The Sound of Honesty: An Interview with Magda

Emerging from Germany’s vibrant new wave of pop artists, Magda has carved out a space for herself with music that feels deeply personal yet relatable. Her sounds blend intimate, introspective lyrics with modern production. Whether she’s singing about vulnerability or self-discovery, Magda approaches her songwriting with raw honesty that resonates with audiences seeking something genuine. We caught up with her about her beginnings as a musician, her creative process and the experiences that she has made so far along the way.

HERE'S THE FULL INTERVIEW: 

Frederike: Magda, how are you doing between the release, promotional phase, and tour preparations?

Magda: I'm trying to keep up. I just came from Linz, in Upper Austria, because I started rehearsals there at the theater. I've been rehearsing for three days and now I'm on the road again. That means I'm a little overwhelmed. However, there are some truly remarkable and surprising developments that I would never have expected two years ago. So, of course, it's all really wonderful. I'm kind of swimming through it, being swept along.

Frederike: And how would you describe Magda in three words? 

Magda: That's difficult. Should I use adjectives?

Frederike: Whatever you like, many have distinguished between personal and musical so far. 

Magda: Yes, totally. Musically, I would describe myself as experimental and vulnerable. And trying not to be kitschy, because I try not to be too kitschy, but I always end up being a little bit of it.

Frederike: What exactly is kitsch for you?

Magda: Well, kitsch is just this exaggerated, over-the-top expression of something beautiful. I think that the combination of my voice with so many string elements somehow makes many people think of Disney or something like that. But I'm not really a Disney person myself. That's why I always think that people find it kitschy. But I think it's probably meant more as a compliment.

Frederike: Many people stop taking lessons or playing their instrument during puberty, especially if they started as children. Did you have those thoughts too?

Magda: Well, I continued playing, but I never practiced. I kept playing because it was my thing, and I received a lot of encouragement from others. I think that got me through puberty. When I was younger, I also had this dream of becoming a professional violinist. Eventually, I realized what it meant to practice for eight hours a day and be very isolated from the world; it wasn't really my thing. You devote yourself 100% to the instrument and play the works of other composers, and I didn't want that. I preferred to play and improvise on my own.

Frederike: And was there a key moment when you realized that you didn't just want to play other people's music, but also wanted to make your own? 

Magda: There wasn't one specific moment. Of course, as is probably the case for many people, there's a lot of charm in writing your own stuff and especially allowing yourself to do that. The other question is whether to publish it. That's the next big step. But more importantly, just writing on your own and realizing that what you're doing is legitimate. I think a lot of it came from the fact that I distanced myself a little from the violin and sat down at the piano. So naturally, my first songs came from heartbreak and despair, where I felt compelled to put it into a song. I wrote them in English and they're very strange songs, but I used to post them from time to time on my private story, which had 20 followers, just to test whether they had any value. It was mainly for my own benefit to deal with things. I think it came more from my own intuition, rather than a “okay, I'm going to make my own music now” perspective. It was always there, and I improvised a lot, including with lyrics. 

Frederike: How do you go about writing your songs? Are you someone who always has their cell phone with them and when lyrics come to mind, you write them down in the Notes app? Or do you write by hand?

Magda: Well, I have lots of sentences that I like in my phone. I always collect beautiful things in different languages. I find that in German, it's not always easy to make the language sound beautiful, or at least not in the way I would like to. It's usually a quiet moment when I'm all alone at the piano that I can really let it flow. Nowadays, I have been able to slowly start writing in the studio when there's someone else in the room I trust. It requires a trigger, an emotional moment, or a specific situation. I have a note with a bunch of sentences jumbled together and sometimes they inspire me to think, "I'm going to turn this into something bigger." I try to turn that sentence and that feeling into a song.

Frederike: Your lyrics are very personal. Where do you draw the line between what is too personal for you?

Magda: I think that's exactly what I'm still searching for. I try to do that in my lyrics in a way. For example, I refrain from mentioning any names. It's not quite as literary, but somehow more universal for me. That's the boundary I have set for myself. It's very important to be honest and vulnerable; it’s also part of my job when I say I want people to empathize. Then I have to make myself vulnerable too. So, in a way, I put myself at the service of the cause and expose everything. Even when I'm on stage, it's just me. I feel like I'm exposing myself in a way that allows others to empathize. The moment of publication is the moment when it's no longer personal. But when I write, I don't think about whether I'm saying too much or too little. I think about the process and not the result. I think it's super important to stay with the process. It's super important to make yourself vulnerable, because it happens very rarely these days that you're really vulnerable.

Frederike: You just mentioned releases. So, before it slips my mind again: Congratulations! You've just released your new EP, "Pflaster" (Band-Aid). Are you trying to heal any wounds with it, or how did you come up with the title?

Magda: Pflaster is an attempt at healing. An attempt to see the little lights, to see the little glimmers, to see the little glimpses. Nevertheless, I feel that there is a great deal of pain in every song. Most of the songs contain some kind of pain or vulnerability and I think they're connected. When I feel a lot, it also makes me very vulnerable. I feel that it was important to me in this EP not just to open up wounds and point them out, not just to say, 'Here's my pain,’ but also to deal with it somehow. Perhaps the EP can help not just me, but others as well. That's why I called it Pflaster.

Frederike: Do you have a personal favorite song on the EP?

Magda: For a long time, it was "Zeig mir" (Show Me), but now it's slowly becoming "Pflaster" again. I have a strong connection to Pflaster; somehow, I think it was also the first song on the EP that I wrote.

Frederike: With "Zeig mir," you're making a strong queer statement. To what extent is it important to you to convey such statements about your songs in the music scene? 

Magda: I want to be loud about my queerness, because that’s my identity. When I write a love song, it's automatically queer. And of course, in a way, it's also an ode to queer love. So, for me, it's also a conscious decision to say that I'm not talking about the pain of being queer, but rather about the reality. I'm not sure how to put it, but I feel that when I'm in a relationship, it automatically goes beyond the norm because it's not typically viewed as such. There aren't that many rules about what this love should look like. At the end of the day, I want queer people to feel at home and comfortable with my music.

Frederike: And you've already been on tour. With Berq and recently as the support act for Provinz in Berlin. What are some of the things you've learned that will help you prepare for your own tour?

Magda: So, first of all, I was standing in front of a huge crowd. That's the first thing, that was crazy. I'm extremely grateful to Provinz for sharing the stage with me, and to Berq as well. It really boosted my self-confidence. Playing support isn't always the most rewarding thing, especially when you make weird, niche music like I do. It's clear that it won't automatically appeal to the masses. It gave me a lot of confidence that my music can fill a room and that I can be myself on stage. I was on tour with Berq as a violinist and had many conversations about the beauty, but also the crudeness that comes with it all. I feel like I've also gathered a handful of people I can turn to when I'm unsure about what to do. 

Frederike: And you're going on your first solo tour in the spring. What can we expect? What can people look forward to?

Magda: I'm going to put on a show! I'm really excited about it. I really want to create an intimate space. I study acting, and I do a lot of big things on stage; I think that's reflected in my music. I'm looking forward to having my own stage. I already have lots of ideas. It's going to be emotional, but it's going to be a lot of fun. I hope to create a space where everyone feels comfortable.

Frederike: I always feel like there's a secret fan favorite song on every tour. It doesn't always have to be the most well-known one, but a song that many people want to hear played live. Which one do you think it will be on your tour?

Magda: There's a song I posted on TikTok once. Just recently, at my release concert, everyone wanted to hear it as an encore. I wasn’t able to play it then, but I'm thinking about playing it on tour, and that would definitely be the fan favorite.

Frederike: What song is that?

Magda: It's a song about a car. A very banal song, but somehow the fans just like it because it’s a fun song. However, I’m not sure how I feel about it yet. We'll see what happens. But I hope to release a few more songs by then, maybe one of them will be it.

Frederike: What's next in your life after your EP release? What else can we look forward to?

Magda: Well, I'll continue my studies for now. I'm not currently on the road and hope to be in the studio as much as possible. And try completely new things. I'm really afraid of limiting myself. I require a significant amount of studio time. First rehearsals, then for the tour.

Frederike: Okay, and to finish off on a lighthearted note: You have the aux cable at a house party, but no one knows you have it. What guilty pleasure song do you play?

Magda: I think the Bibi & Tina title track. Maybe with a good techno beat underneath it.

Frederike: Hahaha, great choice! Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Magda: I'm looking forward to everything that's coming, especially to playing the Reeperbahn Festival tonight, it’s going to be great! And please listen to my new EP, "Pflaster".

Frederike: Thank you very much for taking the time! And good luck with your performance later, we're excited!

LISTEN TO MAGDA'S NEW EP HERE:

WANT TO SEE MORE OF MAGDA? HERE ARE ALL THE PICTURES: