- Words Notion Staff
Rising star Viji selects 10Trax for Notion that inspired her new EP, 'Cali'.
It’s been just two years since Viji first hit the musical scene, but she’s made them count. Having grown up in Austria as a pop culture loving teenager who dreamed of making an impact on the world as big as the TV, music and film she consumed voraciously, the now-London-based singer has embarked on her musical career with an impressive tenacity.
She released her debut single “Cherry” in 2020 and kept the ball rolling with a pair of EPs that showcased her impressive range and musical curiosity: the grunge-pop debut ‘Are You In My Head’ and the synthy experiment ‘Suck It’. It’s a body of work that indicates a genuine restlessness, a desire to never be confined by what she’s done before, and the expectations her listeners may have of her.
Viji is ready to push into new territory once again with her third EP, ‘Cali’, which has started to mix in a hip-hop and R&B influence that takes notes from inspirations like Tyler the Creator, Frank Ocean and Mos Def, whilst keeping that core sound her listeners love. As far as she’s concerned, if you’re listening to her songs on a loop, she’s doing something right.
With ‘Cali’ on the way in just a few weeks – and her first live show ever, headlining London’s Dream Bags Jaguar Shoes on March 11, Notion has caught up with Viji, who has selected 10Trax for us that have inspired the sound of her forthcoming EP.
"Lemon" by Katy Rose
"When I was stuck for music one time I looked through old movie soundtracks. This song is on the soundtrack of ‘thirteen’ and I was immediately hooked. There’s something about the dry vocals and distorted guitars that strikes a chord."
"Double Negative (Skeleton Milkshake)" by Dominic Fike
"This song and this album in general I listened to a lot when making the ‘Cali’ EP. I think the simplicity of the instrumentals is so cool, and always a big fan of the vocal production."
"Provider" by Frank Ocean
"A lil bit of Frank, cos he’s always in my earphones."
"Is This It" by The Strokes
"Julian’s lyric are a big inspiration for me. I listened to a looot of The Strokes before writing ‘Mercy’."
"Starstruck" by Sorry
"This is one of the best songs in the last five years. I love how gritty it is! Sorry are great."
"Painbirds" by Sparklehorse
"I went through a massive Sparklehorse phase a few years ago. Their tracks are super eerie. Painbirds is one of my favorites, i love how boldly every instrument gets introduced."
"Ghostride" by Crumb
"I think I discovered this round the time of recording ‘Cali’ EP. Really cool band from NYC. The verses are sooo good!"
"All The Stars" by Kendrick Lamar & SZA
"This might seem like a random one, but both me and my producer are really into odd pop hits. We recorded the EP in a mastering studio, so there was huge speakers in the room. On a few late nights this was the song we blasted and danced to."
"Charcoal Baby" by Blood Orange
"I’ve always loved Blood Orange. Charcoal Baby is a perfect blend of guitar, synth and beat. I think this is a vibe I embraced for the ‘Cali’ EP."
"Spoiled" by Sebadoh
"This whole song is a vibe. I’ll always have this on my playlist."