What is your name?
I am known as ‘WaTa’, born as Tamas Varga.
What is your genre of music?
I’d say electronica in general, probably broken beat, organic house, IDM, that kind of stuff.
Give us a little bio about you.
I was born and raised in Hungary, started to study music from the early age of 6. I started with classical piano and percussion but slowly got into music production and more contemporary genres, from hip-hop all the way to the UK electronic music genres, house and electronica.
What made you go into music?
I guess music was just always around when I was a little kid as my parents are very musical. I went crazy about a lot of music they listened to back then, probably that’s what made me want to study music. It was just completely natural for me to go on that path.
Who are your influences?
I am always more influenced by individual songs and trends rather than actual artists but if I have to mention some big names who are on a path that seems the closest to what I am after I’ll probably go for Machinedrum, Bonobo and Flume. Then there are tons of artists who inspire me with their unique sounds and special elements they use but there’s simply not enough space here to mention them all.
Are you signed?
I am an independent artist but I work with labels on a per project basis which is probably the best of both worlds. I’ve been lucky to be able to partner up with some awesome labels around the world, it’s just a way to keep my releases colourful and interesting.
You released your new EP ‘Inner City Blues’, tell us more about the EP.
The EP was long due in the sense that it’s kind of a way for me to process the pandemic. It’s not at all limited to the virus and makes complete sense without that context but it was heavily influenced by the sudden change of the “normal” way of living, especially in the big city for the more sociable kind of people. Each track processes a different aspect of the pandemic living, from missing the most basic human interactions (ChitChat, Virtual) all the way to the upside-down way of a Sunday or dreaming and planning ahead in an uncertain situation (What If).
What is the meaning behind the EP?
The meaning or message behind ‘Inner City Blues’ is probably just a general reminder for all of us busy people to appreciate the small everyday things that make us happy. You never know when everything goes upside down.
What was the writing and recording process like?
The writing process was pretty quick and straightforward. Usually I can finish stuff pretty quickly when there’s a theme for the release, like it’s one EP or one genre, etc. On the other hand there are a lot of featuring artists on the EP and it wasn’t easy to organise studio sessions in the middle of the pandemic. Some of the collaborations happened completely online, for example Àbáse lives in Berlin and couldn’t get home for a long time during that period but in other cases we were able to get in the studio in masks. It was a very hectic process but surprisingly it doesn’t show on the final release.
Describe each track in two words.
ChitChat: people, nightlife
Virtual: online, fake
Sunday: busy, relaxed
What if: dreams, future
Who did you work with on the EP?
I was lucky enough to work with some fine musicians of the Hungarian jazz and pop scene. I’m even more lucky to be able to call most of these guys my friends and that they are in love with these tracks as much as I am.
Will we see a Music video any of the tracks from ‘Inner City Blues’, If so what can we expect from the creative process?
We released a live-session video for ChitChat to show all the bits and bobs behind the song. You can hear an amazing improvisation on the flute by Fanni Zahar and see me get around on the many instruments used in the track. The video was recorded in the world famous Holiday Studio in Budapest.
Do you have any live shows or a tour coming up and if so let us know where we can catch you at?
I have a lot of DJ sets coming up in the near future in smaller clubs in Hungary but I expect to have some gigs around Europe later this year. Please follow me on Instagram to hear about all the news and new releases first hand!
What else can we expect in 2022?
I have 2 more EP’s already lined up for this year but a lot more planned. I’ll also spend more time making video content about my creative process and there’s at least one music video in my schedule. Oh yeah, loads of remixes are in the making for the most different artists.
Where do you see yourself now in 5 Years?
I really hope to constantly be growing my fanbase in the next 5 years worldwide and to be able to play at the biggest festivals around. I should build up the courage to make a full length album in 5 years and have a lot of releases with some great labels. Basically I see myself in a similar position but on a whole different level.
What quote or saying do you always stick by?
“Mindent be kell adni” in Hungarian which is something I made up that translates to something like “you need to a give a try to everything” – do first, reconsider after.
When you are at a gig, what are 5 things you cannot forget?
Pendrive, headphones, a beer, a towel and a backup t-shirt as I get really active during my sets.
Do you have social media accounts so your fans can follow you?
Please follow me on Instagram for up to date info and extra content, and follow my artist profile on Spotify for all my releases so far!
