Fifteen Questions with Ranjana Ghatak

There are many descriptions of the ideal state of mind for being creative. What is it like for you? What supports this ideal state of mind and what are distractions? Are there strategies to enter into this state more easily?

For me being as open and empty as possible really helps. I find social media and my phone a distraction. Having time with something that is grounding is super supportive, so going for a walk, practicing anything that helps you get into a clear and present state really helps.

How is playing live and writing music in the studio connected? What do you achieve and draw from each experience personally? How do you see the relationship between improvisation and composition in this regard?

I find both really important. When I wrote with Liran we tried out the songs in gigs and got a real sense of what worked and what didn’t. We couldn’t and didn’t do that with every song but having time in the live experience definitely informs the writing experience. Improvisation is so important in bringing shape to a composition. The two are deeply connected…