De Vrolijkheid

In het asielzoekerscentrum in Utrecht woont op dit moment Mazis. Naast dat hij zich actief inzet op het azc, werkt hij tegelijkertijd aan zijn carrière als muzikant. Zo bracht hij onlangs het nummer Life After October uit. Deze release leverde hem optredens tijdens Le Guess Who en in het Utrechtse poppodium Ekko op. We zochten Mazis op in de muziekstudio die hij in het azc inrichtte, waar hij  aan onder meer dit nummer werkte. Het gesprek met Mazis, over zijn muzikale veerkracht, inspiratie en meer, lees je hier in het Engels.

How would you describe what you make? 
 

‘The music I make is deeply rooted in my imagination, emotions, and what I find important.  My songs mainly result from an inner conversation with a loved one or myself. Most of my songs often carry a soft tone, with an attempt towards brave expression, and then the music wraps itself around it. My dear friend and producer, Parviz Azartash, shapes this process. So, together, we create music that is soft, profound, and sometimes painful.’

You recently played at de Ekko as the support act of De Niemanders. How was your experience?
 

‘It was like a real concert with beautiful lights and the smoke. And there were a few of my friends. The venue looked half full, which was nice. People were singing along, dancing. I performed for 30-40 minutes. That night, I was also discovering myself. Even though I write sad songs and painful ones or goofy ones, on the stage I want to have fun. So, they were singing along, dancing. There were some people from De Vrolijkheid as well. It was a very nice day.’

‘It felt like a decent concert with beautiful lights and a lot of atmosphere. I must have dreamed about it countless times growing up. Some of the friends I have made in the Netherlands came to support me, which was special to me. People were listening, singing along, and dancing. I performed for 30 to 40 minutes and I had my very first merchandise as well. My published songs have their sad sides, but while being on stage I embrace a more playful energy and let the younger rockstar come out. It was a night filled with warmth.’

You also just released the song and clip “Life After October”?
 

‘Yeah, this project marked my first experience in creating a music video in this new world that I entered in the Netherlands. I collaborated with Levi van Urk, whom I met by coincidence at A Beautiful Mess. We had a nice conversation about life and crossed paths again a few months later at a mutual friend’s housewarming. When I mentioned that I was releasing a song, Levi expressed interest in creating the video clip. Things started to roll quickly. We filmed scenes for the clip in the beautiful garden of a friend, where I write and occasionally help as a beekeeper with The Bee Foundation. Additional footage was shot in Utrecht and in the AZC, where I currently live. I love the edit he did. It is so lovely how this all worked out. Since I decided to come to life and restart my music dream in the Netherlands, I have received a lot of kindness from strangers who have become good friends and believe in me. I feel very grateful.’ 

What are your song texts about? 
 

Most of the songs that I write reflect on my feelings and struggles, with a little bit of humor, playfulness, and poetic lyrics. This new phase is emerging after a long, nightmare-like period in my life in Iran. I’m finally awakening from it. Now I’ve been here for two years. I’m 27, and in a way, I feel like I am being reborn.

What is opening up to you or new in this period now? 
 

‘New ways of looking at the world, of working and in writing. What I practice and experience in the Netherlands differs from being in Iran. I am finding my character and how I want to present myself as an artist. It’s already shaped, but I am polishing it, and some of it happens along the way without my notice.’

Are there any genres that you are exploring at the moment or with which you plan to experiment with?  
 

‘I don’t want to be stuck in one niche. I study different scenes and genres. I want to write memorable songs. Songs that an eighty-year-old wise person can find beautiful and an eighteen-year-old troubled student can sing along. I am aiming for bigger stages within the pop or maybe indie genres.’

What was your first experience with De Vrolijkheid like? 
 

‘The generosity. I was in this AZC for the first time and was looking for a piano to write music, but I couldn’t find one. Eventually, COA bought a piano. I used it for a while and loved it; they took it away after a month for whatever reason. Then, I met Kim van der Zijde and Dané Vonk, who work for De Vrolijkheid. They were aware I was a musician, as I had played at a festival they partnered with. They saw that I struggled to find my creative space in AZC amid the noise and chaos, so they offered me access to De Vrolijkheid’s space and helped me get funds from the organization to turn a tiny abandoned storage room into a recording studio, which is also accessible for musicians living here. I named it MAZC Studio.’

And now you also give workshops?
 

‘I try to support with music activities for anyone who seems to be interested. Most of the time, there’s a language barrier. I used to do a workshop with young adults in the age of 18 and older. Currently, I am helping with art workshops by De Vrolijkheid. I like it to just hang around and engage with different energies.’

What’s on the program with you for the upcoming period? 
 

‘Recently, I played at the Le Guess Who? festival. I’m working on my album and playing gigs to fund the project through donations, and recently, I’ve been recording a new song titled I’m An Old Man. People are especially surprised by the title, and some comment: ‘‘You’re not old! You don’t know anything about being old.“ It’s funny! I wrote it in Ter Apel when I turned 26. I will record the vocals in my little studio using some professional gear that I borrowed from a friend and I am working remotely with my producer, Parviz Azartash, who lives in Iran.’

Meer over Mazis? Bekijk zijn website en aankomende gigs hier. 

*Studio visit with stelt in een serie interviews opkomende getalenteerde kunstenaars centraal, die op dit moment in een asielzoekerscentrum wonen.