A while back I introduced you to Borrtex and his song (and album) thōughts. I knew from reading Borrtex story about the song that this Behind the piano post had to happen! So today, it’s time to get to know the person behind Borrtex better!
What’s your real name?
My real name is Daniel Bordovsky.
How did you come up with your artist name?
When I was 10 years old, I used to play computer games with my friends. And I was the only one who didn’t have a nickname. So, one of my friends took my last name and did some changes, in order to ‘make it sound cool!’ haha! And somehow that’s how Borrtex happened. I liked it, and started using it everywhere even later on. I would say it’s quite original and has an actual connection to my real name…
Where are you from? And where do you live?
I’m from Havirov, Czech republic – a small town in central Europe. I grew up here, attended music classes and studies high school. Now, I spend most of my time in our capital city of Prague, and make travel trips to Los Angeles and New York on a regular basis.
How long have you been playing the piano, and do you play other instruments as well?
I’ve been playing the piano since the age of six, but I didn’t really enjoy it back then. I had a lot of friends all around my house, so pretty much all I wanted, was to go outside and play with them all the time, haha! But even the idea of playing from sheet music seemed kind of boring to me. I couldn’t get much creative and had to do what I was told to do. However my teacher was amazing, and she was always super patient with me. I believe, she is actually one of the reasons, why I eventually found a way to fall in love with the instrument. She wasn’t angry when I didn’t do the homework. She was always positive, with a smile on her face. I visited her last year to express my gratitude.
Tell us about how you started playing music.
When I finished my music classes after seven years of studies on Music School of Leos Janacek, in my hometown, I wouldn’t touch the piano for around five years. I started being more interested in movies and TV. When I was 18, I got a job as a cinematographer for a documentary project about Warner Bros. Studios, taking place in Hollywood. That was a crucial point in my life. We were doing interviews with world-wide known film composers such are James Newton Howard, Danny Elfman, Hans Zimmer and others… This experience inspired me to maybe start thinking about music again. And when I came back home from LA, I just thought I would give it a chance. And since then, I remember not doing anything, than music!
How long have you been making piano music?
I started producing instrumental / piano music in April, 2017, when I came back from LA. It’s been little over two years now.
Tell us something about that moment you realized you could make songs yourself!
The first song I tried to make. I remember this quite vividly. I started working on it in the evening, and I was so caught in the process, that I continued working on it the next morning, and I literally forgot to go to school, as it was Monday. That was the moment, I knew I want to keep doing it, and keep expressing my thoughts and ideas through music.
What are your favorite artists in this “piano genre”?
Currently Nils Frahm. I stumbled upon his work earlier this month, and he is a genius. I fell in love with his work immediately. The way he manages to combine piano with electronic elements and it still sounds so well-arranged! Also, I’m a big fan of a film score composer Rob Simonsen, who really inspires me with his minimalistic approach and beautiful melodies.
Is there one song which you play over and over again as soon as you sit down by a piano?
Not really. I usually play my most recent songs, or I just play whatever, and that’s usually how my new tracks get born. Improvisation is probably my favorite thing to do. Just kind of ‘transcribing’ my present feelings and emotions into music.
What rules (in making music) needs to be broken?
I would say it depends on your personality. For me, I find it difficult to break the rules. I’m not good at it. I’m not a music inventor. I like working with known instruments and my best work comes usually when I don’t experminet at all. But we live in a time, when anybody can make music. And there is a lot of talented people who try to combine all different kinds of genres, and I think that is pretty amazing and that’s actually how our musical culture develops constantly on a daily basis.
How do you record your music?
All my work is recorded in my own studio. I tried getting in touch with some major record labels, but I found it ineffective, and the deals aren’t really that friendly. I prefer doing everything on my own, whether it’s album recording, marketing or public relations…
Whats your take on sampled instruments?
They are a great tool to use, when writing new ideas. I would say I use sampled instruments quite often, when I want to layer the tracks, in order to make the sound more intense and spacious. It’s usually sampled strings that I use for this purpose.
Thank you for sharing your story with us Daniel!
For more information about Borrtex, check out these links:
Facebook / Instagram / Spotify