Talks with Musicians

In today’s episode, Diana Burkot of Pussy Riot joins Oktaves Podcast to discuss her journey from underground activist musician in Moscow to political exile in Iceland. With an 8-year prison sentence hanging over her head and Pussy Riot labeled an “extremist organization” by Russian authorities, Diana shares the untold story of creating art, music, and activism under authoritarian pressure.In this powerful conversation, Diana reveals the inner workings of Pussy Riot as a multi-person art collective, her new “Sweat and Blood” multimedia project, and how she continues to fight government censorship through music, exhibitions, and performance art.Diana takes us behind the scenes of Pussy Riot’s evolution from a two-person collective in 2011 to a rotating group of approximately 20 artists, musicians, and activists. She recounts her first action in Red Square and the infamous 2012 Cathedral of Christ the Savior protest that changed everything. What began as direct political actions has transformed into a multimedia movement spanning exhibitions, albums, performances, and documentary films, each project serving as a platform for political statements that challenge authoritarian power.After fleeing Russia in 2022 following the invasion of Ukraine, Diana faces escalating persecution from afar. On September 15, Russian authorities charged her with “discrediting the Russian army,” carrying an 8-year prison sentence. Just months later on December 15, the government designated Pussy Riot an “extremist organization,” a label that threatens anyone who communicates with members with 6-10 years imprisonment. Despite frozen bank accounts and police harassment of her family, Diana continues creating from Iceland, where she’s building a new artistic home while studying at the Icelandic Art University.Her “Sweat and Blood” project exemplifies her belief in people over heroes, featuring character-driven narratives of everyday resisters like Mila, a feminist activist; Kirill, a Belarusian facing activist burnout; and Igor, who fled militarization. With a major exhibition planned for Sweden in February 2026, Diana is creating an entire artistic universe that challenges algorithmic censorship and documents stories of resistance. She also discusses her experimental “Popera” collaboration, where she composes brass music that bridges fairy tale storytelling with LGBTQ+ rights advocacy.This conversation explores the cost of creative freedom, the power of anonymous resistance inside Russia, and why Diana believes society, not superheroes, will bring change. It’s a testament to art’s role in fighting oppression and the unbreakable spirit of those who refuse to be silenced.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Welcome to the Oktaves podcast🎙️ Talks with musicians! Where we uplift local musicians voices.This podcast is about chatting about and sharing with each other tips and tricks on how to succeed in the music industry as an independent musician, with an emphasis on branding and marketing, and overall management, whether your goal is to stay forever independent or get label-ready. We are very passionate about breaking the cycle of gatekeeping in the industry, so we strive towards bringing you conversations where these layers of the onion will be peeled one by one.We are also here to uplift and shed light on independent (or previously independent) musicians in our community, who are so kind to share their struggles, their wins, successes, their strategies, and advice or some secrets possibly to how they got there.🔗 Follow Oktaves:https://instagram.com/withoktaveshttps://facebook.com/oktaveshttps://tiktok.com/@withoktaves

At just 18 years old, Birta Dís is already navigating the music industry with a level of clarity, intention, and momentum that many artists only reach years later. In this episode of the Oktaves Podcast, Birta Dís talks openly about graduating high school, choosing music without a safety net, and stepping into the realities of releasing music professionally at a young age.The conversation explores songwriting as a form of self-reflection, music as emotional processing, and how Birta Dís developed her voice before feeling “ready.” She shares how her early songs came together, what it was like to reach out to producers for the first time, and how collaboration helped her move from private songwriting into public releases.Birta Dís also explains how she applied for and received a music grant, what that validation meant at such an early stage, and how learning to write grant applications forced her to articulate her artistic direction clearly. She reflects on performing her own songs live, building confidence on stage, and understanding how songs change when played with a band rather than written alone.The episode goes deep into early career decision-making: balancing fear and ambition, learning how the industry works without formal backing, and resisting the pressure to rush or brand herself too early. Birta Dís talks about using TikTok as a creative testing ground, not just for reach but for confidence, and how sharing unfinished ideas helped her trust her instincts as an artist. Her inspirations being Elín Hall, BRÍET, Ásgeir Trausti, and Leith Ross to name a few.This episode is both emotionally grounded and practically useful. It offers rare insight into what it actually looks like to start a music career young: the uncertainty, the courage, the structure behind creativity, and the quiet work that happens long before momentum is visible.This episode is about starting early, taking yourself seriously, and learning how to grow without losing your sense of self.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Welcome to the Oktaves podcast🎙️ Talks with musicians! Where we uplift local musicians voices.This podcast is about chatting about and sharing with each other tips and tricks on how to succeed in the music industry as an independent musician, with an emphasis on branding and marketing, and overall management, whether your goal is to stay forever independent or get label-ready. We are very passionate about breaking the cycle of gatekeeping in the industry, so we strive towards bringing you conversations where these layers of the onion will be peeled one by one.We are also here to uplift and shed light on independent (or previously independent) musicians in our community, who are so kind to share their struggles, their wins, successes, their strategies, and advice or some secrets possibly to how they got there.🔗 Follow Oktaves:https://instagram.com/withoktaveshttps://facebook.com/oktaveshttps://tiktok.com/@withoktaves

Svavar Knútur is one of Iceland’s most respected singer-songwriters, known for deeply human songs that explore grief, healing, love, and service. In this episode of the Oktaves Podcast – Talks with Musicians, Svavar reflects on a 15-year musical journey that began as a way to survive personal loss and gradually became a lifelong devotion to music as healing work.This conversation moves through songwriting as a cartographer’s journey through grief, why Svavar refuses to write blame-driven breakup songs, and how music can serve both the artist and the listener. He speaks openly about collaboration, ego, service over domination, and how one song unexpectedly became a lifeline for listeners recovering from eating disorders.The episode also dives into unconventional recording techniques, creative constraints, and Svavar’s belief that artists last longer when they build community rather than chase status. This is a rare, reflective conversation about what it actually means to live in service of music.This episode is emotionally grounded, quietly radical, and deeply relevant for musicians navigating purpose, longevity, and meaning in their work.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Welcome to the Oktaves podcast🎙️ Talks with musicians! Where we uplift local musicians voices.This podcast is about chatting about and sharing with each other tips and tricks on how to succeed in the music industry as an independent musician, with an emphasis on branding and marketing, and overall management, whether your goal is to stay forever independent or get label-ready. We are very passionate about breaking the cycle of gatekeeping in the industry, so we strive towards bringing you conversations where these layers of the onion will be peeled one by one.We are also here to uplift and shed light on independent (or previously independent) musicians in our community, who are so kind to share their struggles, their wins, successes, their strategies, and advice or some secrets possibly to how they got there.🔗 Follow Oktaves:https://instagram.com/withoktaveshttps://facebook.com/oktaveshttps://tiktok.com/@withoktaves

In today's Talks with Musicians we have Pierre Leck where we dive into the hidden side of streaming success, the single-driven label economy, networking over content creation, and the tension between creative integrity and industry expectations. Pierre also talks about his deeply personal piano project named after his wife, his relationship to live performance, and how Nordic influence subtly shapes his sound.Pierre Leck is a French multi-instrumentalist, producer, and songwriter based in Iceland whose music has quietly accumulated more than 200 million streams across multiple projects. In this episode of the Oktaves Podcast – Talks with Musicians, Pierre opens up about his long journey through production, collaboration, labels, and the reality of building a sustainable music career without chasing visibility.From starting out as a live musician to relocating to Berlin, then Iceland, Pierre shares how he transitioned into full-time production and songwriting. He reflects on why he prefers being heard rather than seen, how numbers affect access but not artistic quality, and what it feels like when your music ends up in TV shows without your name being widely known.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Welcome to the Oktaves podcast🎙️ Talks with musicians! Where we uplift local musicians voices.This podcast is about chatting about and sharing with each other tips and tricks on how to succeed in the music industry as an independent musician, with an emphasis on branding and marketing, and overall management, whether your goal is to stay forever independent or get label-ready. We are very passionate about breaking the cycle of gatekeeping in the industry, so we strive towards bringing you conversations where these layers of the onion will be peeled one by one.We are also here to uplift and shed light on independent (or previously independent) musicians in our community, who are so kind to share their struggles, their wins, successes, their strategies, and advice or some secrets possibly to how they got there.🔗 Follow Oktaves:https://instagram.com/withoktaveshttps://facebook.com/oktaveshttps://tiktok.com/@withoktaves

In this episode, I sit down with Chena, an African metal artist whose unexpected journey has taken her from LA to the Netherlands, Iceland, and now London. We talk about growing up African in America, discovering metal through MTV and early nu-metal, and how those influences shaped her identity as a musician.Chena shares her experience performing at Jared Dines’ Musician Mansion, building her symphonic metal band, and creating her project Chenaissence, the World of Chena. She opens up about finding her own voice in metal, the unique perspectives she brings to the genre, and how her global upbringing shaped her sound in ways most artists never experience.We also dive into her upcoming music, new releases, and the music video she is filming in Iceland — blending metal, storytelling, and the country’s dramatic landscapes.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Welcome to the Oktaves podcast🎙️ Talks with musicians! Where we uplift local musicians voices.This podcast is about chatting about and sharing with each other tips and tricks on how to succeed in the music industry as an independent musician, with an emphasis on branding and marketing, and overall management, whether your goal is to stay forever independent or get label-ready. We are very passionate about breaking the cycle of gatekeeping in the industry, so we strive towards bringing you conversations where these layers of the onion will be peeled one by one.We are also here to uplift and shed light on independent (or previously independent) musicians in our community, who are so kind to share their struggles, their wins, successes, their strategies, and advice or some secrets possibly to how they got there.🔗 Follow Oktaves:https://instagram.com/withoktaveshttps://facebook.com/oktaveshttps://tiktok.com/@withoktaves

Anya returns to the Oktaves Podcast – Talks with Musicians for a second interview, and this one goes deep into what independent musicians rarely say out loud: songs are emotional survival, but releases are expensive, slow, and full of “grown-up” logistics.We talk about Anya’s breakout fan-favorite “I Need Your Love”, written in 2019 during her first real experience with dating and obsession, then left unfinished until 2022. She entered it into a songwriting competition at MÍT (Icelandic College of Music) without even performing it for anyone first, and it won first place. That moment became the real birth of the song.Anya describes her songwriting as diary entries, built to process emotions she cannot explain in plain words. She shares the stories behind key tracks: moving from the East of Iceland to Reykjavík with depression and anxiety, writing an Icelandic drum-and-bass song about one-night stands, and a breakup track built from an intense “dance it away” survival phase.We also talk about one of her favorite unreleased songs, “Myrkfælni” (fear of the dark). It’s a drum-and-bass track about trauma work, triggers, and the moment someone becomes your light while you are still deep in your own darkness.On the practical side, Anya explains how releasing music shifted from fully independent (handling recording, mixing, mastering, metadata, and distribution admin alone) to signing a distribution deal through a connection with Iceland Sync. That deal opened doors to radio support, Iceland Airwaves opportunities, and wider visibility. She also shares the real reason TikTok became part of her strategy: seeing direct Spotify stream lifts through a structured daily TikTok posting plan with her Icelandic disco project Krish.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Welcome to the Oktaves podcast🎙️ Talks with musicians! Where we uplift local musicians voices.This podcast is about chatting about and sharing with each other tips and tricks on how to succeed in the music industry as an independent musician, with an emphasis on branding and marketing, and overall management, whether your goal is to stay forever independent or get label-ready. We are very passionate about breaking the cycle of gatekeeping in the industry, so we strive towards bringing you conversations where these layers of the onion will be peeled one by one.We are also here to uplift and shed light on independent (or previously independent) musicians in our community, who are so kind to share their struggles, their wins, successes, their strategies, and advice or some secrets possibly to how they got there.🔗 Follow Oktaves:https://instagram.com/withoktaveshttps://facebook.com/oktaveshttps://tiktok.com/@withoktaves

Gloey is an Icelandic non-binary, trans artist whose music blends intimacy, vulnerability, and queer love stories into soft, emotionally driven pop songwriting. In this episode of the Oktaves Podcast – Talks with Musicians, Gloey shares how they went from working full-time at Pink Iceland to releasing their first single and stepping onto major stages in a matter of months.We talk about their debut song “Away”, written as a voice-note-style love letter during a long-distance relationship, and how it unexpectedly became a queer love anthem embraced by the LGBTQIA+ community. Gloey opens up about confidence, identity, coming out as non-binary and trans alongside the start of their music career, and why visibility mattered before releasing anything.The conversation also explores performing “Away” live in radically different settings, from an intimate acoustic singer-songwriter night to performing in drag in front of thousands of people on the Reykjavík Pride main stage. We dive into their seven-year journey in drag, polyamory, queer spirituality, and upcoming songs that explore love, sex, grief, religion, and community with even deeper vulnerability.Gloey also speaks honestly about soft marketing, social media fatigue, supporting friends through streaming algorithms, and why three people truly loving a song can matter more than thousands of plays.----------------------------------------------------------------------Welcome to the Oktaves podcast🎙️ Talks with musicians! Where we uplift local musicians voices.This podcast is about chatting about and sharing with each other tips and tricks on how to succeed in the music industry as an independent musician, with an emphasis on branding and marketing, and overall management, whether your goal is to stay forever independent or get label-ready. We are very passionate about breaking the cycle of gatekeeping in the industry, so we strive towards bringing you conversations where these layers of the onion will be peeled one by one.We are also here to uplift and shed light on independent (or previously independent) musicians in our community, who are so kind to share their struggles, their wins, successes, their strategies, and advice or some secrets possibly to how they got there.🔗 Follow Oktaves:https://instagram.com/withoktaveshttps://facebook.com/oktaveshttps://tiktok.com/@withoktaves

Sæfari is the solo project of Atli, an Icelandic songwriter who returned to music after a 10-year break and released his debut album only a few months ago. In this episode of the Oktaves Podcast – Talks with Musicians, Atli shares the real story behind coming back, finishing what you started, and refusing to quit on yourself again.We talk about his early years as a guitarist in bands, stepping away from music in his early 20s, and how life took over: kids, a full-time career in software engineering, and years of silence. But the calling never left. Three years ago he started writing again and finally brought his debut record into the world.Atli breaks down what it took to move from “creative mode” into “release mode,” why promoting your own work can feel unnatural, and how he built a team around the project. He explains his collaboration with producer Siggi Sigurðsson (Hjálmar), how they shaped the sound while protecting emotion in the final mix, and how a music video turned into a full-blown filmmaking spark.We also get into Iceland Airwaves, industry mindset battles, working with Liberty Music PR for Spotify, radio, and press campaigns, and what’s next: live shows, more marketing abroad, and hopefully gigs outside Iceland (even after breaking his pinky finger).------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Welcome to the Oktaves podcast🎙️ Talks with musicians! Where we uplift local musicians voices.This podcast is about chatting about and sharing with each other tips and tricks on how to succeed in the music industry as an independent musician, with an emphasis on branding and marketing, and overall management, whether your goal is to stay forever independent or get label-ready. We are very passionate about breaking the cycle of gatekeeping in the industry, so we strive towards bringing you conversations where these layers of the onion will be peeled one by one.We are also here to uplift and shed light on independent (or previously independent) musicians in our community, who are so kind to share their struggles, their wins, successes, their strategies, and advice or some secrets possibly to how they got there.🔗 Follow Oktaves:https://instagram.com/withoktaveshttps://facebook.com/oktaveshttps://tiktok.com/@withoktaves

LadieLex is an Icelandic-born, Stockholm-based artist blending alternative rock and pop with vulnerability, big emotions, and a strong sense of identity. In this episode of the Oktaves Podcast – Talks with Musicians, LadieLex talks openly about building a solo career between two countries, doing everything herself, and learning to trust her voice after leaving a long-term band.We dive into her journey from touring with her former band Halvar to starting over as an independent artist, navigating the pandemic as a solo musician, and finding creative momentum during lockdown. She reflects on how her extroverted personality shows up in her music, why her songs always grow bigger than planned, and how vulnerability is a non-negotiable part of her sound.The conversation also explores her life between Iceland and Sweden, how language and culture shape identity, and the contrast between the Reykjavík and Stockholm music scenes. LadieLex shares insights into DIY booking, working without a manager or label, and slowly evolving her live setup from solo performance to adding live drums.We also talk about her recent releases, including her cover of “Silence” by Delerium and her original single “Time Taker”, her upcoming EP planned for 2025, and why live shows can never be replaced by digital formats.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Welcome to the Oktaves podcast🎙️ Talks with musicians! Where we uplift local musicians voices.This podcast is about chatting about and sharing with each other tips and tricks on how to succeed in the music industry as an independent musician, with an emphasis on branding and marketing, and overall management, whether your goal is to stay forever independent or get label-ready. We are very passionate about breaking the cycle of gatekeeping in the industry, so we strive towards bringing you conversations where these layers of the onion will be peeled one by one.We are also here to uplift and shed light on independent (or previously independent) musicians in our community, who are so kind to share their struggles, their wins, successes, their strategies, and advice or some secrets possibly to how they got there.🔗 Follow Oktaves:https://instagram.com/withoktaveshttps://facebook.com/oktaveshttps://tiktok.com/@withoktaves

Gísli Gunnarsson is an Icelandic composer and artist whose sound lives between modern classical, post-rock, cinematic orchestration, and metal-adjacent storytelling. In this episode of the Oktaves Podcast – Talks with Musicians, Gísli breaks down how he builds songs like films, why dynamics matter (fragile to crushing), and how his metal roots shaped his taste without limiting his writing.We talk about his recent shift into sync work and trailer remixes, sparked by an Iceland Airwaves masterclass with Iceland Music and a sync consultant who immediately pointed him toward trailer music. Gísli explains the real-world path into that space, what he can and cannot share, and why being in the right rooms (and being a good person) actually changes outcomes.He also shares the story behind his last album, a collaboration-heavy project where nearly every guest said yes, turning what he thought would be an EP into a full album (even a double LP). Each track was released as a single to give every collaborator their own moment, while building momentum in a singles-first world.Then it gets personal: on release day, Gísli had to evacuate his home in Grindavík, the volcano town. Marketing stopped. Life took over. That experience now drives a new album written across the last year, themed around eruption, loss of home, and rebuilding.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Welcome to the Oktaves podcast🎙️ Talks with musicians! Where we uplift local musicians voices.This podcast is about chatting about and sharing with each other tips and tricks on how to succeed in the music industry as an independent musician, with an emphasis on branding and marketing, and overall management, whether your goal is to stay forever independent or get label-ready. We are very passionate about breaking the cycle of gatekeeping in the industry, so we strive towards bringing you conversations where these layers of the onion will be peeled one by one.We are also here to uplift and shed light on independent (or previously independent) musicians in our community, who are so kind to share their struggles, their wins, successes, their strategies, and advice or some secrets possibly to how they got there.🔗 Follow Oktaves:https://instagram.com/withoktaveshttps://facebook.com/oktaveshttps://tiktok.com/@withoktaves

Mario Infantes is an Iceland-based musician best known as the former vocalist of the death metal band Cult of Lilith, signed to Metal Blade Records. After burnout, a cancelled U.S. tour, and losing his voice after COVID, Mario rebuilt his creative life from the ground up and created a solo project that blends progressive metal, folk instruments, Middle Eastern and Indian influences, ambient textures, and cinematic storytelling.In this episode of the Oktaves Podcast – Talks with Musicians, Mario talks about the real work behind reinvention: learning to write full songs (not just vocals), producing alone, protecting the joy of music, and releasing an album that refuses to fit into one box.He shares the behind-the-scenes chaos of shooting music videos in Iceland’s winter, how a jazz concert in Utrecht became a spiritual turning point, and why music became devotion instead of a career metric. We also go deep on his upcoming album Bakur (8 tracks, summer 2025), his writing process (stories, images, single lines that turn into worlds), and how he blends real instruments like oud, handpan, flutes, woodwinds, lyre harp, alongside heavy guitars and metal drums recorded by specialists.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Welcome to the Oktaves podcast🎙️ Talks with musicians! Where we uplift local musicians voices.This podcast is about chatting about and sharing with each other tips and tricks on how to succeed in the music industry as an independent musician, with an emphasis on branding and marketing, and overall management, whether your goal is to stay forever independent or get label-ready. We are very passionate about breaking the cycle of gatekeeping in the industry, so we strive towards bringing you conversations where these layers of the onion will be peeled one by one.We are also here to uplift and shed light on independent (or previously independent) musicians in our community, who are so kind to share their struggles, their wins, successes, their strategies, and advice or some secrets possibly to how they got there.🔗 Follow Oktaves:https://instagram.com/withoktaveshttps://facebook.com/oktaveshttps://tiktok.com/@withoktaves

Anthe is a Belgian singer-songwriter, pianist, and composer with roots in Italy, now based in Iceland. In this episode of the Oktaves Podcast – Talks with Musicians, Anthe opens up about her lifelong relationship with music, her deep connection to Iceland and Nordic soundscapes, and her desire to create music that feels like stepping into a dream world.From playing piano and singing on stage at four years old to studying music at university, Anthe shares how classical piano, experimental techniques, and songwriting shaped her voice. She talks about Björk as a lifelong influence, why Iceland felt like a magnetic place she needed to experience, and how nature, space, and silence affect her creativity.The conversation explores her writing process starting from piano improvisation, working with strings and string quartets, prepared piano, sampling organic sounds, and building songs that breathe rather than follow strict pop formulas. Anthe also reflects on performing in intimate spaces like chapels, filling rooms through live performance rather than algorithms, and the challenge of having too much unreleased music waiting on her laptop.A thoughtful, poetic episode about curiosity, imagination, and building a musical world that invites listeners to slow down and feel.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Welcome to the Oktaves podcast🎙️ Talks with musicians! Where we uplift local musicians voices.This podcast is about chatting about and sharing with each other tips and tricks on how to succeed in the music industry as an independent musician, with an emphasis on branding and marketing, and overall management, whether your goal is to stay forever independent or get label-ready. We are very passionate about breaking the cycle of gatekeeping in the industry, so we strive towards bringing you conversations where these layers of the onion will be peeled one by one.We are also here to uplift and shed light on independent (or previously independent) musicians in our community, who are so kind to share their struggles, their wins, successes, their strategies, and advice or some secrets possibly to how they got there.🔗 Follow Oktaves:https://instagram.com/withoktaveshttps://facebook.com/oktaveshttps://tiktok.com/@withoktaves

In this first episode of Oktaves Podcast – Talks with Musicians, I sit down with Atli, a soulful Icelandic singer songwriter whose journey has taken him from a small town in the north of Iceland to London, and soon to New York. His music lives somewhere between Bon Iver and Ed Sheeran, blending intimate indie folk textures with strong, emotional pop songwriting.We talk about how growing up in a town of 3,000 people shaped his view of music, why he moved countries just to stay close to his producer, and how his song "Gone Halo" ended up on the NBC series Found through a wild sync licensing story involving Ingrooves, Virgin, and Universal. Atli opens up about heartbreak, isolation during COVID, writing his first album Epilogue for Something Beautiful in a garage after long Fortnite sessions, and how that track became the soundtrack to powerful scenes on American TV.We also dive into his move to London for his bachelor’s in songwriting, his upcoming move to Berklee in New York, his release strategy using TikTok, Instagram, and SubmitHub, and why he thinks education about the music business is missing in Iceland. Atli talks about his favorite upcoming single, his second album, and the dream of building live shows around every release.If you love emotional indie pop, Bon Iver inspired vocals, Ed Sheeran style songwriting, or want to understand how sync deals and playlists really happen for independent artists, this conversation is for you.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Welcome to the Oktaves podcast🎙️ Talks with musicians! Where we uplift local musicians voices.This podcast is about chatting about and sharing with each other tips and tricks on how to succeed in the music industry as an independent musician, with an emphasis on branding and marketing, and overall management, whether your goal is to stay forever independent or get label-ready. We are very passionate about breaking the cycle of gatekeeping in the industry, so we strive towards bringing you conversations where these layers of the onion will be peeled one by one.We are also here to uplift and shed light on independent (or previously independent) musicians in our community, who are so kind to share their struggles, their wins, successes, their strategies, and advice or some secrets possibly to how they got there.🔗 Follow Oktaves:https://instagram.com/withoktaveshttps://facebook.com/oktaveshttps://tiktok.com/@withoktaves