With the way my flights worked out I was a little earlier to arrive than the other participants. I spent my time recovering from my journey, exploring beautiful Nicosia a little and feeling the growing anticipation of meeting my fellow songwriters, producers and the Louvana Records team.

Amongst the excitement and curiosity was a nervousness. What would my collaborators be like? Would we all feel comfortable enough to get creative together? Will I have something to contribute of worth?

It was clear from meeting everyone at the bar Prozak on the first evening we were together that we all felt equally excited to be a part of this project and were enthusiastic to get to know one another and create something. I also tried the local speciality drink, coined Brandy Sours, which myself and roommate Maris thoroughly enjoyed, lifting the haze of the long day travelling. The tables were abuzz with conversation which was surely a good sign of the relationships that were just developing that evening.

 

The next morning we set out on the mini bus with our driver Hector, he was a man of few words but as the days wore on he seemed to warm to us and would crack the odd joke on the early morning commute.

When we arrived at the studio we were greeted with coffee, delicious local pastries and the warm faces of Maria, Lefteris and Andreas who would be our mentors and motivators. Our first session began by making our way round the circle we had formed all stating our intentions and musical styles, it then became apparent that openness, growth and being taken out of our comfort zones were common threads that bound us. Before long we broke off into smaller groups, embarking on our first creations together. The energy in the air was palpable and every corner of the studio was abuzz with music and conversation. It was this energy that was born from the first session that kept on growing, giving us momentum and focus and drowned out any hangovers from the night before. 

 

I was in a group with Laura, Eva and Maris, which was an eclectic bunch with our background in various genres from pop, experimental, rock, electronic and folk. We started by sharing each other’s own music and then ventured into collaboration tentatively at first. Laura gave us the first block of the song, a melodic bed, she suggested could be a pad of vocals. From that moment we began to grow the song together and the room was full of suggestions and sounds. Eva put down a bass line on the keys, Laura another melodic layer, then I chimed in with a vocal melody for the verse followed by Maris who added one for the bridge. The song continued to grow in this way as we all became more comfortable sharing.

Meanwhile Lefteris would also move between the spaces lending his ear and gentle creative suggestions, sensitive to his interpretation of where we were coming from and encouraging us to make decisions based on what we felt was right. Andreas was with the producers walking them through various ideas and processes who also moved through the spaces and sounds and Maria worked away tirelessly, a logistical queen.

On return into the larger studio room it was evident we were not alone in our productivity and connection with one another; everyone was passionately working away in their various groups until we went upstairs for a delicious lunch. What came as a great surprise was also that we could have a cold pint, which went down very well at that point in the day.

After lunch we continued to work away until it was time to return to our hotels. Little time was wasted and we regrouped in the hotel lobby before we headed out to the bar and restaurant Evergreen. We all chatted into the wee hours of the balmy warm evening with our wine, beer and cocktails to wash down the food.

Anastasia, Jérôme, Tamara and myself were the last to leave and we meandered through a park admiring the large palm trees and the stars on our way home to rest before the second day in the studio began.