I feel like I'm still learning a lot with writing lyrics. In the beginning, like the first record, I wasn't so aware.

Yukimi Nagano

Categorized in : Firsts Writing Records

Keeping your sanity is sometimes stalling the business aspect of things and being OK with saying no to certain things. Sometimes I just need to be home and write in my diary every day and take long walks. Or just dancing - I have a few dancer friends, and I go to their places and drink tea, and put on these long electronic mixes; maybe smoke a joint, you know? I like to be in nature, and swim in the Swedish sea, and spend time with family.

home writing long

For us, as artists, our goal isn't to forever try to play at the biggest venue ever. Our goal is to make music and keep pushing ourselves creatively, whether it gets attention or not. If we get to do that without being broke? That's our goal. And that may not mean that's going to result in us playing the biggest venue in the world.

artist goal mean

On stage, that for me is a space I really love to be in. It's a time to really get drawn into the music and the moment with my friends. It's the best reminder of the reason why we're doing what we're doing.

moments reason

I think most people are many-sided; you have your evil side, your happy side, your spaced-out side. You try to stay on the positive side more - I mean, I try to - but I think we all have those different faces of ourselves.

mean people thinking

I think we're a little bit protective in that way. You're always trying to balance between what's spreading the word about the band and what's good money and what's a shitty look. Is this good for the longevity of the band? Do people even care these days? We care, but do we care more about the money? We've had a lot of discussions about things. It gets us into a lot of fights, but it also makes you question your own morals in a really good way.

fighting people thinking

Have your own definition of success. Figure it out for yourself. If you really want to be the next Rihanna or whatever you've got to understand what that takes. Or if you want to be the Brian Eno - or whatever it is - who knows? Define for yourself what success means.

mean

I never listen to any of my music after it comes out, unless I hear it in a cafe or whatever. I'll think, "I forgot how it was so slow or how minimal it felt compared to how it's become live," because you start having a relationship to the songs live. After an album is finished, I really let go.

letting-go song thinking

What does success look like for you? Maybe your definition of success is too different from what the label defines as success. Perhaps your definition of success is simply being able to live off your art for the rest of your days. Don't get caught up in this crazy business. I'd say that's one of the most important things.

crazy important art

I think it is really helpful to see the beauty in every situation. I guess it's being able to see it in unexpected places. If you're fed too much of an image of what beauty is then you might define it as a certain specific thing, but when you have your own idea of what it is, or your own feelings of what beauty is, then it becomes so wide and so indefinable.

unexpected feelings thinking

I feel like fans really want to spread the word about the band. I guess when you've done three records, you feel that you really start to appreciate it. We're looking at it all and it's just like, wow. You appreciate it differently when you work hard for it.

appreciate hard-work done

There are times when we in Little Dragon write from scratch together, but everyone has their own lives, so it just seems to make sense when everyone starts an idea on their own and we sort of meet somewhere along the way. I'm at the studio all the time because I live there, but the guys will have different schedules. It's easier to start an idea with your own thoughts, rather than having to compromise from the start.

guy together writing

Once you've had a real taste of touring it's like, "Okay, it's pretty amazing that we have real fans and we can go out and play shows," but you start to feel a personal need, like, "Okay, I think it's time to go home for a minute."

real home thinking

It's hard to start and think about having balance. Music is a tough industry, and you have to work your way to that luxury.

tough balance thinking

A good collaboration I think it's really, truly a vibe thing. The people who are most excited about collaborations are people in the business, people who are thinking, "This is going to be great press," or, "This is going to expose you to all these people you haven't reached before." I prefer not to think like that. I'm more, if you meet the person, you like the person, you've talked to them, you feel connected, you feel like there's a creative exchange, then it kind of happens by itself. I'm open to it, but it has to feel right. If it feels forced, then I'm fearful of doing it.

creative people thinking

We've been fortunate enough to have a lot of people to ask us to be on their records - so many artists and musicians that we really respect and look up to. And it's been really special. But from our side, there's so much that we in the Little Dragon are still learning about ourselves writing-wise that I guess we haven't had that need.

artist special people

There were choices that we've made as a Little Dragon, that we had to make at the time because we needed the money. I think everything has its context. It is way easier to say no to things now then it was five years ago, for sure. Back then we were grabbing at every opportunity we could just to sustain a name and let people know, "Hello, hello! We're here! Look at us!" It's really sort of taken its time and grown, and it's been a very step-by-step process.

taken opportunity thinking

It can be tricky with branding these days, because everything is... by Yukimi Nagano

It can be tricky with branding these days, because everything is kind of branded.

branding tricky kind

I feel like there are a lot of artists that you could put together that you love, but it doesn't necessarily mean it's going to make amazing music. Giving an artist a great theme to write about doesn't mean the song's going to be good.

artist writing mean

Maybe it's easier to have that desire guest-spot-packed album, for example, you're a rapper and you need someone to sing the hook. I guess for us, it just kind of feels like we want to explore ourselves more. That sounds kind of cheesy, but I don't know. I have a lot of artists whose music I have this perfect relationship with, and I don't really feel like I need to meet them or get to know them or write with them because of it.

rapper artist writing

I am a creative person and it's important for me to get that out there, kind of like eating food. It's something I need to do to feel happy. It's some kind of drive and I don't know how to explain what the reason is, but it's something I have a need to do.

important kind creative