Hi Marga Sol, tell us about yourself, where are you from, where do you live now?
MARGA SOL – Hi! :) My born name is Margarita Sotirovska. I come from the capital city Skopje, country Macedonia. It is a small and colourful country in the south-east Europe where I am born and still live here. But I am a traveller, so I travel a lot, meeting people, different cultures, gathering inspiration for new music, experience new experiences... I love good music, good food, nature, people, nice environment, the sun :) And I also work as graphic designer from time to time for projects or some companies... I mostly like everything that is connected with Art and communication.
URLOPOP –How long have you been working as a DJ? And how long as a producer?
MARGA SOL – I work as producer since 2003, so it is about 12 years. 2003 was released my first track with a video "Dali Sonuvam" (Am I Dreaming) and it is still one of most sold and remixed tracks, from all of my catalogue of music. As a Dj, I started in 2005 and my first gig was one night in a small coffee bar in the centre of the city, but my second gig was in Albania, big open-air festival on an small island Porto Palermo with a Castle. I will never forget how my hands were shaking... Hahaha...
URLOPOP – Difficult question...do you prefer your work as a DJ or as a producer?
MARGA SOL – Oh, really difficult question. If I have to choose, I would choose "producer" definitely, because since I know myself, I create music and I started when I was 5 years old with small synthesizer Yamaha. Creating music is something I can not live without... It's very big part of me. It is like breathing for me. But Dj-ing is something that I am addicted to also, because I just "loose myself" in the atmosphere of sounds, mixing tracks, creating magic where I and the crowd become One! So when I will hear this low sound of the base and when I will see those hands up in the air... There are no words to describe this feeling, it is a moment of an eternity in the club...and this feeling keeps me going forward with the Dj-ing.
URLOPOP –Tell us something about your record company, M-Sol Records, how did it start, what are your achievement so far?
MARGA SOL – Until 2013 I was working as independent artist with many Labels and Record companies. I was selling my music for compilations, releasing albums, for commercials ect. I got "burned" many times and on "deep" level. And I also never felt complete. I needed something more, where I can realize myself on a higher level. I really love compiling, I always listen music, search new sounds, I had always ideas of creating something that is totally mine, a project, releases and everything to be connected with one story! M-Sol Records means "Musica del Sol" or in translation "Music Of The Sun", plus I added the initials of my real/artist name "M" and "S". I wanted to create label where my music will be released but also other artist's music, by creating compilations/projects, so that I can transfer good energy to the listeners, to tell a story through music, to promote music that I think is solid and wonderful to the people. There is so much music and so many chill and deep tracks that look alike and sound alike... I wanted to promote music from other artists also, but Only made from soul, with feelings. So I created M-Sol Records and now I am working on gathering collaborators, because it is too much work for one person. I re-released all my albums and I created the first editions of my releases/compilations and they are promoted and sold very good till now. Now I continue with the story on higher level...
URLOPOP – Do you have some special source of inspiration to create new music?
MARGA SOL – My life is always an inspiration. I am one of the persons that can say that experience lots of things through my everyday living. I can be inspired from a person, from a story I will hear, from nature, from moments I lived through, from one walk or big pain, emotional suffering or maybe happiness, joy, love... Everything around me is an inspiration for me!
URLOPOP – Who and what influenced you in your work as a producer when you started?
MARGA SOL – Actually my parents were not letting me to learn music school. They thought it is wasting time and a job without earning money. So I studied economy than finished University Of Journalism... but in meantime, never gave up of learning piano and the technology of creating music. Just because my parents were forbidding me to be involved with music, the same time my desire and passion was becoming bigger and bigger. I decided - I will live and work with Music! Another factor is my father himself. I was growing because of him with GOOD music at home. We had more than 1000 CD's with music like Enigma, Vangelis, Enya, Jean Michael Jar, Lorenna McKennit, Deep Forest, Kevin Yost, York...also latter on chill compilations like Cafe del Mar, from Ministry Of Sound, Armada, Buddha Bar, ect... We were listening jazz music and classic also. So all this music influenced my taste for music and motivated me to produce.
URLOPOP – We know that beside chill-out and lounge music, one of your core activities are music tracks for commercials, you have prepared more than 200 tracks for big groups such as: Austrian Airlines, Samsung, Mercedes Benz, BMW, Audi, Mazda, Volvo, Nestle.. what’s the secret to create a good music for a commercial, and is there a secret for selecting the right tune for each product?
MARGA SOL – Well, my big desire in my life is to create music for documentaries and movies. Commercials are only a start. Mostly the companies pick the theme of track they want to use it, or maybe hear the track online and want a version of it for their commercial. So sometimes I create specially music by their request, but sometimes they only choose exact track already released and use only specific part of it for their commercial. I believe that the secret is in catching the moment where the music in the background will transfer the feeling that the listener/watcher would feel while watching the commercial. Music and video should tell one same story, the colours in the video are the sounds of the music, the movement of the video is the tempo of the music and the feeling should be the same one!
URLOPOP – What is your favourite kind of music?
MARGA SOL – Definitely Chill Out and Lounge Music, including Deep Melodic House.
URLOPOP – What kind of music do you prefer to play for your audience?
MARGA SOL – When I play as Chill Out Dj, than my selection is around this style. But when I play in clubs I play mostly Deep House, Vocal House and Tech House Music.
URLOPOP – Tell us about your studies and how important they are in the job you are doing now?
MARGA SOL – Because my parents in the past didn't think music can help me to earn money in life, my grandfather saw the sparkle in my eyes and he was taking me to private piano classes. But that time we were not reach, so after 6-7 months I stopped visiting the classes unfortunately. But latter on one year I bought synthesizer and started to play by myself. Next step was learning the technology of producing music. So in 2004 I got diploma on the private school for Music Recording and Producing in Macedonia, Skopje. Than I worked in the biggest music studio that time "Enterprise Studio" as recording/producing assistant two and a half years. So everything I learned through life till now is important, but most important is my constancy and my big passion for creating music.
URLOPOP – Do you play any musical instruments?
MARGA SOL – Yes, I play piano and little bit guitar.
URLOPOP – Would you like to mention someone that has worked with you and you would like to thank?
MARGA SOL – I am really thankful to so many people I worked with till now and they are a lot, since I am a person that want to collaborate and mix inspirations and sounds... But I would mention and thank to my friend and very good producer Darko de Jan, Andrea NDKj, Leo de la Rosa, Spase ILO, my good friends also Pier-O and Oliver Schulz (Project Blues Sun) with them we made wonderful tracks, Sky Spirit, NikolaV and many others... I am also thankful to all artists that support my label with their wonderful music and also all compilers, Djs and Radio owners that support my music and my label compilations on their mixes, shows and radios...Such an honour to be part of this musical world!
URLOPOP – Tell us something about your city, Skopje, what are the main attractions that are worth a visit, and how’s the nightlife? are there many palaces to hang-out and party? How are the clubs?
MARGA SOL – Skopje is a multicultural city, with old and new parts, buildings, architecture. A place where you can see people in restaurants, caffee bars and clubs all the time, every season, every hour... Eating great food, drinking coffee, wine or just having fun. City where you can climb the mountain Vodno, experience the amazing Canyon Matka, shop in the old Bazar, but also Malls, visit Museum of history, take picture in the city square with the big fountains or drive a bike and jog by the river Vardar. The night life is actually very alive and there are lot of clubs and places to hang-out... Music from every corner :)
URLOPOP – What are your projects for the future?
MARGA SOL – I have just released my new albums "EARTH" (Ethno Ambient Music) and "Butterflies" (Sophisticate Lounge Music) so I started making promotions of the albums, I will do two professional videos for two tracks also next month. New movie for my city Skopje is filming, so I will be responsible for the music of this documentary movie. I plan my next compilations (volume 2 of my editions), also have a band that I will start to play with (guitarist and percussionist) together with me as a DJ, so we meet us twice a week and exercise. I am doing new EP in DEEP HOUSE style with one collaborator and I believe is going to be amazing EP.... more infos for this project soon.
Thank you very much
x
Marga
2015
