by Kamila Makat
"If we go back to the roots, the word 'composer' derives from Latin and means 'compiler.' Even creating music based on sampling, as most music producers do, does not contradict this concept. In other words, anyone who creates music using various methods can be called a composer. But that's speaking in technical terms; in society's perception, a composer and a music producer are seen as two different professions.
We expect composers to have a professional musical education. They are supposed to work solely on original compositions, use complex musical forms, and artistic concepts. However, we tend to view the role of a music producer more leniently. But there are nuances."- read the full interview on 98mag.kz
by Kamila Makat
"The fear of not realizing oneself as a composer. Earning a living as a composer is very difficult, almost impossible, in our reality. That's why every other composer sooner or later works in related genres. I began my professional journey as a singer named Mergen. Although I had composer aspirations and ambitions from an early age. I had a clear understanding that I wanted to grow small forms into larger ones - to turn three chords into something more significant."
"Composer - the oldest freelance profession."- read the full article on Manshuq Media
by Kamila Makat
"In film music, you feel more liberated as a composer because you're not confined to the constraints of a typical song with four chords, and you can break the structure of the musical fabric as you please. It's not just playing with form but also instrumentation. For instance, you can introduce drums in three places and transition into something else. Working with layers becomes more confident, creating counterpoints. And deciding for myself that it would be a cinematic album, I felt like I gave myself permission for all these experiments. Yes, of course, I realize that the stranger the artist, the fewer people listen to you, but I consciously embrace it."- read the full interview on Vlast.kz
by Kamila Makat
As in her previous albums, Mergen experiments, blending electronic, ethnic, gothic, alternative genres, with a place for live instruments and local context.
"When I compose songs, a basic working text comes first. And most often, I use the Kazakh language to shape the structure and form of the songs."
In the final version of the album, the lyrics are in English. However, as Mergen says, "the entire semantic melody is full of Kazakh techniques."- read the full article on Esquire.kz
by Karinov Manat
Why don't you... DISCOVER the world of classical music? Learn to listen to melodies without words and try to discern the smallest details in the musical fabric. As a musician with a classical education, I can confidently say: classical music is like cinema.- read the full article on harpersbazaar.kz
by Irina Dmitrovskaya for Boulevard issue