Formula Indie Sessions – Interview with Shavit Noy
‘SHAVIT’ is a live, intimate creation that came from dark times but strives for light and hope over hate.
What is your earliest memory connected to music?
I grew up in a small village. When I was around 9–10 years old, there was a small outdoor techno party on a big grassy field in the village. Me and two friends sneaked in. I remember the lights, the people moving to the beat, and how powerful it felt. It really impressed me.
How did your passion for creating music begin?
When I was 12, me and a good friend were on the school soccer team. One day he told me he was quitting the team to start learning the drums. A few months later I joined him and started learning guitar. It took me about a month to write my first song. It completely blew my mind that I could do that. From then on, I never stopped loving creating music and expressing myself, mainly through the guitar.
What’s the story behind your current music project?
In 2017, I was traveling in Thailand and settled in Pai for a month. Until then, I had only written songs in Hebrew, but something in the atmosphere made me start writing in English.
Fast forward six years: I’m at home in my kibbutz, near the Gaza Strip border, on the morning of October 7th, 2023. I was rescued from my home after hiding for 20 hours in the safe room, while terrorists were killing my friends and neighbors.
Three months later, I started recording my third and fourth albums — one in Hebrew and one in English. These albums contain songs that would not have existed if I hadn’t been rescued on time. The fourth album, ‘SHAVIT’, is built mainly on songs I wrote in Pai back in 2017.
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
These days my music is warm and acoustic. It’s very intimate and recorded live in the studio. There aren’t many instruments, but the ones that are there feel big and detailed.
What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?
I’ve learned that you need to let go of your old creations. You have to put them out into the world, even if they’re not perfect, in order to grow, create your next music, and move on to the next journey.
What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?
I used Cubase on my early albums and will probably continue using it in the future. For my latest projects, the most important things are rehearsing the songs deeply before entering the studio, setting the right intention and atmosphere, and truly believing that you’re creating something special.
Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?
I love “Hypnotized” by Groundation, and their latest album in general. It’s a band I’ve been following for a long time, and it makes me really happy that they keep creating. Their live show is easily in my top five shows I’ve ever seen.
How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?
I shifted from producing mostly on the computer and creating alone for long hours, to focusing more on live creation and involving other musicians. I think it has a lot to do with wanting to share the creative experience with others.
What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?
Mainly: don’t give up, walk through life with hope, and share your gifts.
What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?
There is no right or wrong in music and art.
What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?
There’s actually a local festival in Israel called Indie Negev. It happens every year not far from my home. I’ve never had the chance to play there yet.
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?
I’d love to collaborate with Molly Tuttle. She seems so cool and fun, and she’s an amazing guitarist who does her own thing while moving between bluegrass, country, and pop. It’s inspiring.
Where can our listeners follow and support your music?
Every streaming platform:
push.fm/fl/w3ldafxp
Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?
I want to create a lot more instrumental parts in my music and express myself more through the guitar. I do this a lot in live shows and you can hear it on the albums, but I feel I still have much more to give.
What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?
I really don’t know — we’ll discover it together. We’re all discovering all the time.
Representative YouTube video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KdW-HBgKOw
