The song “Par savu zemi vačet” was created in collaboration with producer Reini Brigi, who has been Mika Galvanovski’s comrade-in-arms for years – dozens of songs have been created together. “Reina and I worked together for the first time in a patriotic mood,” admits Mick. His very first publicly released song was also patriotic – it was “Latvija” released in November 2015 (at that time Mick was a soloist in the group “Ne citu rīt”). This same niche also includes the version of the folk song “Div’ dūjīņas gaisā sāļa” released in November 2017 (yes, November again!), which Mick sang together with the “Jauno mūziķių aviņību”.
The new song “Par savo zemi vakant” is a slightly different story. “I wrote the words on a warm June evening, and they almost came to me by themselves,” recalls Mick. “I was still in a kind of ecstasy of patriotism after the recent hockey championship, and it all just spilled out on paper. In each of the verses, I reflected some of the close and Latvian values, but as the main motive of the song I chose the line of the first verse “to call my land”, because this phrase means the most in my eyes and includes all feelings – both language and traditions, everything that makes to feel that I belong to Latvia.”
If you were in ecstasy of patriotism after the hockey championship, does that mean that another song was born after the basketball championship?
It was all in one boat – this year’s patriotic mood, strengthened by our results in sports. In this sense, I have always been a patriot, followed the progress of our athletes and sympathized with them as a fan, but this time something special for us – as people say? – the stars fell into place and it was a very good year. And this success raised the wave of emotions even higher. If you are a patriot every day, but suddenly everyone around you becomes one too, then this feeling is completely different.
How does your patriotism manifest itself in everyday life?
I don’t usually talk about it out loud, but it is, starting from the language I speak and the words I use in my speech, to the fact that I have built all my businesses directly in Latvia (he is also actively involved in Ukrainian support measures, participating in charity concerts, donating financial resources and giving jobs to asylum seekers from Ukraine – aut.) and I also create music only in Latvian, etc. All this forms the general position about the country.
In March of this year, you released the song “Freedom”, which can also be recorded in the patriotic list: although it was initially conceived as a tribute to the time restrictions of covid, later it already acquired the context of the Ukrainian war.
Yes, it all kind of came together. If during covid the song was conceived because I, like many others, just wanted to get out of the four walls, then by the time it was released, the song took on a completely different meaning. Being trapped within four walls is a complete and utter trifle compared to what it’s like to be oppressed! This time has made me truly appreciate how grateful we can be to live in a free country and to be able to create our own stories in peace.
As far as I understand, you plan to release an album at the end of this year?
Well, yes, you know how – you have to manage to publish it before the deadline for submission to the “Golden Microphone” (laughs)! That’s why at the moment I’m a bit like a pedal stuck in the floor – the album is already practically prepared, there’s still work to be done on the details and there’s nothing to delay – it must be submitted for evaluation already this year. What then will I wait a year for those nominations?! I will submit a rock music album in the nomination.
Isn’t this gas pedal pressed on the “Supernova” as well? Many listeners still remember you for the song “I’m Just A Sinner”, with which you won fourth place in this contest in 2022.
I’m still feeling a little bit about the “supernova” issue. Some demo versions of the songs have been prepared, but the question is still in my head, should I do it at all or not. But there is still a little more than half a month left [līdz dziesmu iesniegšanas termiņa beigām], so there is still time to do a lot. By the way, the song “I’m Just A Sinner” was also written from A to Z in three days. I usually act impulsively. For me to start writing a song already at the beginning of the year – no, it’s not for me! If the song will come, it will come, and usually they really only come in the last week before the final deadlines (smiles).
Next spring, you have a concert tour planned for the biggest cities of Latvia. What do you intend to offer the listeners?
This tour is planned around urban nightclubs, because the majority of my audience until now was – and still is – young people. Let’s “rest” together! But after the single [“Par savu zemi saukt”] release and the great demand for it, we are already starting to think about a concert that would also be suitable for a different kind of audience.
Success in “Supernova” and several successful singles, an album released some time ago, three prestigious entertainment venues in Old Riga, including the former “Pulkvedis” or the current “Pandemonium” – where did such a lucky man come from?!
I’ve been here all along, just maybe not as visible to a wider audience. When I moved from Jelgava to Riga at the age of 16, I started acting in the field of theater and entertainment, but I played in cafes and restaurants [pazīstamu dziesmu] covers etc. And so gradually, little by little – concert after concert, audience after audience, then I started to be invited to bigger entertainment venues as well. I played in them, they also invited me elsewhere. I started working in nightclubs, then I got tired of making money for others and started making money for myself by opening my own establishments and continuing to play music at the same time. Everything has moved up in a smooth curve, as it should be (smiles).
It all sounds so simple and self-explanatory in your story, but you are still only 25 years old!
Yes, everything happens to me because I didn’t brake! As I sometimes laugh – it was also in a Rolik (roland če – author) song – I’m here for good, not for a long time (laughs)! When something starts to happen and develop, then I tend to do everything to the absolute maximum. I’m not a fan of stability – if I see an opportunity, I take it and use it. The time of Covid opened up many different opportunities to develop in the field of business, besides, it gave what others were afraid of – it gave an opportunity to take risks! And I did. Like in roulette – place a bet on black or red and see what happens – the chances are all 50:50! I managed somehow in the end.
It seems to me that you succeed all the time!
No, it’s not that beautiful, I was forced to sell one business. I had four pubs – plus the Thirsty bar (the others are The Sinners Club, The Sinners Bar and Pandemonium – aut.), but I quickly realized that I didn’t want to get away with catering. My dad once told me: if a business doesn’t make a profit in two years, then everything is bad. In this particular case, that’s exactly what happened, but I’m not over it. You have to get rid of toxic relationships in time (laughs)!
You mentioned theatrical things – these skills are probably very useful for you now in the 360TV musical show “Duel of Generations”.
Everything about this show is very cool! I was invited to it, and the audience and probably the inviters themselves were surprised by what I was doing there. Most people think that I only know how to shout and perform rock music, but it turns out that I also have all kinds of other vocal timbres hidden in the air (smiles).
Coming back to patriotism, how will you celebrate the national holiday this year? Although – on Friday, your “The Sinners Club” will have its four-year anniversary, so you probably won’t be a big celebrant…
No, no, everything will be fine with me – I will celebrate and everything (laughs)! I have concerts both on Lāčplēš Day and on November 18, but I will definitely celebrate national holidays as well. November 11th will probably be celebrated a little simpler this time – after the concert I’ll just go to put candles on the waterfront, but on November 18th I’ll go visit my family. We always have a beautiful table on holidays – peas with lard and other national dishes. Will be fine!
In conclusion, the very last, most significant and most important question, which everyone and always asks you, and which everyone and always wants to hear over and over again, so – is your mustache real?
Yes, real (laughs). How many centimeters long are they? Oh, I haven’t measured that! Usually, when a man says “no, I haven’t measured” about this and that, it’s a lie, but I really haven’t measured the mustache (laughs)!
2023-11-12 03:15:25
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