Meet Vlad Holiday

There is something about the name Vlad that just sounds inherently cool. Anyone else? Yes, no, maybe? Call me crazy but maybe it has something to do with the association with slaying vampires. Have you ever impaled a blood sucking demon??

Didn’t think so.

TBH, I don’t know if Vlad Holiday has either. But, he’s a fiend for some spectacular slow jamming tunes, writes a real good romantic lyric, and produces some excellent projects out of his Greenwich Village studio.

We called this vampire slaying casanova up to discuss his love of the East Village, Leonard Cohen, and doggos. Intrigued? Give his words a read and a listen below. You shan’t be sorry.

A Self-Portrait by, Vlad Holiday

Would You Rather…

have the power to make things you touch turn invisible or shrink?

Invisible

Some Questions with Vlad Holiday

If you couldn’t say “musician,” what would you call yourself and why?

Sound prostitute

When did you start writing music?

I was around 13/14 when I started my first band and wrote songs for the first time. We played our first show mumbling made up lyrics, but it was the best feeling ever, and I’ve kept chasing that ever since.

If your music was a sandwich, what would it be?

Eggplant parm.

What initially drew you to lo-fi production?

I loved the sound of old records and wanted to emulate that in my music. Classic melodies, sounds, pitch modulation to the point of sea sickness. I always loved imperfect recordings.

What part of the city do you find most inspiring, and why?

Probably East Village, because it’s where I started hanging out when I was a young teenager, so it still makes me feel like one when I’m there. I also am super inspired at my studio in Greenwich Village, and of the neighborhood’s history, even though it’s a bit of a tourist trap at the moment.

If you could produce any artist's next album (dead or alive), who would it be?

Leonard Cohen. RIP.

If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?

Most people I’ve met on the industry side have no clue what they’re doing, but will never admit it. Artists admit it off the bat. Industry folk act like bigger rockstars than the musicians themselves sometimes. I wish they were a little more aware and had more integrity...seeked out artists with a vision rather than ones trying to make as much money as possible and get famous on Tik Tok.

What instrument or piece of equipment has allowed you the most experimentation?

My guitar. I have a bit of a collection at this point, but a guitar can be played and utilized in so many different ways, and I’ll still to this day just sit down and play for hours and hours, which is kinda crazy that I still want to do that after 18 years of playing.

On a scale of one to ten, what is your name?

My name’s probably an 8.

What was your first date like? Did you write a song about it?

I wrote my first song for this current project about my first date with my now fiancé. It was pretty perfect.

What are your top five favorite animals?

Dogs, my dog Elvis, puppies, doggos, and did I mention my dog Elvis? It’s his birthday today, he’s 9 years old.

Do you have any advice for young musicians starting out in New York?

Find your sound and don’t listen to anyone else. Don’t write songs for anyone other than yourself. If you don’t love what you’re doing, it’s gonna suck, and if it sucks anyway, well then at least you love it.

Any final comments? (This is your electronic soapbox for one last answer.)

I’m playing a show with my band on December 10th at Berlin in East Village. We’re gonna be filming the whole thing so it’ll be pretty special. Look out for tickets when they go on sale and tell your friends.