Interview with Stefanos Yowhannes
When asked about his music he speaks with clarity and devotion. A soulful being ready to soothe you throughout his second EP which released last week: "I want you to stay, but I need you to go."
Who are you?
I’m a 27 year old musician based in Oslo, who makes alternative R&B music inspired by various genres and my own experiences.
How would you describe yourself?
I would describe myself as an introvert-extrovert. Calm, reflective and very curious. I love my alone time more than anything though.
My mother has been essential in shaping me into the person I am today.
After seeing her work relentlessly my whole life just so I can have the opportunity to do whatever I want, I like to believe that some of that relentlessness is somewhat instilled in me. She has always been so good at catering to my interests and wishes and gradually showed me what true independence is.
I feel most alive while roaming the streets of a huge city, knowing that I am able to just blend in seamlessly and take in everything that I observe.
I have a tendency to get so immersed in my projects that I tend to forget what happens everywhere else in the world. Therefore I find it soothing to watch the news and disconnect from my own projects while at the same time gain insight and opinions on what I'm hearing or watching.
My proudest accomplishment is probably being nominated to Spellemannprisen (Norwegian Music Prize) last year.
Made me really proud to be acknowledged professionally by so many talented peers.
Success for me is starting and finishing a project, knowing that along the way, I was able to push myself creatively and make something unique and new. Hopefully I’ll get there someday.
My ultimate dream is to have a concert at the Norwegian Opera house with a lot of dancers, collaborators across all facets of the performance and most of all my family and friends in the audience.