Rihards Bērziņš, the frontman of "Papīra lidmašīnas," Shares Insights into the Album's Development


The band "Papīra lidmašīnas" has been actively making music for eight years, but they gained wider recognition by participating in Supernova 2024 with their song "Mind Breaker." Their debut album, "Turbulence," was recently released, and its singles quickly gained popularity on Latvian radio stations and won the hearts of listeners.

Today, we invited Rihards Bērziņš, the lead singer of the band, for a conversation to learn more about the album creation process. Rihards revealed which songs from the album are his favorites and shared some amusing stories from the band’s concerts and behind the scenes.

Can you tell us about the creation process of the album "Turbulence"?

"Turbulence" came together quite organically. We had planned to release a mini-album in the spring, but after Supernova, we realized that if we were going to do it, we should go all out and give it our 100%. Moreover, we only needed four more songs to complete the full album, which we managed to create since we had accumulated a lot of demo material.

What criteria did you use to select the singles for the album?

The singles were chosen based on our feelings. Juris Ludženieks, who is the music author and producer of the songs, sent demos, and I selected the ones that resonated with me. Accordingly, while writing the lyrics, the album's story and dynamics were developed.

Can you share your experience and impressions from participating in Supernova 2024 with the song "Mind Breaker"? Do you plan to participate in Supernova 2025?

The song "Mind Breaker" was one that didn’t quite fit into the album, so I wrote simple lyrics for it and submitted it to the Supernova competition. Honestly, no one expected us to be chosen, but it turned out that we even made it to the finals, which gave us a lot of energy and inspiration for recording the album. We definitely won’t participate in Supernova 2025, but we don't rule out the possibility of entering with a song that has the potential to win in other years. However, it is a song competition, and it is practically impossible to artificially write such songs. Therefore, if a song comes along, we will participate.

Your band has played a lot of concerts. Is there a particular concert that stands out the most, and why?

Yes, we regularly play at many events because we are primarily a cover band that performs at parties. We have been doing this for eight years and have no plans to stop. Over the years, there have been various incidents. For example, our guitarist’s pedal board was spilled, and at the Ogre amphitheater, a little girl from the audience shouted for us to play a song called "Kaija." There have been many such quirky incidents. Personally, I found it odd when we played a party on Tallink, and no one danced – they just watched and applauded. That’s okay, but if it’s a live band and a party band, not a concert, it’s nice when someone at least sways to the music and enjoys the evening because we get our energy from seeing the audience relax and enjoy themselves.

If you had the chance to collaborate with any artist in the world, who would it be and why?

Personally, I would like to collaborate with OneRepublic, Maroon 5, or a DJ like David Guetta because stylistically, we are similar to these groups, and there is a lot we could learn from them.

Which song from your repertoire is your favorite and why?

I have several favorites. However, since I wrote all the lyrics, there is a connection with each of these songs. If I had to choose, it would be "Mirklis Vēsturē" (because it’s just a great song) (and a radio-edit version will be released in the fall), "Gaismu Lej" (about losing a close person), and "Lido Tu" (a song about unconditional love, written with thoughts of children).

Can you share a funny situation that happened at one of your concerts on stage or backstage?

We always have fun backstage, and we joke about everything. Sometimes, when we perform at RockCafe, people often come into our backstage area looking for the bathroom. They come in confidently but then get confused because they can’t find the bathroom, and either try to awkwardly start a conversation or run away.

Describe your ideal day from start to finish. What would you do, where would you go, and who would you spend it with?

My ideal day would definitely be with family somewhere with no internet. A day in nature, a campfire, mosquito repellent, etc.

Can you share the most useful piece of advice you’ve received from someone?

Oh, this is interesting! I follow several mottos in my life. One of them is: Do what you love because there will always be someone who likes what you don’t, and they will do it ten times better. Therefore, do what you love with full dedication, rather than depriving someone of the chance to do their heart’s work.

What types of events do you most often attend?

Unfortunately, due to a busy schedule, I don’t get to attend events as often as I would like. However, this year I did attend several concerts – Jacob Collier in Tartu and Positivus. I mostly attend events where I’m performing myself.

Imagine that you have visitors who have never been to Riga. Which entertainment spots would you take them to?

The first place would be a walk around the Old Town. Later, to the Riga Motor Museum, the Open-Air Museum, or the Brothers’ Cemetery.

What are the band’s goals and ambitions for the future? Are you planning any special collaborations or an album tour?

Currently, we have several ideas that we have already started to implement. The first will definitely be a new cover song video medley with Latvian songs. After that, we’ll see. Once the active event season ends, we’ll think about what to do next. There will definitely be more songs from us because we are pleased with how the public receives and supports us, so we will definitely continue with this. A concert tour is not currently planned.

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