Review Fix Exclusive: Tatyana Kalko Talks ‘Ok, I Give Up’ And More

March 24, 2019 Patrick Hickey Jr. Music 0

Review Fix chats with singer/songwriter Tatyana Kalko, who discusses her new single, “Ok, I Give Up,” as well as her origins in music and creative process.

About Tatyana Kalko:

Belarusian born and NY based singer-songwriter Tatyana Kalko studied method acting at NYU and abroad at The Moscow Art Theatre, before deciding to pursue her first love: music.

From an early age, Tatyana studied voice and alto saxophone in school and learned to play guitar by working her way through Beatles classics.

These experiences, along with a spiritual journey that is a natural antidote for anxiety, generational trauma, and pursuing a career in the arts, have imprinted on her deeply intuitive and detailed songwriting process. They have also shaped the songs’ introspective yet lighthearted, conversational tone. Old world inspired melodies and sincere yet irreverent lyrics are transmissions from everyday life into a theatrical world where memory and foresight blend together.

Review Fix: How did you get involved in music?

Tatyana Kalko: Genetics? I’m very lucky to have parents that love the arts and understand the creative impulse and nourished my musical outbursts from an early age. I was always involved in choir, school band (alto sax) and musicals so pursuing a poli-sci degree seemed futile. I studied acting in college but decided for now that songwriting is the most natural path.

Review Fix: What performers inspire you the most?

Tatyana Kalko: The ones with warmth, guts, appreciation for the inexplicable, who temper darkness with humor. Radiohead, Jarvis Cocker, Freddie Mercury, Sharon Van Etten, Lady Gaga, David Bowie. Also intelligent witty comedians and writers on the NY scene – too many to name. And let’s throw in Daniel Day Lewis.  

Review Fix: What’s on your musical bucket list?

Tatyana Kalko: Top of my vision board is to meet Paul Mccartney! Also, act and sing in an indie film and get better at piano. 

Review Fix: Goals for 2019?

Tatyana Kalko: I’m horrible with goal setting! Start recording my next album, see more of the world, do things that make me uncomfortable, access my kundalini!!

Review Fix: What inspired Okay, I Give Up?

Tatyana Kalko: That moment at the end of a relationship when you know it’s over so you’re desperate to make it work, which makes it worse. My mom gave me some great advice to just be still and let love come to me.

Review Fix: How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard you?

Tatyana Kalko: Like a sultry lullaby from the 60s or just honest irreverent indie folk.

Review Fix: Bottom line, what makes you special?

Tatyana Kalko: I’m grateful to learn from collaborators and friends like Adam Feder of The Shul Band and spiritual leaders that show me what life is beyond my art and career. Some people can’t live without music and while it is thrilling and miraculous to write a song, perform it and have strangers connect to it, lately I’ve been exploring my Jewish faith and finding deep meaning and joy in spiritual communities. Mostly all I want to do after a long day is meditate and study ancient scripture. My goal (aha!) is to integrate and share more of my inner journey through music and still make it accessible.

Review Fix: What next?

Tatyana Kalko: The future is contained in this moment. Just kidding! I’m really looking forward to playing my EP release show with some amazing musicians at Rockwood Music Hall Stage 1 on April 1st at 8pm! No joke! 

Review Fix: Anything else you’d like to add?

Tatyana Kalko: A song I co-wrote with LA based group Interstate Royale was recently featured on season 3 episode 14 of Riverdale so check that out! And my EP Yellow and Blue is out now! 

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About Patrick Hickey Jr. 14316 Articles
Patrick Hickey Jr. is a full-time Assistant Professor of Communication & Performing Arts and Director of the Journalism program at Kingsborough Community College and is the chairman of the City University of New York Journalism Council. He is the Founder and Editor-In-Chief of ReviewFix.com. He's also a former News Editor at NBC Local Integrated Media and National Video Games Writer at Examiner.com where his work was mentioned in National Ad campaigns by Disney, Nintendo and EA Sports. Hickey was also the Editor-In-Chief of two College Newspapers before he received his BA in Journalism from Brooklyn College. Hickey's work has been published in The New York Daily News, The New York Times, Complex, The Hockey Writers, Yahoo!, Broadway World, Examiner, NYSportScene Magazine, ProHockeyNews.com, GothamBaseball.com, The Syracuse Post-Standard, Scout.com and the official sites of the Brooklyn Aces and New York Islanders. His first book, The Minds Behind the Games: Interviews With Cult And Classic Video Game Developers was released in April 2018 and is chock full of interviews with legendary developers. His second book in the series, The Minds Behind Adventures Games, was released in December 2019. His third book, The Minds Behind Sports Games, was released in September 2020. His fourth book, The Minds Behind Shooter Games, was released in March 2021. The Minds Behind Sega Genesis Games and The Minds Behind PlayStation Games were released in 2022 and The Minds Behind PlayStation 2 was published in January 2023. Hickey is also a contracted comic book writer, currently penning his original series, "Condrey," as well as "The Job," "Brooklyn Bleeds" "Dem Gulls" and "KROOM" for Legacy Comix, where he serves as founder, owner and Editor-in-Chief. Hickey Jr. is also a voice actor, having starred in the 2018 indie hit and 2019 Switch, PS4 and Xbox One release, The Padre (also serving as English language Story Editor), from Shotgun With Glitters. The sequel, The Padre: One Shell Straight to Hell was released in February 2021- Hickey also served as a Story Editor and Lead Voiceover performer. He has also done narration and trailers for several other titles including The Kaiju Offensive, Relentless Rex and Roniu’s Tale. Hickey is also the lead voiceover performer on Mega Cat Studios’ upcoming title WrestleQuest, responsible for nearly 90 characters in the game, as well as Skybound's Renfield: Bring Your Own Blood, where he voices both Dracula and Renfield, as well as several other characters. He also stars in Ziggurat Interactive’s World Championship Boxing Manager 2, where he performs the VO of nearly every male character in the game. He also worked on the Atari VCS’s BPM Boy.

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