Interview with:Liv Kristine Espenaes-Krull
Because I want to show the people that Liv Kristine is such a sweet and open person. I choose to make a monologe of the interview I had with her in De Effenaar, Eindhoven (NL), where she had her first show of this tour. I talked with her about the music, her personality, the gothmetal scene and how it is to be an artist and a mother.
We were sitting on a red counch backstage. It was cold and she kept her coat on. From the beginning she’s very open to me and I must say that after I left I really had the feeling that she taught me something. I hope you will enjoy this article. Thank word to Liv Kristine and her management - SD.
Liv Kristine: “ This is the second part of the European tour, started yesterday and today is the first show. We didn’t really practise in the break, but we did some shows in Germany just to know how it goes. We did some shows but tried to cool down and spent some time with the family.
After THEATRE OF TRAGEDY I had a reached a point in my life that I thought; 'well should I stop singing or shall I stand up and do it even better.' I had some great support of ATROCITY and the help from my husband so I made the decision to continue. I wrote a concept, actually it was written a long time ago. It was at the end of my studies and I spent so much time in reading for the university for Literature that I wanted to use it. My husband Alex (singer of ATROCITY) said: Well, why don’t you use that in a concept? I did that, but it was hidden somewhere on a shelf and I thought ‘well, maybe one day when I have got the time.’ Then I showed it to the guys of ATROCITY and they really liked it.
We started to make some music together. Two months later we had an album ready. It was very fast, but we had a great atmosphere and we have our own studio Mastersound in Germany and of course it’s great to work in your own environment. It feels great and I’ve know the guys for almost ten years, so I know how to take care of each person and they know me very well. It’s perfect and very soon we had a new record deal when we recorded those songs, so the album could be released in the spring. Then came the video of the first single “Into Light” and we played a lot of shows in the summer and now there is this tour.
After THEATRE OF TRAGEDY I had a reached a point in my life that I thought; 'well should I stop singing or shall I stand up and do it even better.' I had some great support of ATROCITY and the help from my husband so I made the decision to continue. I wrote a concept, actually it was written a long time ago. It was at the end of my studies and I spent so much time in reading for the university for Literature that I wanted to use it. My husband Alex (singer of ATROCITY) said: Well, why don’t you use that in a concept? I did that, but it was hidden somewhere on a shelf and I thought ‘well, maybe one day when I have got the time.’ Then I showed it to the guys of ATROCITY and they really liked it.
We started to make some music together. Two months later we had an album ready. It was very fast, but we had a great atmosphere and we have our own studio Mastersound in Germany and of course it’s great to work in your own environment. It feels great and I’ve know the guys for almost ten years, so I know how to take care of each person and they know me very well. It’s perfect and very soon we had a new record deal when we recorded those songs, so the album could be released in the spring. Then came the video of the first single “Into Light” and we played a lot of shows in the summer and now there is this tour.
Common Passion
It’s like I can sit down now and really breathe out and that feels so great. I am so satisfied about everything. It feels so good to work with the guys and to be a mother. Everything works very well. I can say with my hand on my heart: I have never been as happy as I am now. This it the time of my life and I hope it’ll stay this way.
I felt very disappointed after I was kicked out of THEATRE OF TRAGEDY. I was like ‘what is going on?’ Nobody talked about it to me, but well that’s the past now.
ATROCITY and LEAVES’ EYES are two different bands, but the members have so much in common. We all love different kinds of music and we do have a lof of musical experience. We could even make a rock opera and we do work a lot with classical instruments. It seems to be clear to every one of us what both bands want and I feel very comfortable going on tour with both bands, too. We have a tough programme, so that’s why LEAVES’ EYES opens before ATROCITY. So that people can increase their head banging.
If you just stop thinking about separating both bands and just let your mind open about those things and get a more relaxed view it works better. All of us have developed very much in the period after the release of the record. It was the right people at the right time and the right place. We have started something we really want to continue and we’re already working on the second album for both bands.
Inspiration
For me, my main inspiration has always been my personal emotions. So when I write the lyrics and compose music it comes from deep within me. When we recorded the music for “Lovelorn” I was pregnant, so the album is full of love, light things and positive energy. Well all the things I felt when I was pregnant and what I still feel in being a mother. I always go from that what I feel deep within. That’s important for the show. It’s hard sometimes to be on tour, however, I always give it all at the concert because everybody in the audience deserves the best. Although I have a bad day I do my best on stage. We all share this opinion in the band and that means that we don’t do too much partying on tour and stay healthy. We’ve had a non-smoking tour bus for ages.
The next record will be a concept album which is based on my present emotional state. I get emotional on stage sometimes because there are such deep feelings. I have that when I play “Norwegian Lovesong” because I have to think about my home country Norway. I also have it when we play “For Emily”, one of the ballads. The story behind it is that when I was pregnant I was sure that it would be a girl. Well, we had a Leon instead and it has that feeling. I think about my baby at home every second of the day. My mother-in-law takes care of him and I don’t have to be worried. This tour will last until 28. November and that’s long enough, because I miss my son. Life on the road can be hard sometimes. When I have that feeling that I need rest and I want to be alone then I go running or shopping. Some time just for me, on my own.
Gothmetal scene
We benefit in the gothmetal scene from the huge success of EVANESCENCE in The States and also from other bands which all play an important role. Still for me the most important thing is that I have a certain base of audience who come to see us at concerts and listen to our music. I’ve been in this scene for more than ten years, so I have followed them and saw bands come and go. I think it’s a good thing that there are some bands which are very successful at the moment. We have to take care that there isn’t an overflow with this kind of music.
You have to be original, somehow, from the others. And yes, that’s sometimes a pressure, but when you have experience and have discovered your own style and know how to deal with that you can do it. I try to stay true to myself, not thinking about what’s going on in the music market at the moment. You have to take distance from that. I want to be a happy artist so I give everything, I think experience is very important. You have to trust yourself and believe in what you do. I’m not an artist because I want to make popular music. That’s impossible for me because you have to give something from yourself. After ten years I want to look back and say; I did it with my heart.…
This is the end of the interview as Liv has to prepare herself for the show. When you read it very well you’ll learn a lot about this artist who shows a lot of strength, friendliness and who is very open-hearted.
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