Yesterday, Herald Scotland released an interview with Natalia Tena, discussing Tena’s role as front woman of the band Molotov Jukebox, and her role as Tonks in Harry Potter and Osha in Game of Thrones.
In the run-up to the release of their second album (‘Tropical Gypsy’), Tena’s band (for which she sings and plays accordion) are playing a series of exclusive UK shows, and Tena talks about her choice of King Tut’s for their Glasglow venue tonight (1st December):
“King Tut’s has such a heavy historical musical pedigree that it’s a real honour to be part of it,” Tena says. “Everyone on the circuit has stories and fond memories of playing there. Its reputation is such that even down here in London the name carries some serious weight.
“We had an amazing time when we played there in 2013. It seems to really epitomise the warmth and fun of the city as a whole. I hope we can get the fans dancing and smiling as much as we did last time.”
On the development of the band:
‘”Over the years that we have been playing and developing our own idiosyncratic sound, we have used a variety of different labels to try and sum it up, all of which have been somehow unsatisfactory”, she says.
“We feel that with this one we have finally hit the nail on the head. It’s Latin/Balkan fusion with London roots.
“What really gets our juices flowing is that beautiful dichotomy, which is prevalent in both Eastern European and Latin musical cultures, of dark, real emotional content in lyrics, something that is sadly lacking in a lot of current pop music, alongside music that drives your feet on the dance floor into a frenzy. It’s this feeling, reinterpreted through a London mindset.
“It is essentially sticking two musical fingers up at the hardships of life, and the cherry on top of that, death itself.”‘
…
‘The new record has been inspired by the band’s travels and desire to showcase their musical heritage, passions and trademark sound.’
On whether she will be returning to her role as ‘Osha’ in the sixth season of Game of Thrones:
‘”I can’t tell you about that I’m afraid, sworn to secrecy. Anyway, no-one wants to spoil a good surprise!”, Tena says.
“When it comes to the show, what is one of its greatest strengths is that you never know what could happen next. I cannot wait to see the next season and read the next book.”‘
Tena also spoke about the influence of Harry Potter and Game of Thrones on her own life, and on her band’s success:
‘”It has opened doors that would have been closed to me and brought such exciting projects and adventures to my doorstep, not to mention the incredible fans that have found our music through it”, she says.
“I feel bl**dy humbled and honoured.”‘
Read the full interview here!