We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Margarita Mantis a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Margarita , thanks for joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

Music has always been a creative outlet for me. I began taking formal music lessons at around 7 years old, specifically for the piano, which sparked my interest. However, it wasn’t until I was around 11, when I got my first guitar, that I started developing a more mature interest in the art form, particularly in songwriting, as I quickly found that it was the easiest and most natural way that I could/can express my inner troubles. I decided to pursue music professionally in 2021 when I was just 16 years old when I started uploading my work to YouTube and steadily grown a following since then. In the beginning, I posted my songs as acoustic demos but soon decided to take the next step. In August of 2022, I ventured into a recording studio, ready to record my first fully-arranged single “I Can Hear the Flowers Laugh,” which was released early in October of that year. Since then, I released multiple individual songs, as well as a 5-track EP titled “Ocean of Life,” a 15-track LP titled “Jejune,” (My largest project to date!), as well as another concept EP titled “Windigo.”

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My music encompasses various topics surrounding the navigation of adulthood, and I largely center my lyricism on life’s imperfections and how we tend to escape or accept them. As I grow older, I grow more aware of the extensive power of popular media over young and mature minds alike. Art is culture, whose roots seep deep into our core. From the books we read to the movies we watch, from the clothes we wear to the picture perched on our living room wall. And of course, to the music that we listen to. That all shapes who we are! Therefore, as an artist, I take it as my civil duty to uplift, educate, and aid my community in being better, stronger, and more mindful through my lyrics, which are often precisely poetic and valiant!

Furthermore, I produce/compose my compositions myself and am well-versed in many instruments! Primarily, in guitar, mandolin, and piano. I like experimenting with all kinds of unique instruments and sounds and I like blending different rhythmic and melodic textures to create a more modern and innovative style, boldly mixing in folk, orchestral, and electronic music ornamentation alike. Although my music is primarily rock and metal based, I genre-bend from time to time, dipping into ambient and soundscape genres.

I also practice audio engineering and work specifically with 3D sound/Spatial audio! I practice binaural audio mixing which I incorporate heavily in my, autogenous, musical style — Binaural Rock. This genre blends elements of heavy music and spatial audio techniques in which the sounds/instruments everchangingly dance around the listener creating not only an immersive but an interactive “landscape” for the listener. I love diving into innovative ways to elevate my production through new-age audio technology, and I am self-taught!

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

When I first began to brainstorm on the idea of making my music “3D,” I stumbled upon some pushback from regular folks in my circle as well as, surprisingly, a lot of pushback from audio professionals who saw no benefit in it, harm in it or even assuming it’s just all a way to show off. Experienced specialists in this kind of tech were and still are few and far between. So at one point, I had to take it into my own hands. No more searching, no more waiting, and no more seeking out approval, something I’ve already understood long before but had to be reminded of.
In the music industry, just like in life, you have to have nerve. Sometimes to try something new is to be ready to experience a sense of loneliness, but your authenticity will eventually attract lots of success as well as like-minded people!

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

In my perspective, creative/creatively-minded people often have a childlike sense of wonder that has not yet tired out. They are often very colorful people and if they gain enough courage, they will go against the grain. That’s something a lot of “non-creative” folks cannot stand and try to stifle, and that’s why it’s important to have an inner anchor to keep you focused, balanced, and resilient. I also feel as though, at times, creative people, especially ambitious ones (Such as entrepreneurs or those who already work in creative fields), are misunderstood even in good-natured company, since our work is strongly tied to our sense of self and inner worldview in a way that I feel is very otherworldly intimate and personal.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.margaritamantis.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/margarita.mantis/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MargaritaMantis
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MargaritaMantis
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/margarita-mantis
• Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0s1Ou4i2hUcchNNGyUd2Sf