When I prepare for an interview, I take the following steps. The first is preparation: I conduct deep, heavy research. When an artist reaches out to me and we lock in an interview, the prerequisite to research is a fluency in their entire discography, and a general knowledge of everything that comes up through Instagram and a quick Google search. Once this is done, I can begin digging. I am inspired by Nardwuar, someone often considered the “GOAT” of interviewing artists because of his personal touch in each interview. He often gives the artist a gift with deep sentimental meaning to them, or asks a question about something so niche, so personal to the artist’s life, that the artist will often be shocked to their core. Consequently, you can find many clips of different artists reacting to Nardwuar’s knowledge of them.
While I have not yet reached this level of intimate knowledge about an artist, I still like to know all about them. People, especially artists, have many lives, and to get as full a picture of an artist, I find it helpful to dive into the biggest parts of them. For example, an artist may also have a clothing brand, or cook on the side, or be a professional consultant by day – it’s my job to synthesize it all, and paint the best picture of the artist as possible to the audience, so they may check out their music. The best part of the interview is the next part – the conducting – because, despite all the research, it’s a conversation, and it’s spontaneous, and anything could happen. It’s the unpredictability that makes interviews fun, and that makes art exciting.
