Name: Rosbeh Hamidzadeh Khayyat aka Rosbeh
Occupation: Producer, DJ, composer
Nationality: Iranian-German
Current release: Rosbeh's Fortunate Day is out via Good Company.
Recommendations: I know you mentioned two pieces of art, but if we go for a book, painting, and piece of music, they are:
Book: Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist
Painting: Gustav Klimt’s "The Kiss"
Piece of music: Everything created by Bonobo. His albums North Borders and Black Sands are masterpieces. I have no favorite song, since it wouldn’t do real justice to his work, but I have been listening to 'Stay the Same' for over 10 years now, and it still touches my soul.

If you enjoyed this Rosbeh interview and would like to stay up to date with his music and activities, visit his official homepage. He is also on Instagram, Soundcloud, Facebook, and tiktok.
 


Where does the impulse to create something come from for you? What role do often-quoted sources of inspiration like dreams, other forms of art, personal relationships, politics etc play?

The impulse to create something was always there. I remember when I composed my first piano pieces around the age of 10 or 11, I just did what felt right to me, without really knowing what or how I was doing it.

As I grew older and 'real' life started to affect me, I realized that everything I create is a reflection of my inner world. Therefore, everything I experience shapes the way I want to express myself musically. It could start with being heartbroken, being 'mad' about the world, feeling angry about political situations, or just being purely in love with someone. The more I experience, the more I feel the need to express myself.

But I have to admit, I’ve never really had those 'inspirational' moments where I’m outside, see something, and feel inspired to create a melody or a song. All my songs and ideas happen in the moment when I want to create music.

For you to get started, do there need to be concrete ideas – or what some have called a 'visualisation' of the finished work? What does the balance between planning and chance look like for you?

Making music feels like puzzling, putting pieces together that I like to enjoy the bigger picture.

I never have a set idea of how to start; I simply follow what feels right in the moment. Sometimes I improvise on the piano, find a groove I like, record myself, then resample to see if it inspires another idea. Sometimes I start with a shaker groove that inspires a song.

What I know for sure is the feeling inside of me, which I can’t describe with words. It just feels right. I just know in the moment, 'Yeah, this idea is nice,' and I try to follow this feeling. Sometimes I add more elements to the song, and suddenly this feeling goes away, then I know that I’m distancing myself from my vision.

So nothing is planned, but when I’m in the zone, all the ideas just come in the flow.

Is there a preparation phase for your process? Do you require your tools to be laid out in a particular way, for example, do you need to do 'research' or create 'early versions'?

Until now, the process looks like this: starting an idea from scratch, adding elements to follow this inner compass, and in this flow state, I normally finish the whole song in a few hours to have a sketch of the song. I then build this framework into an arrangement and see if there are elements I want to add or change.

Once the idea of the song has its shape, I leave it and check over the days if I hear more elements I’d like to add. It’s so important to distance yourself from a song to have fresh ideas to add.

Do you have certain rituals to get you into the right mindset for creating? What role do certain foods or stimulants like coffee, lighting, scents, exercise or reading poetry play?

When I was younger, I thought all I needed in life was to create music all the time, disregarding everything else we need. Now I understand that everything influences everything.

What I mean is, everything I consume, whether it’s food, content, or knowledge, has an influence on my body and mind. By taking care of my body and mind with exercise, reading, and healthy food, I can be the best version of myself to create music I’m proud of.

But I have no specific rituals to get into the right mindset.

Many writers have claimed that as soon as they enter into the process, certain aspects of the narrative are out of their hands. Do you like to keep strict control or is there a sense of following things where they lead you?

I don’t want to control anything, I’d rather do the things that feel right to me in the moment.

I always follow where the ideas and thoughts lead me. That’s the beauty of creating art, you never know where it ends but the journey itself can be healing.

Often, while writing, new ideas and alternative roads will open themselves up, pulling and pushing the creator in a different direction. Does this happen to you, too, and how do you deal with it? What do you do with these ideas?

Yeah, following the flow is my philosophy. Sometimes I start with a piano improvisation and end up doing a house track. What a shame it would be if I just stuck to one idea and didn't follow these alternative roads that open themselves up.

Honestly, this translates into real life as well. We never know where we will really end up, but if we don't take steps outside our comfort zone, we will never discover the beauty of uncertainty.

There are many descriptions of the creative state. How would you describe it for you personally? Is there an element of spirituality to what you do?

Yes, I believe everything we do is spiritual, because I believe that we are spiritual beings having a human experience.

Once a piece is finished, how important is it for you to let it lie and evaluate it later on? How much improvement and refinement do you personally allow until you're satisfied with a piece? What does this process look like in practise?

It always depends on the song and what it needs and deserves. Sometimes I never touch the song again after it’s finished, and sometimes I go over it repeatedly to add elements to satisfy my inner compass.

But I’m grateful I don’t have an issue knowing when a song is finished.


Rosbeh Interview Image (c) the artist

After finishing a piece or album and releasing something into the world, there can be a sense of emptiness. Can you relate to this – and how do you return to the state of creativity after experiencing it?

I haven’t really felt a sense of emptiness after finishing a work, but there are phases where I feel more creative and phases where I don’t make a song for weeks.

Since nothing in life is constant, I understand that everything has its own rhythm and time. Therefore, whatever I feel or don’t feel, I try to accept and embrace the moment. And because everything comes in waves, I also know that when I’m not creative, there will be a phase of creativity again. That’s why I don’t do anything special to return to a certain state. It doesn’t mean that I don’t experience inner conflicts or doubts about myself and my work.

There are even moments when I think I’ve lost the 'power' to create music. However, I’ve learned not to follow these thoughts in my head and to accept both the moments of creativity and the moments of absence of creativity.

Music is a language, but like any language, it can lead to misunderstandings. In which way has your own work – or perhaps the work of artists you like or admire - been misunderstood? How do you deal with this?

It’s true, misunderstandings can happen, but it’s not my responsibility to make everyone “understand” my music or how I see the world. I think it’s important to express yourself in the most authentic and true way, without fearing to be misunderstood.

We can never make people understand what they don't want to understand themselves.

Creativity can reach many different corners of our lives. Do you personally feel as though writing a piece of music is inherently different from something like making a great cup of coffee? What do you express through music that you couldn't or wouldn't in more 'mundane' tasks?

We are constantly creative, I agree with that. The way we dress, the way we make certain things, our coffee, food, and how we design our room—all are forms of self-expression.

However, I’ve made more people cry playing the piano than by making a great cup of coffee. We touch people when we express ourselves authentically.

And whatever music does, it’s doing it right. And I’m grateful to be able to express myself through music.