Bif Naked - September 2006

Interview with

Bif Naked

She is one of the “Enfant terribles” in rock business. There is no comparison with any other female singer actually. Born in India and adopted by American missionaries she is now living in Canada. Until now she released seven fulltime albums and a greatest hit album. She took part of some soundtracks, i.e. “Buffy”. Bif Naked worked also with the punk bands “Gorilla Gorilla” and “Chrome Dog”. Her last solo album “Superbeautifulmonster” came out in 2005 and she was on tour to present it in Europe. I had the possibility to meet her before the concert in Stuttgart. We talked a while in her tour bus.

Your video “Let down” is full of clichés and allusions to the picture of a so called “typical” beautiful woman. What was your intention doing this video?
Bif: I had nothing to do with the story of the video. I just played a role in it. The director maybe wanted to show my own opposites with the usual picture of woman. I just directed the video for my first song. It was a black/white one and really “art”. I never did that again.

You are often called a unique woman and artist. You won some prices as the hottest woman in rock. How do you see yourself?
Bif: I’m just Bif. I’m not interested in the way other people see me. I got some bad comments after I removed my piercing. They shall not be like me. I’m myself and I don’t want anybody to use me as an idol or something like that. I’m making my music and if they like it, I’m happy, but it doesn’t matter if it wasn’t so. But if they listen to my music they even got a message in it.

You have so many tattoos. What do they mean to you? Do you want to get more tattoos?
Bif: They are something like a remembrance wall. I still know why and where I got them. I love all of them – even the bad ones. I had some offers to cover them up, but I don’t want to. They are a part of me and my life. Now I think I’m done with tattoos. There is not much space left.

You made this wonderful cover of “Nothing else matters”. The video shows some impressions of you on stage and on tour. What does touring mean to you?
Bif: It’s the way how I pay my rent. I love making music. Touring is the possibility to bring my music closer to the fans. The reaction of the fans is important to me. It’s hard making a show and nobody is moving in front of you.

You started your own label “Herroyalmajesty”. How do you combine this work with the complicated tour- and rock star- life?
Bif: I don’t work for the label anymore. It’s already my label, but all the other people are doing the work. It’s not the way to earn money. We are doing it for the music. You can’t do it for the money. I just signed one band, but they never, really never sold one record. So I’m not allowed to sign bands anymore.

Every label is worried about the internet and the decay of the music business. What do you think about this development?
Bif: The internet is the future of the music business. They don’t have to keep their business out of this development. It’s a chance for the music. We found a partner and now our songs can be bought online. That’s the future. Maybe the CDs won’t be there any longer.

For me the song “Everyday” seems to be a very personal one. Can you tell us something about the story behind this song?
Bif: This has always been my philosophy - how I live. I rose up with a combination of Christians, Hindus, Hare Krishnas. That’s all the same. It’s just the faith. All the religious wars and strategies in the world have nothing to do with the religion. They all are bringing shame to their peoples. Religion has nothing to do with war or the media.

Your parents are very religious. What are they thinking about your life as a rock star?
Bif: They have no problems with it. They don’t know me in a different way. I’ve always been making music. I never did any other job. They are proud of me as they are of all their children. One daughter is a house-wife, one is a doctor and one is a musician. There is no difference for them.

You studied theatre and you took part in some movies. Are there some plans in this direction for the future?
Bif: I’m working on a TV-show right now. It’s about martial arts and about the people, who are making material arts. I’ve been in Costa Rica some days ago and after the tour I will go to St. Petersburg to work with a sportsman there. I’m also doing their sport with them. It’s really hard, but interesting. There are also some options for a movie, but we will see. However I get often offers to play a prostitute or any other wrecked down woman. That doesn’t interest me. I’m tired to play such roles.  

I like your song “Lucky”. The version on the “Buffy”-soundtrack differs from your album. The line “The first time we made love, I wasn’t sober…” is left out in the soundtrack’s version. Why are there two versions of this song?
Bif: Oh, I didn’t know what they did with my song. Maybe it wasn’t “clean” enough for the American television. Maybe it was a censorship because of using alcohol. There are so many rules in America.

You traveled around the world and met so many people. What do you think: where is the difference between Germany and other countries?
Bif: I don’t see many people besides the crew, but I think the Americans are loud and also violent. The Canadians are quiet and shy.

What would you do if you would not make music?
Bif: Maybe I would go to India. I love India. It’s still part of my life and soul. I would just relax and listen to “Bhangra”-music. I want a family. Maybe I would marry a Bollywood actor or so, but I can’t leave Canada and settle there. My dogs (Add: she calls them her “babies”) can’t fly, because they got sick of it. So I must stay in Canada. Although I like so many countries. I would like to go to South America too.