For those who haven’t listened to you before, how would you describe your music? And why should they listen to you?
Tiana: Our sound is hard rock with commercial pop influence. If you love rock music with melody, you can't go wrong with VARNA!
Rob: Organic hard rock the way it should be without all the Logic 9's! That is also my reason why you should give us a try! Wouldn't be nice to be guaranteed a show where you CAN'T half-ass headbang.... even if you tried?!
Rossen: VARNA is the type of music that is missing from today's music scene. Hard rock heavy riffs, catchy, and relatable!
Who personally inspired you?
Tiana: When you're a musician there are moments in your life when another musician or band comes along and changes the whole game for you. Two people have done that for me. Mariah Carey and Daniel Johns of Silverchair.
Rob: This past three months I have been HUGELY influenced on musical structures from DARKEST HOUR and BORN OF OSIRIS. A lot of changes that are necessary and a lot of unique chords to keep you surprised.
Rossen: Musically, there are too many. Mostly, all the bands that I listened to since high school.
What has your highlight of the band so far?
Tiana: We have so many extreme moments in this band. Some of my favorites are listening to 'This Time, It's Personal' in the studio for the first time after we mixed it, going to NAMM and SXSW in Austin, TX and playing a showcase for Hollywood Records where the crowd went insane for our band. Above all else, for me, it has been the reaction of the fans to our music. We get letters, emails and comments from people all over the world about how our music has helped them. I still can't believe it.
Rossen: There are many, but I guess going to SXSW in Texas last year as a band trip.
Rob: To be honest, I couldn't be happier doing EVERYTHING with Varna: writing new music, practicing old music, saving up and starving together so we can record, stressing each other out over responsibilities, and even simply grabbing dinner together afterwards. Every time I'm with these two, Life is great...
Your all time low of the band?
Tiana: Spending thousands of dollars on a demo and hearing it come out like crap or whenever we would have a band member leave the band. The work, time and money that has to come into play to find another musician will knock your band morale down a few notches because it sets you back months behind.
Rossen: Yeah, when you go through so many band member changes, and you think that you can never find the right people. Pretty much right before we decided to change our name from Living Eulogy to VARNA.
Rob: All time low of the band has probably been when I didn't have a fulltime job and I felt like I was holding the band back financially. I of course found one later (at Guitar Center) because we have so much more lined up to finish this time around.
How did you come together as a band?
Tiana: Rossen and I met in 2009, when he was an electrician and he was installing a fan in my apartment. We started the band in 2010 as Living Eulogy. We found Rob at Musician's Institute in 2011 and we have been a trio as VARNA ever since.
Rob: I know we have our story of Rossen being Batman saving the day with his tools, but now to me it feels like it destiny.
Who’s your favourite band at the moment?
Tiana: My favorite band is still older Silverchair. There are current bands that I love but I tend to like certain songs and albums from artists as opposed to everything a band has ever done.
Rossen: Slayer.
Rob: Killswitch Engage, Slipknot, or Darkest Hour during the day, Orchestra and depressing dark piano for the nights.
The song you’re most proud of?
Tiana: 'My Heart' because of all the evolution it went through and I had stand my ground to get it recorded one last time. I even paid for it all myself at first to get it done. 'Running Away' has taken on new life as a personal anthem for people. It goes back and forth for me!
Rossen: Our song Running Away.
Rob: Right now the songs I'm most proud of are the new ones we haven't released/shown anyone yet. How exciting is that for you guys to hear?!
Do you think Unsigned music in general needs more attention?
Tiana: I think unsigned bands that have talent and drive need more attention. Think of it this way, your favorite musician who is on TOP 40 radio was at one time, an unsigned musician. If no one took the time to listen to them and fight for them they would never be a signed artist. That is what people are forgetting.
Rossen: No, but I think that great talent doesn't have enough credit and recognition. There are so many bands that are just wasted because of the lack of recognition and support.
Rob: Not all of it. The public and some very undeserving musicians created a horrible image that most local bands are 7 out of 10 at their best. NOT TRUE IN ANY WAY. Please find this opinion for yourself and go out and give some people a try. You'll never know who you'll become addicted to!
How would you describe your live shows?
Tiana: Monsters of Energy. Our live shows are where it's at. We bring everything we have and we guarantee that you will walk away entertained.
Rossen: Energetic, fun, the crowd will never be bored.
Rob: I feel like our LIVE shows are more energetic and pumped up and everything our album couldn't provide. We are WAY more crazy and louder and pumped up on stage and encourage everyone to come out and see to call me out!
When did you first start getting into music? Has it always been a big part of your life?
Tiana: My earliest memories of life I have are of me singing and the way I felt when I heard music. It consumed me and I have always been psychotically obsessed with it 24/7/365. I used to be made fun of all the time in school because I would sing and all I would do was talk about music and bands to anyone who would listen.
Rob: I used to get detention everyday from 2nd grade up to 8th for banging on desks with pencils..... The habit got only worse so as you can imagine, HELL YES i've always loved it and never will stop. It carries everything with emotion. It's like trying to watch a evil character do his monologue with no godly music in the background.. *blows raspberries*
Rossen: Music always has been in my life. I would play my little Casio Keyboard when I was 8 or 9 years old, without going to piano classes, and I would always come up with songs of my own. I never really liked playing other people's stuff until this day. If I learn a song and don't play it, I forget it immediately.
If you could dinner with any music legend (Dead or alive) Who would it be?
Tiana: Dave Grohl, Daniel Johns or Mariah Carey. I can't pick one! It's the Libra in me.
Rossen: Avril Lavigne!
Rob: Right now I'd have to choose dinner with Howard Benson. Tiana said she'll buy for everyone :)
You’re stuck on a desert island, you can one person, one book, and what album; what do you pick?
Rossen: My wife, Instead of the book I will bring a guitar, Linkin Park: Hybrid Theory
Rob: I would sever my head with neck and put Tiana's head on there with Rossen as my 1 individual guest. I play drums while she still sings simultaneously. We'd jam till death.
Tiana: Wow. Anything I say, will not trump Rob's answer.
This is like my signature question: What would you do in Zombie Apocalypse?
Tiana: You know my favorite show is The Walking Dead, right? I would find a motor home, raid Wal-Mart for all the food and supplies I could and get underground!
Rob: Choose between becoming the world's next biggest killing machine or crack down on my intelligence and utilize ALL my cunning to stay alive; either get more physical and less thinking more running, or vice versa. What a badass question.
Rossen: Prepare for war!!!
Check out Varna on Facebook here
Listen to My Heart here
