EMQs With Loo NaaT
EMQs With Loo NaaT
Hi everyone! Welcome to another EMQs interview, this time with USA Rock solo artist, Loo Naat. Huge thanks to them for taking part.
What is your name, what do you play and can you tell us a little bit about the history of the band?
I am Lion, my pseudonym is Loo NaaT. I am a classical pianist by education – I perform classical music and virtuoso arrangements professionally. Since childhood I sang and practiced drums and it led me into creating Rock music. It so happens that I represent my band in a single person. I write music, sing, record instruments, program, arrange, mix, master, photograph, cover, and shoot music videos on YouTube in the theater and circus genres.
How did you come up with your band name?
I wanted to come up with a name, or find a combination of words that were easy to remember and yet had no counterpart. Loo NaaT comes from the Atakapa language, an ancient Native American language from the Gulf Coast of Louisiana and Texas. It means ‘flying fish.’ I found the name very interesting yet abstract, especially in its Loo NaaT sound.
What Country / Region are you from and what is the Metal / Rock scene like there?
I’m based in the United States. The Metal and Rock scene here is pretty established with a lot of history and tradition. There’s definitely room for different approaches, although it takes time to find your audience when you’re doing something like theatrical circus Rock/Metal. I’m focused on developing my sound, image and theatrical-sound-world, as well as connecting with listeners who would appreciate that combination of elements.
What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single, Video)
My latest and only release to date is my debut album “IDENTIFICATION” released June 16 on all streaming services.
Who have been your greatest influences?
I have listened to quite a lot of music since I was a kid and it would be hard to say who exactly has influenced me more. However, the Beatles have been a perennial favorite for me.
What first got you into music?
As I wrote earlier I studied piano professionally and in parallel sang and studied drums from the age of 5. My father often practiced at home playing Chopin, Beethoven, Rachmaninoff on the piano. He would often crank up bands like Queen, Pink Floyd, Depeche Mode, Michael Jackson, The Beatles, Led Zepplin, Deep Purple and many others. There was classical music playing at home all the time. All of this left a huge mark on my choices and germination in the musical field.
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
My biggest dream is to work with producer Ross Robinson. He’s known for pulling the raw emotional intensity out of artists and isn’t afraid to experiment with unconventional sounds. He’s worked with bands that push boundaries and I’d be happy if he was interested in my image.
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
I would choose Download Festival in the UK. It’s one of the most prestigious Metal festivals in the world, and what I like about Download is that they are open to different styles of heavy music. For my theatrical circus metal Loo NaaT with multi-genre deviations I think it would be a huge dream to be at Download Festival.
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
I’m building an audience through platforms like SubmitHub and Groover right now. What’s interesting is the feedback I’m getting: people are either absolutely thrilled with the concept of theatrical circus metal, or completely confused. Listeners say something like ‘this is absolutely insane, but in the best possible way’. The polarized reactions tell me I’m on the right track – art should provoke emotion, not indifference. As for the gift, since I often perform as a classical pianist with virtuoso works, the most special I would call the gift was a portrait of me that the artist painted while I was playing the program.
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
Accept me for who I am – and accept yourself for who you are. My album ‘IDENTIFICATION’ is about accepting the real you, even if the world thinks you’re weird or different. Like flying fish jumping between water and air, we don’t have to fit into just one world. Be brave enough to break boundaries and create your own path.
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
John Lennon. His willingness to experiment and push boundaries, both musically and conceptually, is something I deeply admire. He wasn’t afraid to be controversial or different, and used his platform to make people think. That fearlessness in creating art elicits strong reactions.
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
The moment I love the most is when someone ‘gets it’ – when they hear my theatrical circus Metal and their reaction is pure excitement or surprise. Even the polarized feedback I get on platforms like SubmitHub is inspiring because it means the music is provoking real emotion.
What I hate. The constant need to fit into a predefined framework for playlists or radio. Everyone wants to categorize you right away and categorize you into some kind of copy or already predictable sound, and when you do something different that crosses genres, it becomes harder to find your place. There’s also the waiting – you send music and you’re on pins and needles waiting for responses.
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
I’d give more space to weird, experimental music. Everything has become so formulaic – algorithms promote similar tracks, playlists want predictable genres. Sometimes you want something wild and lost. Unfortunately today there are very few platforms that are looking for unconventional new artists. Maybe I don’t know everything yet. Your platform is an amazing place and a great opportunity to prove yourself as a new artist.
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
“The Dark Side of the Moon” by Pink Floyd. It’s a perfect concept album that takes you through a complete emotional journey from start to finish. The way they use sound effects, synthesizers and unconventional structures to create atmosphere – it’s like they are painting with sound, not just writing songs. I generally like concept albums a lot, there’s something magical about them!)
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CDs or Downloads?
Right now downloads and streaming are my reality. As an independent artist building an audience, I need my music to be available wherever people are listening. But my dream is vinyl. There’s something magical about a physical album with the artwork, the lyrics, the whole experience. For conceptual music like ‘IDENTIFICATION’ to have that tangible thing would be perfect. The vinyl makes listening to the album like a journey.
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
My best performance to date was at a classical piano concert where I played incredibly difficult virtuoso pieces. The audience was completely captivated, and that feeling of connecting with people through pure musicianship was incredible. But what I’m really excited about is bringing the same level of technical precision and emotional intensity to Loo NaaT. I haven’t done any theatrical circusMmetal live yet, but that image is waiting for its time.
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
I have a lot of creative interests besides music – photography, design, album covers, making videos. If I wasn’t a musician, I think I would devote myself to the movie industry. There’s something about visual storytelling that really appeals to me, and it ties into what I’m doing with Loo NaaT – creating these theatrical, cinematic experiences. I actually do my own album artwork and work on visual content for music. The artistic vision goes beyond just sound – it’s about creating a whole world for people to enter.
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
John Lennon – for his fearlessness in pushing boundaries and his willingness to be controversial. Freddie Mercury – for his theatrical genius and stage presence. Tim Burton – his dark, circus-like visual aesthetic, which will always have a theme for my theater discussion at Loo NaaT. Rachmaninoff – as a classical pianist, I would love to discuss technique and emotion with one of the greatest composers. And of course Ross Robinson – as working with him is a dream of mine.
What’s next for the band?
I’m already working on my second album, still promoting my debut album “IDENTIFICATION” – can’t stop creating new images. I’m writing scripts for more and more music videos, more crazy visual concepts that fit the theater and circus metal aesthetic. I’m actively developing in media, building connections, and I’m open to new collaborations and opportunities. I’ve already been picked up by Jamsphere Radio USA in NYC, which is awesome validation. Just this week my track Real in the Moonlight was approved for the Rock/Metal playlist on Spotify. My goal is to create a complete Loo NaaT universe – not just music, but visuals, performances, experiences that people have never seen before.
What Social Media / Website links do you use to get your music out to people? Please include any links
Since my music is based on combining sound with visuals – creating this theatrical and circus metal experience – YouTube is now my main platform. That’s where people can see the full vision of Loo NaaT, not just hear it. Music needs a visual component to really understand what I’m doing.
Audio can be found on Spotify and SoundCloud. I’m also developing a presence on social media. The key is to meet people where they are. YouTube gives me the most creative freedom to show a full artistic vision.
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LooNaaT
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/50Vx2thSZYlmyp57nP1Fcb
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/loo-naat/sets/loo-naat-identification
There’s a long-standing food-based debate here in the UK. And we’d like your help. So… A Jaffa cake- is it a cake or a biscuit? Discuss!
I’d say cake! The name itself gives a clue – Jaffa Cake, not Jaffa Biscuit. Plus, from what I understand, when they get stale, they get hard like cakes, whereas cookies get soft. I appreciate you including me in this very serious British cultural dispute!
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
I am grateful for the opportunity to answer such awesome and interesting questions! May every performer fear nothing and never stop. Even when it’s hard, know that your audience is waiting for you!!!
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