Diandra Interviews The New Tarot: The Relationship Between Mysticism And Music

If you read my review of The New Tarot’s Bowery Electric show, then you know this is a band clearly in search for the magic of living. Being a site all about discovering the spiritual essence of artist’s music, I was excited to interview New Tarot’s lead singer, Monika Walker, because she is an admitted spiritualist. For her life is a universal quest bound to an earthy journey, and music is the best way to get through it all.

Diandra: So I’m sure you have been asked as to whether you have ever done a tarot reading? 

Monika: Yeah, a bunch of times. I actually do them for my friends, but I don’t charge for that because I think it’s bad “juju”. As a band, we are very much influenced and searching for religions and philosophies that we can sink our teeth into and vibe with musically and creatively. New Tarot, as a name, comes from the idea that we are seeking the truth. As a child, my grandmother was very much into aliens and the “5th element”, and that inspired me to believe there is more to this world than what we see, and that there are makeshift, alternate realities that through philosophy and music we can get close to. (she laughs coyly) Anyway!

Diandra: No, I think this is great, and your band as a persona and music really speak to the growing search for spiritual connection and meaning amongst Millennials, which makes me wonder what meaning or rather spiritual truth has music shown you? 

Right now, music has taught me about Dharma, and how you either choose to live your destiny or you don’t. In terms of free will, you don’t actually get to make your destiny as much as accept it and make best of what is given. For me, I have decided to step into this music world that life has given me rather than wait another 500 lives to find destiny, as they say. (she laughs coyly again)

(Sidenote: By my second question, I knew I was talking to a wise, curious human being, which are two things you certainly get from Monika’s onstage presence. Although she thought she was getting “too deep”, I found her knowledge and eagerness for it fascinating, and it would especially come to play in the atmosphere she would build later in the night through her performance and presentation of The New Tarot’s upcoming album: John D And The Book Of Promises. Back To The Interview…) 

Diandra: Wow that is some real wisdom you dropped, and it explains why a lot of your songs are about dealing with life’s truths/situations’ meanings for how they are and not how you want them to be.

Monika: (Excitedly) Yeah, so many truths are simple, yet we take them as hard because there not complex. They are what they are, but we add ideas to them because we cannot accept their simplicity.

Diandra: Well, what I find interesting about your idea of “free will” is that I feel when people talk about this concept its only about their personal free will, and not about how others willful choices can affect their path. To bring this idea back to music, so many talented artists, like yourself, have these amazing, growing followings but are considered “indie” and not “mainstream” or “radio”. Why do you think the ” mainstream industry” is not choosing more to incorporate the “indie” world? 

Monika: It’s weird. People love to say they break expectations, but they actually love boxes, and that is a big thing in the industry. Like, “I’m a dub-step artist” or “I’m a vapor-wave artist” or one of the million genres that are out there now. If you are going to stick to writing that kind of music and that is the artist you are going to be, I think that helps people find other similar artists, but it can also be a hinderance in the music industry. Like, if you are only going to go after a “niche” market then that is all you will get. Whereas, twenty years ago, artist were just artists, there was not as much genre-clutching. Now, you know what the next hit will be. It will probably be some girl with a high voice singing over a dub-step track, and knowing or planning what will be the “next hit” does not really leave much room for the industry to learn or expand to other markets/artists. Yet, if the “indie” scene became “mainstream”, you would not get as many individual voices and experimenters of music.

Diandra: I am curious that your saying twenty years ago musicians were just artists defined by their “art” and now they are kind of stuck to their genre definitions. 

Monika: Yeah, I think, nowadays, there is a huge difference between entertainers and artists. Entertainment gives people what they want and art gives people what they need. Its very simple. It’s harder to give people what they need because you have to say something with weight compared to just saying a “niche”. Its weird to see how much creativity there is in the music world right now and also how much plasticity, and I think it speaks to our current society. We yearn for depth and to be raw, but when we have to get gritty or real, we get scared and ask for our disco-clubs back. Yet, there are these “sound-bytes” of light in the entertainment world where you feel like, “Oh my God, this artist know what they are talking about!” like, David Bowie’s Blackstar or Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly.   

Diandra: Well, one thing I noticed about your music is that its about emotional clashes because your lyrics are all about dealing with your darkness and trying to see your own light.t Do you think that dealing with those negative and positive clashes comes from being an artist or being young, especially as a Millennial? 

Monika: I think its both. I think our generation wants to jolt its consciousness and be shocked and pulled out because that shocked feeling makes a moment. Once, you get a person shocked you can insert anything in their ear, and they might actually remember it by association. I think a lot of people our age are dealing with this dichotomy of, “Oh yeah, there is more peace than war in the world. Yet, Trump is President”. (She laughs). As Darwin, says “It’s always the best of times and the worst of times.” I think what music and art does is shock people, especially of different cultures, and oddly brings them together through their own common surprise and figuring out why are they feeling surprised.

Diandra: Anything you can say about your new music? 

Monika: I think now, as a band, we are not afraid to go darker. Before, for some reason, we just never went there, but our upcoming album, John D And The Book of Promises, is pretty dark. Its a concept album and we totally went there. We worked so hard and pushed ourselves in trying new things, and its both exciting and scary. We put a lot into it so it better be GOOD! (she laughs)

Diandra: Any final thoughts for the reader? It can be anything?

Monika: We live in very interesting times right now, and a lot of people are growing with fear. Yet, we should have the opposite reaction. Right now, we have a great villain (Trump), and its exciting because now we have to stand up and fight against crazy, wicked ideas and not just ignore them. Nowadays, more people are turning to the “occult” or spiritual paths to find strength, and I think its beautiful and exciting. So my advice is no matter what the world says believe in magic because it is real.

Enough Said! For More Information On The  New Tarot Click Here.