique in one band, you will find it! If you want to say…all of the bands are the same… well, you won’t find anything special for sure. The second option closes so many doors.
There are bands that want to be copy-paste-bands of a popular name. I don’t put them in the list at all…they don’t want to be unique.

CV: Are there life lessons to learn being in a Heavy Metal band that you feel cannot be taught elsewhere? If so, what are they?
KN: There are so many lessons. I’m a member of Bendida since the last seven years and I’ve learned many things. If you want to be a single “soldier” you will have your freedom to do whatever, nobody will force you to visit rehearsals, to be kind and patient with the others and things like that…but it’s never that funny if we compare it with the band-action. With a band, you can make bigger noise in each aspect of the word. If you are a band member, you have to say WE, US, OUR…not I, Me, Mine. The success is ours, the responsibilities also…the hard working too.

CV: What do you feel makes someone a “rock star”? Does being a rock star automatically make one iconic or are the two completely different in your opinion?
KN: In my beliefs, the real Rock star is a person with extra skills in music…person born to be on stage and also one who has the extra charisma. He/she has to be very attractive and catching with movements, voice, playing instrument…etc. Popularity is just a question of time!

Will one rock star turn into an icon? Everybody can do it. Nowadays I think it’s just a question of good management…sounds sad but it’s true. Turning into an icon among the new modern society depends on things like having a brilliant publicity agent, advertisement manager, producer, label, stylist, choreography expert and so on…

CV: What's next for you? What can fans expect to see coming as the world looks to surmount a new normal laced with a load of restrictions?
KN: We are still focused on the promotion of our new album “First of the Heroes” which is our second release, but we have already started to work on several compositions for our future third album. We also plan to make a video for “Vampires’ Ball” and “Hunt the Hunter” in the near future. We hope that the difficult situation will disappear soon and the concerts will become mission - possible soon.

CV: Thank you again Kremena for spending some time talking and sharing with our readers. It was a pleasure. I wish you all the best and continued success.
KN: Thank you so much for your interesting questions, the pleasure was mine! Best regards and take care!

Check out Bendida at:
Official: http://bendida.net/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BendidaOfficial/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bendida_official/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bendida_band

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My name is Mick Michaels...I'm an artist, music fan, songwriter, producer, dreamer and guitarist for the traditional Heavy Metal band Corners of Sanctuary. Writing has always been a creative outlet for me; what I couldn't say in speech, I was able to do with the written word. Writing has given me a voice and a way for me to create on a multitude of platforms including music and song, articles, independent screenplays, books and now, artist interviews. The Cosmick View is an opportunity to raise the bar and showcase artists in a positive and inspirational light. For me, it's another out-of-this-world adventure.