"I Can Become a Tiger at Any Minute": Q&A With Hungarian Songstress Vera Jonas

Unfamiliar with Hungary’s singer-songwriter scene? That might be about to change, when Vera Jonas Experiment takes to Laifu (来福) Livehouse's stage in Shuangjing on Sep 15 for an evening of searing riffs, punchy drumming and big hooky choruses belted out by the band’s eponymous frontwoman. Having cut her teeth at gigs in her native Budapest, Jonas made her way to England to study at the prestigious London Centre of Contemporary Music School, before heading back to her homeland.

Below, she tells us about the advantages of being based in Hungary versus the music magnet that is London, what she’d do if given the opportunity to look a tiger in the eye, the similarities between songwriting and wish-making, and more.

Tell me about what inspired the title track on your album Tiger, Now!
I had a dream of a tiger lying on top of a table and looking at me in the eye. She was so powerful and calm, I was mesmerized by her aristocratic posture and firmness. I thought: I wish I could be her. There was no question, I had to write a song about it. I decided to call her any time to conquer my entire being when I was in need. Tiger, Now! is like a magic spell. I can become her at any minute, it's like an alter-ego. Writing this song made me a better and healthier person. I even decided to learn the drum groove and swap instruments with my drummer for this one. It's all about fire and freedom. This song is also the highest point of our live set.

Another highlight on that album is “Find Your Keys”. That notion is certainly relatable. Tell us more about writing it.
“Find Your Keys”, is a classic love song. It’s all about losing and gaining. The lyrics came rushing out from me. It was so obvious that this picture fits my emotions perfectly. The fun fact about it was that the next day I lost all my house keys and had to spend an entire day trying to get inside my apartment. That was a great moment for me to say: "Careful what you wish for or write about, they might just come to reality!”

What was it like to study at the London Centre of Contemporary Music School?
Living in London made me grow very intensely. Studying in such an open-minded environment helped me go and pursue my dreams as a singer-songwriter. They were the hardest and most important years of my life so far.

Tell me about the decision to try and build your career in Budapest instead of London, or committing to go back and forth.
It was never decided where I'm going to do what I do. I never felt like I left Budapest and I'm not chained to it now either. Europe is still one of the most colorful and free continents of the world. Traveling and defining homes is pretty easy. Plus I still plan to have more than one nest I live in.

In March, you won the Indie/Alternative Album of the Year Award for Tiger, Now! courtesy of the Hungarian Recording Industry Association as well as the Junior Songwriter Award from Artisjus, Hungary’s copyright agency. Tell us about the recording industry in Hungary, and if there is a lot of support for the arts there in comparison to other countries.
It was a great honor to win this prestigious award, which means my music is appreciated and supported. The Hungarian live and recorded music scene is multicolored, due to our rich heritage of classical and folk music, blended with Western trends. Finding support is and always will be a struggle financially, but as I'm a helpless optimist, I like to use the old Hungarian phrase: "the palm tree grows under a great weight." This means we can take the harder way and be just fine.

Vera Jonas experiment will perform at Laifu (来福) Livehouse in Shuangjing on Sep 15, 8.30pm. Nordic band I Wear* Experiment as well as local acts Pacalolo and Noise Arcade provide support. Tickets are RMB 100 advance or RMB 150 on the door. For more information, click here.

Never miss a gig: click here for a huge list of live shows in the city, updated daily.

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Email: kylemullin@truerun.com
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Photos: Groove Korea, bormamorbenye.hu, a38.hu, courtesy of the promoters