Ana Mladinovici

Ana Mladinovici
Interview By Black Kitty


1. What exactly made you become a singer?


Can you tell us something about your studies and your training? I remember that as a child I would often sing around the house together with my father who was acompanying me with his guitar. I can't say I was thinking of becoming a singer, I just know I loved singing and everybody around me was telling me I had a very beautiful voice.


2. You have a very beautiful voice, no doubt of that. How do you take care of your voice? Do you have any special techniques of practicing? How often do you practice? Thank you very much for saying that. I can't say I have some kind of special ritual for studying or for protecting my voice. It's recomended to take some good medication and have a voice-break when you have voice problems. I don’t think there is a day passing by without singing. It’s very important to practice, that’s the only way to get better and better.


3. Which were your best moments on the stage? It's hard to talk about a certain moment, because I always feel great on the stage.


4. Tell us something about Magica. Who is "the brain" of the band, how do you feel singing with this band and how is the atmosphere inside the band? How do you get along with your band-mates, considering that you are the only girl? Bogdan is the one who started the band Magica, the one who composes the music and writes the lyrics. He is the brain, the rest of us only bring a little of our personality to his music and do our best to make it sound as good as possible. The fact that we are all friends is very important. You can feel that in the air when we're rehearsing or touring. Of course this doesn't mean we don't have our small quarrels I can't say it's easy to be the only lady in the band, because sometimes, especially when we're touring, I need to have another girl near me... but this is it... I got used to this and I educated myself to get along with five males.


5. What can you tell us about Magica's latest album, Hereafter? The new Magica album, "Hereafter", is our first material which will have a worldwide release and our first album released by Afm Records. Musically, Hereafter is a more mature album in which Magica defines its own style.


6. Last year, Magica went on tour with After Forever. What do you think about this tour and what is your opinion about Floor Jansen? The last year tour was a very interesting experience. I had learned a lot of things about the world of metal music and about how things actually work. I admire Floor a lot. I love her energy when she's on stage and the way she performs.


7. What female singers from metal bands do you like? Do you have a favourite one? In your opinion, what does a lady have to do not only to be accepted in this genre, but also to be respected, considering that many people think metal is a men's world? My favorite will always be Tarja Turunen. I think she's the best and the most elegant. This thing with "metal only for men" really starts to be annoying. There is place for everybody and as long as a lady has something to say in metal music, I see no problem. Respect is something you get in time. I think being natural is important; the rest will just follow.


8. Is there anything you don't like in rock music? If yes, what is it that you don't like and why? What I don't like is that brutal black which I'm honestly telling you that I don't understand. I tried many times to listen to it, but everything ended with a nervous mood I admit... I don't understand the genre.


9. What other music genres do you like? I like anything which is well made and has melody. It happens to me many times to watch MTV and say "hey! This song is quite good!" though it's just a dance song.


10. What is your favourite colour? Black.


11. What is your favourite food? What about your favourite drink? I think cabbage-rolls (traditional Romanian food made with meat and rice covered in cabbage leaves) and Nectar


. 12. What goals do you want to achieve in your musical career? Do you dream of doing something else than what you are doing with Magica? I don't see myself doing something else than Magica. I really hope we'll have success and a long life.


13. In what other band would you love to sing? Are there bands you would never, under any circumstances, sing with? Please name one. Honestly I wouldn't like to sing in any other band. I love Magica. And I think I would never, under any circumstances, sing with Nightwish.


14. Soon you'll be touring with Helloween, Gamma Ray and Axxis. Are you nervous, considering you will sing with Axxis on the stage? That's right. In two weeks I'll go on a long European tour together with the guys from Axxis. This invitation is a great challenge for me and I'm sure I'll enjoy every moment. 15.


Two words for the people from Lady Rock? Stay metal!
Picture by Black Kitty

What are you currently up to?

Nothing much. At this moment I m drinking a cup of tea and I listen to some Glen Hughes.

What was the first record you bought? I don't remember exactly but I'm pretty sure it was a Nazareth album.

What is your earlist memory of Heavy Metal Music? A few days ago, a Magica show.

Who is the most famous person you've meet? Andi Deris

What is your most nerve-wracking experince? I don't know if it's the worst but, one of the worst: After shooting the video for Entangled, the filming team lost 60% of the raw footage tape. We had to go to Bucharest again and try to select what we could from what was saved. Another time, during the Europe tour with After Forever in 2006, I got sick and I completely lost my voice (I couldn't even speak). So we had to wonder through the city (Montpelier if I remember right) and find a medicine for me to take in order to be able to sing that night. Finally we did it and everything was ok in the end,

Who has the worse fashion sense in the band? Bogdan ).

What inspired you to become a singer? I think the desire to play in a band started when I was little, because I used to play songs of Purple and Zeppelin with my father. He had an acoustic guitar and played the chords while I was trying to sing the lyrics.

Who is your all time favorite actor and what is your favorite movie? Miranda Richardson and Merlin the Hallmark version.

If you could place 2 songs in a time capsule (to be opened in 100 years), what 2 songs would you choose and why? There are lots of songs that I am mad about but right now I can think about: Nightwish – Everdream Kamelot – Center of the Universe I think these songs are part of the top 100 all-time masterpieces of rock music.

What makes you laugh/happy/smile? It doesn't really make me laugh but I am always happy when I can sing in good sound conditions.

If you could choose one artist to do a duet with, which would it be? Roy Khan What present do you want the most of Christmas?

Good health (really )

Do you have a Message for the Lady Rock Members?

Thank you for your interest in Magica and who knows maybe we'll meet at some concert in the future:).