HIGH D Interview for Museboat Live channel

High-D, Heidi Marjaana Mantere is vocalist, violinist and Pedagogy in Classical and pop/jazz violin teaching. She started playing violin at the age of four. She graduated from Music High School in Oulu, Finland. She's been singing and playing in Helsinki since, moved to the capital of Finland straight from High School and worked on television during the first year after High School. She studied Classical violin playing 1990-1997 and earned her diploma playing full resital 1996 and Jean Sibelius Violin Concerto with Symphony orchestra in 1997. She is Music pedagogy in pop/ jazz music in violin and also a Somatic Pilates Instructor.

Heidi Marjaana sings mainstream, jazz, soul and pop music. She is a very big fan of Karen Carpenter's voice. Heidi lives in Helsinki, Finland. She is teaching classical violin in East Helsinki Music School and used to teach for 15 years improvisation in Helsinki Pop & Jazz Conservatory by her main instrument, violin. Heidi is an Arco Groove strings section playing founder and made her “Arco Groove seven compositions and arrangements” book to the pop/jazz violin section in 2009. Heidi was ESTA European String Teachers Association Finland President for 10 yrs between 2013-2023. Artist name High-D came in 2019 when she took part in a European Singing Contest tryout. Between 2020-2023 she has been singing and playing in the studio making 15 singles in pop, soul and indie pop categories. High-D finally got her debut on May 8th, 2022 in Solo Finland Association CD and Digital release (Heads or Tails) concerts held in Eckerö Line m/s Finlandia on the Baltic Sea between Helsinki and Tallinn. She also performed her original Against all pain for the first time live, during that debut Concert. Against all pain was released April 8th, 2022.

High-D's debut album “You’ll be shining like the sun” was released in April 2023 in a LIVE concert. From March 2023 Heidi has been making new music, lyrics and arrangements in Planet ERGH with Erkki Vuokila and R.G. Williamson. Planet ERGH 1st single and video “My way home” (Heidi's lyrics) was released June 2nd and the 2nd single “Chocolate” will be out on most digital platforms on June 23rd with a video. Heidi´s music was and is played by many Radio Stations including Museboat Live and we are happy to have the privilege to ask her a few questions.

It is never too late to take another step!

HIGH D

Taunjua: We know that you started music at a really young age. Do your ideas about your musical life differ from what you imagined then?

HIGH D: Well, I have been singing before I could make any understandable words or sentences and started playing violin at the age of four.. all I remember from those days, that music felt like my home, a safe place where I felt I really belong. I had my own way to express myself by singing and later on playing.


Taunjua: It is known about you that, in addition to your musical career, you are also a Pilates instructor. Tell us a little more about how you got there?

HIGH D: I come from a family with sports downhill skiing and ice hockey, for me skiing, running, swimming, cycling, skating in my early age. Since I moved to Helsinki, I bought my sports card to the gym in the first place. Somatic pilates came to my life in 2007 after my daughter was born. Felt like I needed more knowledge of my body anatomy after playing violin for so long and giving birth. I graduated as Somatic pilates instructor in 2014 and it has been in my working scene ever since. I LOVE it!



Taunjua: What did your work entail in such an important organization as the ESTA European String Teachers Association?

HIGH D: Well, during the last ten years I tried to make stronger bond between local and international string colleagues including violin, viola, cello and double bass. I succeeded, I think, and this spring 2023 I decided to jump out from the ESTA Finland Presidency. That was a good ride, but now it is time for me to move on.


Taunjua: Well, let's go back to your music. For us at the Museboat channel, your participation in the Planet Ergh project together with Erkki Vuokila and RG Williamson is a great satisfaction. What brought you to this project?



HIGH D: Erkki and Richard had this collaboration in mind between those two gentlemen, I just got invited in from Erkki in March 2023 and I am very happy for that invitation. I think we have the same kind of working mentality and we all are very creative - if I may say so. Of course, thanks to Muse Boat Live Channel, where I jumped in on February 2022, it has been very great to get to know more indie musicians, music and producers and of course you Muse Boat folks, oh, your support to indie music! It’s AMAZING!





Taunjua: I'll probably say the truth for the entire Museboat team, that your spontaneous music spot not only pleasantly surprised us, but also gave us energy to continue our efforts to help amazing artists. Tell me, what is your advice for aspiring artists?

HIGH D: Well well, believe in yourself, work hard, practice and stay connected. Right?





Taunjua: What inspires you to write your music?

HIGH D: Life itself, I think. People I meet, who I talk to.. Keep your ears and eyes open, surprise might be waiting for you around the corner! I have always been interested in different kinds of music genres. No boundaries, I think that’s my strength to keep going strong. Lucky me, I ‘ve had awesomely creative and hard working people around me. Big thanks to my music producer Pekka Saukkonen among many others! Pekka is the most inspiring person on earth!





Taunjua: What are your plans for the future? Especially the short-term ones?

HIGH D: I think Planet ERGH is going strong at the moment. I also have some plans as my alter ego High-D. In Finland we have summer time right now, time we have been waiting for, so I try to enjoy this time of the year and do some live gigs during the summer, some practicing, composing, arranging and also instructing pilates sessions a few times a week during the whole summer season.




Taunjua: Which artists inspire you the most? Who would you like to play with on stage?

HIGH D: Oh wow! It is now too late, but Karen Carpenter, Whitney Houston, Ella Fitzgerald - see you later you great ladies! I have quite a large range in my voice, so not too many who may sing as low as I can, but yes, Lady Gaga performed 2022 in Stockholm and she amazed me strongly! Would be an honour to even meet her live!




Taunjua: What song that you have written, have you found the hardest to write?

HIGH D: Against all pain in the springtime 2022. This topic took me years. I hope I could have delivered my thoughts and mind set thru this original of mine.

Taunjua: What is the funniest story behind your work?

HIGH D: Oh dear! More than 20 years I told everybody that I will never take part in any competition - especially not for the Eurovision singing contest. When I finally said yes in 2019 then covid-19 happened and the whole contest was canceled - not because of me, but anyway!






Taunjua: OK Heidi, this one is from Andy. He stressed to me that I had to ask you about this (laugh). What was the inspiration behind the song "The Ultimate Game"?

HIGH D: The Ultimate Game had its lyrics and also music done for once with another singer and it led nowhere. Then my music producer Pekka Saukkonen and lyricist Ari Murto offered that single to me - so that is not my composition but the drama mood certainly is! The Ultimate Game studio session was in the middle of covid-19 time, so it might have given some extra drama to the interpretation, I assume. Greetings to Andy, thank you for asking!

Taunjua: What are your plans for the future?

HIGH D:

Hope that I have opportunities to make more music and lyrics, continue performing as a singer and violinist and be creative from this moment on. Pilates gives me strength and violin teaching keeps me going. Of course it would be wonderful to meet for example Richard live and perhaps perform one day together with Planet ERGH. Taunjua: Is there anything you would like to say to Museboat listeners?

HIGH D: I would like to thank the whole Muse Boat Live Channel team for your strong support of me and all co-musicians. Special thanks to Muse Boat Channel listeners for voting High-D until now. Keep up the good work!





Taunjua: Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule for the interview, Heidi. Good Bye.

HIGH D: Oh, thank you, my pleasure! Thank you for asking me to join this interview!