Q&A with singer-songwriter Malenka

Polish-born, London-based singer Malenka has been compared to the likes of Lorde and Billie Eilish.

Entertainment Now chats to Malenka, ahead of a set of single releases in 2023…

Hey there Malenka, how are you?

Hi, I’m pretty good. I am currently visiting my grandpa in the Polish mountains. There’s lots of snow outside but there’s also a beautiful shining sun in the sky so I’m feeling quite positive.

We are almost at the end of 2022 already, how has this year been for you so far?

Intense, especially the second part of the year! I’ve been working on my EP, getting the songs mixed, mastered. I filmed my first music video which has been lots of fun. Now my first single is out!

I’ve also been doing my best to spend some time with family, so I’ve been travelling back and forth between London (where I usually live) and Poland (where I’m from). It’s been me, my suitcase, my guitar and lots of time at the airport.

So yeah, it’s been a pretty good year.

How did you get into your current career?

I’ve always wanted to do music, ever since people started asking me what I’ll want to be when I grow up, I said ‘singer’. I’d always make up little songs, in fact there are recordings buried somewhere on my dad’s old computer, in which I am five years old and singing made-up songs about ladybirds and other important topics. I started writing songs more seriously between the ages of 10 and 12 and completely fell in love with it. I’ve been writing ever since, trying to get these songs out there, performing here and there around London.

How would you describe your work?

Fun, strange, uncertain, exciting, and creative. Song writing is the part of all of this that is most familiar to me. I’ve been writing for years and even thought it can be quite intense – you delve deep into strange emotions – there’s such great comfort in it. It’s a form of therapy, really.

Lots of what I do today is very new to me – I never had social media as a kid, even though I texted my friends incessantly. These days being a musician involves being online a lot, and it’s been amazing to be able to instantly connect with people who listen to my music. But it can be quite strange sharing your deepest feelings with so many people, which you can’t help but do if you put your own songs out into the world.

I’ve been loving working on music videos. It’s really fun to add a visual dimension to my songs and meet other creatives. Similar with being in the studio, the collaborative aspect of making music is one of my favourite parts. Then there’s trying to keep up with daily practice, doing gigs, answering emails and attending zoom meetings.

What do you want people to take away from it?

I don’t mind how people interpret my songs, as long as these songs make them feel something they need to feel. The current EP is a mixture of pain and hope. Writing these songs helped me process my emotions and come out on the other end of heartbreak stronger and happier – if listening to these tracks does that for one person, I’m happy.

What inspires you and who are your influences?

I think the music I resonate with most comes from the 60s-70s poet-singers, Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits, Joni Mitchell, Simon and Garfunkel. But it’s hard for me to zero in on my influences. I love music.

I’m also quite visual when I write songs – to me, every song has a colour scheme, a movie in my head that plays when I write or sing. I often scour pinterest for the perfect painting to reflect a song I am writing. It helps me develop my song ideas.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Don’t sweat the small stuff. I used to let myself be very weighed down by insignificant things – small work stresses, a spat with a loved one or a vaguely unpleasant interaction with a stranger. You feel so much lighter when you focus on the things that really matter, like loving and helping each other. All the other stuff is just filler. It doesn’t matter.

Also, I say younger self – but I wish I truly remembered that now.

What’s next for you? What are you most excited about?

The rest of the ‘Creature of Devotion’ EP! There are 4 more songs on the release, all of them telling a slightly different story, but all focus on heartbreak, loneliness, love and hope. There will also be more videos, and, as the songs are all very emotional, there will always be some silliness in the music videos to balance things out. Expect the next single early in 2023 and the other ones will follow soon after.