Not all artists are equal. Some manage to dominate popular stylings, finding success in playful formulas and light, catchy pieces. Others might commit to a deeper exploration of musical mediums and artistic languages, breaking cultural barriers and genre limitations in the process. Josephine Assayech belongs to the latter category.
Hailing from St. Gallen in eastern Switzerland, the talented songstress and musician is equally proficient in Western classical settings as she is in more eclectic oriental territories, making her artistry a culturally rich melting pot of influences and imagery. ‘Mountains’ is her latest effort, a stunning and elegant gem showcasing all the vocal prowess Assayech has to offer. Built on soothing textures and electronic grooves, the track is an absolute jewel, a poignant, evocative anthem that’s refreshing and cathartic.
Intrigued by Josephine’s music, we caught up with her to find out more about his artistry and future goals… Interview below!
Hey Josephine, thanks for chatting with us! I’ll go straight to the point: we have recently discovered your latest single ‘Mountains’, and it’s incredibly evocative and meaningful. What does the song represent for you, lyrically speaking?
Thank you very much! “Mountains” represents our inner world and the overcoming of negative thoughts. It is the powerful result of an intense inner dialogue that I had during a time when my inner voices were particularly insistent. These voices made themselves strongly felt with thoughts such as “you’re not achieving enough” or “you should be much further along in life by now”. This song is my powerful appeal to these inner voices that each one of us is in exactly the right place at exactly the right time and we can be proud of the journey we have made so far. Much like after a mountain hike, when you finally stand on the summit and look back at the valley and the path you have mastered.
Would you agree that the song is perhaps related to imposter syndrome? I connect to the song that way – I often have to remind myself about the value of my achievements.
Absolutely. This kind of feeling that you’re describing is exactly what our thoughts can trigger in terms of believing or not believing in ourselves. It can mean giving ourselves credit for what we’ve achieved so far or just looking at it as not special at all, even though every one of us can be proud of being where he/she is, wherever this is. I mean, let’s be honest, there are days when it really costs quite a lot of energy to even wake up and put some clothes on. So even stepping down from the bed is something that sometimes deserves a shoulder patting.
We love your eclectic and expansive sonic imprint, truly cinematic and ethereal. Where does that originate from? What are some of your biggest influences?
Well, I have a deep love for music, that makes you feel like the universe is hugging you and bringing every cell of your being completely to life. And that’s what I’m automatically drawn to create and explore. One of my biggest inspirations is the great producer/singer/songwriter Stromae. His music captivates every cell of my body, and his poetic lyrics are able to touch my soul on a deep level, with only a few words. And that’s what I’m aiming for in my music.
Another big inspiration for me is the great legend Tina Turner. She stands for me as the purest form of strength in a person. From sticking the pieces of your being back together to recreating your life from zero at 37 years, to starting a completely new music career at 40 in an industry where – back in the day – you would have been seen as a pensioner, especially as a woman. She’s for me the reason I can say “If she was able to do it, so will I”. It’s also this kind of strength that is represented in my previous song called “ASHES”, available on YouTube (music video by Josephine Assayech) and all streaming platforms. 🙂 Let me know what you think about it!
Going back to ‘Mountains’, can you guide us into the creative process behind the track? including the production; Was it a solo endeavour or did you work with a fellow artist?
I wrote Mountains in a time where “I’m wasting my time” was a sentence that was constantly buzzing around in my head. That’s exactly what I took as a starting point for the song, meaning that I started with the refrain and from there on built the whole song. The way I write songs is basically through rhyming, writing and singing, while recording every idea I have on my phone. I then take the various pieces and add them together until I get to the version I like. Just like building a house. The collaboration in creating the song was between my producer and me. I had a pretty clear vision of what the music should sound like and him being a great pianist as well as a producer felt like a match in heaven.
Do you feel more confident writing music alone, or within a team?
To be honest, the music I wrote until now was mostly alone. But since I feel creativity lives from inspiration and we can get so much inspiration from one another, I would really love to create something with a fellow musician. So I’m definitely open to collaborations.
Your elegance and class well fit the city you call home – Zurich. In fact, we have been receiving a surprising number of good records from Switzerland as a whole, recently. Do you feel like the local music scene is blooming? or is it just a coincidence?
Oh, what a lovely compliment! Thank you 🙂 Switzerland is a very small country, with quite a “closed” music business. There are only a few certain things that are well perceived by the Swiss people and find success. Luckily, in the last few years, more and more diversity in the music business is coming up, so there is definitely a blooming effect, which is very exciting and I’m very happy to be part of it.
Artistically speaking, what challenges have the last two years presented you with?
Mostly I think going my own way musically and not giving too much space to thoughts on how my music is going to be perceived. But I guess this is just part of our life-path process.
What are the next steps for your project? Anything exciting on the horizon?
The next projects are actually already in the starting blocks and this year there will also be a kind of premiere for me. So much for that; it’s going to be Christmassy :). In addition, there will be another release at the beginning of 2025..so make sure to stay tuned. For that, follow me on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook. Can’t wait to share it with you!
