Interview with Farewelleon

We had the incredible opportunity to sit down with the talented Farewelleon, diving into their creative journey, inspirations, and the artistry that drives her unique sound

Saturday 3/8-2024 (copy of question and answers from live interview) Written by: 68Livingdoll

Would you like to tell us a little about yourself?
Well, I’m Jane) I think that some people in Discord already know me a little. My real name Yevheniia Savchenko, but my friends call me Zhenya or Jane. I’m from Zaporizhzhia, it’s a city on the South of Ukraine. I’m almost 35, have 2 cats – Basya and Tarantino. I created music in cinematic styles with Celtic and Nordic elements. I created dark ambient music a little. Playing violin, viola and tin whistle and singing of course. At my official work – I work as s community manager in online game company. Also, I have a few hobbies – I’m nail master, tailor and (if I have opportunity) I take photos of some landscapes or beautiful places and publish it on photo stock Pexel. I can share a link with you if you’re interested. https://www.pexels.com/ru-ru/@farewelleon/

How long time have you been producing music?
I have done musical production since the Covid has started. I always wanted to learn mixing and mastering for creation my original composition. So, I’ve started learning in the December 2019 and I mix my first cover in the July 2021. You can find this song on my YT channel – it’s The field of Ard Skellig from The Witcher 3. I spent so much time for learning because I’ve started from the stock music and then I try record alive instruments and learn how to produce it.

And how did it start for you with playing music?
I went to musical school 3 times. The 1 time I was there, I was 8. I wanted to learn violin so much, because I loved the sad timbre of this instrument. It was my childhood dream. My mother was opposite for it unfortunately. She talked with me and made me stopped education, so I lost one year. The year after my mother had passed and I came back to musical school again and again on violin. It was my second try. The teachers didn’t want me to accept on violin classes because I was too old for it now, because of my hands. When you’re a child your hands more flexible and you can learn how to play violin very fast, when you are older this process takes more time. They suggested to me to learn vocal courses, but I decline this and stood on my opinion. Finally, they allowed me to learn violin, I was very convincing. When I was 18 years, I came back the 3 time to musical school again to vocal courses. They were a little surprised, but they allowed me that too.

What music did you play before you started with the music, we know you for today?
Of course, I’ve played a lot of classical music in the musical school. But then I went to rocks bands. I’ve played power metal, doom, gothic and some black metal like a keyboardist. When I learn vocal, I sing a lot of pop music, and jazz a little. I wanted to try more styles in those days because I was interested in everything that was connecting with music.
I’ve a log history with alternative rock bands which I created with my ex-boyfriend and with my friends. With some of them we still get in touch and we’re good friends.

Where does your name come from/or what does it mean?
Farewelleon it’s combination of two words. The first – Farewell. It’s my Favorite composition of Finnish a band Apocalyptica. It’s a strong beautiful and emotional track. I’ve listened it the first time when I was 17 years.
It’s always on my playlist. It was nickname on online games for years – (I’ve played a War of Warcraft a lot) The second part of my nickname – EON. That was the first letters from my first band Embrace of Night. We played symphonic metal. That was my first band where I was lead singer and composer at the same time.
One day I combine Farewell and EON and I get Farewelleon. It was unique name and I’ve started to use it everywhere through years. I think this name is more than 15 years old. So, when I created a musical project, I didn’t think about nickname very long. It’s far from nicknames in these styles of music, I know, but it’s very close to me, so I choose it.

I know you have worked with other musicians; I first meet you when you did a collab., with Mørk Byrde, but have you done other collabs?
I liked to work with Mørk and hope that we will come back to it. I have had some troubles with my life and timetable, so it made a long pause in my creativity process. I’ve already some finished collabs – some of them already published, some of them not or coming soon.

Would you like to share a little about that/maybe with whom you have done collabs with?
I had collaboration with talented musician from Poland – Kacper Kuleta. We’re recoded cover of Ard Skellig Village together. He performs classical guitar on this composition. You can find this cover on my channel.
Also, I’ve recorded violin for German doom-metal group Eird. At first, we spoke about 2 compositions, but they like my work, so we agreed on a full album. It’s a very deep atmospherically and at the same time hard metal music which have a huge palette of visions and emotions. I guess it will be released this winter. And I also like the people which make this music. The lead -singer Gina has a mesmerizing voice, JP creates a very interesting guitar parts and it combines with violin sound so good. Andreas – the vocalist and composer became a good friend for me. We’re speaking about music a lot and I learn so much new from him. Also, I had collaboration with Austrian composer – Daneil Helland. I’ve recorded 3 tracks for him in a fantasy style, but we have somehow lost connection for undefined reason. It’s a little sad situation, because his music is very exciting.

Any collaborations now with anyone?
About upcoming collaboration – I have only two. With Herknuft and Bjorth (Foresaga). I’ve started to work with in June, but I broke my laptop and it create a huge delay in my work. I needed to recover some sessions after repair witch was finished a few weeks ago. Some of my original songs and collaboration projects I needed to do again because I couldn’t open some recording session. It was awful because I never write notes on paper and I keep all information in the computer, so I needed to recover some parts from my memory. For myself I’ve already created several drafts, so process is moving. I’m apologize for this guys. I’m really sorry.

Still open to do more of that?
I am always open to collaboration but I’m in process of moving. So right now, I want to finish all projects that i already have.
After two months, maybe I can do more. I have some ideas to share with another musicians. One of that is Firamiel – the Australian violinist. I think we have common vibes, I like the way she plays and the atmosphere. Also, she is good harpist, so I think that we can create beautiful music together.

Have you been in any bands/groups?
Since I was 18 years, I was a member of a many rock groups. I’ve started my carrier from keyboardist and then I started to sing. I created 3 rocks bands by myself. The first was Embrace of Night, sympho-rock music. Then alternative band – DEAR, you can find some song on my channel in the video “Old Tracks with Farewelleon’s Voice”. We created this band with my ex, and we play together for about 3 years.
My last band was The Evared. Officially it still exists but we haven’t work on music for a long time. Now we are living in different cities, and we can’t make rehearsals because of that. Maybe one day we come back to it but I still not sure. The lead guitarist became a father this year, and I’m so happy to see how people can build their lives in all this mess that happened now in Ukraine.

Do you have a music education, or did you learn it yourself?
I successfully finished violin courses in musical school. Viola, I learn by myself, it has common technique. I have had private teachers for vocal in a different style. It takes several years, I think. Tin Whistle and Low Whistle I learn by myself.

How many instruments do you play?
I play Violin, Viola, Tin Whistle, Low Whistle and sing. I have planned to buy a little more instruments and learn them. At first – acoustic guitar, because it’s a basic instrument which I need in every composition. Also, I wanted to learn cravic lyre.
I’m a huge fan of Gealdýr and love the sounds in his music. I’m thought about tagelharpa too often, especially bassharpa, because I like the low tones in this style of music. And of course I want to “erhu” one day. It’s a Chinese traditional violin witch has only two strings – A and D. It has a very unique timbre and can create perfect atmosphere of tension and horror. I’ve already had it, but 2 years ago I have some problems with my rent in Poland, I needed extra money in a short time, so I decided to sell it, because I had no other option. Think one day I will buy one again.

Do you have a favorite track yourself/ maybe a band/musician that means more to you than others?
I can talk about my tracks, because they are all special for me. And I’ve listened it a thousand times while I produced them, did the mixing and mastering. But I like a story behind every track. I think I need to create Vlog about it.
Musicians I have in my favorite top:

• Heilung – Anoana
• Wardruna – Gra
• Skald – Run – this song was the first, where I begin.
• Gealdýr – Jormungand
• Danheim – Grima
• Kalandra – maybe all their songs, because very hard to choose
• Eldrvak and Munknörr – Before the storm
• Foresaga – Esch Uisge – I started listening to this song for the understanding of how it needed to be in sounds, I like this song very much and for 2 month it has been on my playlist on YT.
• Bjorth & Munknörr – Vanaheimr – this song gives a very special feelings of Freedom. I don’t know why but it takes you to another world.
• Tergo Lupi – Kominn Heim – I use this song for meditation. Because it helps turn off my head and dive into music. I can continue this list endlessly.

If we are talking about musicians and bands in another styles – it will be Tesseract. It’s progressive math metal from the Great Britain. I’ve listened to this band from the beginning, more than 15 years and have a tattoo with their logo on my hand. It always reminds me to move forward. Also I take a huge inspiration from the Iceland Composer Olafur Arnalds. He creates wonderful neo-classic music with ambient elements. He always recorded alive strings and it sound amazing. His composition Only The winds is real masterpiece.

Do you make other kind of music than what we know you for?
Now I create an album which is called “Attraction” – it’s instrumental neo-classical music. It’s a beautiful fragile love story. I’ve started to compose it before full-scale invasion. In that time, I had much for it. But then I moved, and this music is still on pause. I want to release it like a Farewelleon too, but later, after I finish EP Northern Rivers and album Forgotten Lands. Also I have a separate young project which is called Fox Veiled. I’ve released a few songs in Dark Ambient style. It’s a background music for work, concentration, walking or sleeping. Something that takes you into the calm stream

Can you find time enough for your music?
In normal life yes. I have time for composing and producing. But the last few months was awful. I had so much troubles – broken laptop. electricity outage. In normal conditions I try learning something new, because mixing is a very interesting process. Every new trick makes your track more interesting and more good quality. So, I try to reach a new level in this area.

Do you work, or can you live of your music?
Now I work for life, but I hope that in the further I can earn money only by music, because I want to be closer to this world. I have a dream to be a singer but now I’d like to be a composer because I can combine my musicians and singer’s skill together. Music is not routine it’s an art. It’s never seems to bore me. You always can find something new – every day, every hour. It’s bright and very interesting universe and I’m so happy a part of it.

It cannot be easy to be a musician and live in Ukraine with power of and on?
I think it’s hard to live there in common now. No safety, high prices, bad conditions, extremely hot weather, very dark and despair mood from most people. It can break your mentality and pulled in a deep depression.
For example, today I woke up because sounds of shots. The Russian drone were in my district, I heard the sound of air alert and heard shots of Ukrainian army. They are broke drones which fly up our city.
About electricity. Some days I had only 3 hours electricity per day. And of course, it not enough for work or creating music, or recording for example. It makes decide to look for a new place for living. Because I can’t work and create something in those conditions.
If I haven’t light, I haven’t water – there is not enough power for hydraulic pump. So, you can’t cook dinner, you can’t go to shower or wash hands. It’s uncomfortable. Because of that some shops are not working, hospitals, schools, university not working. You have no internet for hours. It feels like your life go without you. And you can’t control anything.

Thought about moving from there Ukraine?
Yes, it was my main question for the last two month. I have decided to go back to Spain. I’ve already pack my things. My partner finally has opportunity to move with me, so we will start a new life there together. Now I stay on Zaporizhzhia for a few weeks – I need to visit some doctors and dentist and spent a little time with father and brother. I don’t know how it will be, but I know that I will have more opportunities for music and finally I will feel safe, without everyday stresses. In Winter I’ll plan to visit Sweden to meet my old friend and finally visit Upsala. Hope it will be.

My last question to you Jane is what can we expect will be the next music project of your own that we can look forward to?
At the moment I need to go back in my working tempo. I have main goals for a music:

• to finish my EP Silver Northern Rivers
• create some wonderful collaborations
• to finish my album Forgotten lands
• to start my vlog because I want to tell people a little more.
• Now I have 3 almost finished compositions and around 10 demos with a different progress.

I think the next videos on my channel will be the cover of Band Skald – Run.
The cover of Soundtrack from the TV series House of Dragons.
My new tracks from EP Northern Rivers with Tanaelva. It’s one of the big rivers in Norway. I remember when I found the video of this river on YouTube and I just think “It’s gorgeous, I want to name a track like this”

I would like to thank you Jane, for answering our questions about your music in this live chat, and glad we could do this little interview and I am sure many are happy to get to know you a little better….