Rock Monsters Romania

We’ve talked about women working behind the scenes and women who are vocalists in bands, but it’s also time to talk about those in the middle of the action, the musicians playing the instruments we all love, like the bass.

Our next guest is Laura Benedek, a rising “princess of Romanian jazz” and a familiar name for jazz fans, as well as for the audiences of Valeria Stoica, Mădălina Pavăl and Kadjavsi, with whom she collaborates on stage.

She also performs with her own jazz band, 7th Sense, is a curator for the Pure Jazz Concert series, and hosts her own show on Black Rhino Radio, where she talks about—yes, you guessed it—jazz.

In an exclusive interview, we tried to find out more about her career, her goals, and the defining moments that have shaped her journey so far.

What are the things people should know about you before reading this interview?

I’m a bassist and composer, currently active in 4 projects. One of them and probably my dearest one is my own jazz band, 7th SENSE. I’m also a curator for the Pure Jazz Concert Series and everything that’s „jazzunit” related. I have a bi-monthly jazz radio show on Black Rhino Radio and the most recent thing I picked up for about a year now is DJ-ing – although I’m considering myself more like a music selector. Don’t want to offend any proper DJs haha.

Which woman inspired you from the beginning? What have you learned from her as a model?

I wouldn’t say I had a woman figure that inspired me from the early days, but I can say that in 2017 a fundamental key moment in my life and career occured, that literally changed everything for me: discovering UK Jazz Saxophonist Nubya Garcia. Back then I was starting my third Uni year and I didn’t have any woman musicians around me, especially instrumentalists, and there weren’t really that many jazz bands around Bucharest, so the environment wasn’t that encouraging and the thought of having my own band didn’t cross my mind at all because it wasn’t actually an option or something obvious to do. I remember exactly the moment I discovered Nubya on Gilles Peterson’s radio show, I remember how I searched for her music on Youtube and I remember what I felt when I saw the cover of her EP ‘Nubya’s 5ive’. It blew my mind and it changed my life forever and I wouldn’t be where I am today if this moment wouldn’t have existed. I realised back then that this career is actually possible, that being a bandleader and having your own band is possible, that playing your own original music is possible. Basically that being a woman that plays an instrument and has her own band with her own songs is fucking possible. Insane! I got obsessed with her and even to this day I look up to her so much. I’ve watched lots of interviews with her, especially last year, and I feel we’re so so alike in how we think about music and art in general, how we approach musical ideas and so on. It’s quite crazy, especially because I never met her, but I dreamt 3 or 4 times how we met and every time I started crying hahaha. I think for me now, the most valuable thing that I learned from her is that music has its own timing and it will come out in whatever form only when it feels ready to come out. We only have to trust it and believe in it.

Why have you chosen the music industry? Where does your passion come from?

I don’t know if I chose the industry. I was more obliged to “enter” it. When I decided that I want to study music and pursue it as a career I had no clue what this “music industry” was all about. I was so naive and my love for music and playing music were so pure that I didn’t really think about this industry aspect at all. I just dreamt really really big and imagined myself firstly as Rachel and Finn from Glee, then like Jamie Cullum and Lianne La Havas on the Main Stage at Sziget Festival and then like Nubya Garcia and Ezra Collective “conquering” the world stages with jazz. I always loved music and always was obsessed with it, and even when my mom was driving me nuts to learn for school, I was downloading and searching for new music obsessively. Plus, Canzonetta – an ensemble I was part of during my school years. Love forever! But then of course, you grow up and learn the hard way how things work and I must admit, it’s not that pure and fun anymore. It’s mostly really tiring and exhausting and „normal” people don’t really realise how much artists usually work behind the scenes and how much energy, courage, perseverance and a small amount of insanity is needed to choose to do this with your life daily haha. But at the same time I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else, I love it so much, I’m the happiest and it fulfills me the most. And for the past 2 years it’s been really a mission of mine to strive for that pureness and innocence from my early days again. I think it’s something vital, at least for me, and honestly music and music making felt the best when it was like that. And the industry side – let’s say it’s a constant work in progress in trying to understand it and keeping up with it.

Was there a moment when another woman warned you about the challenges you might face in the music industry because you’re a woman? What was your reaction?

No. No woman ever told me about the challenges I might face, but for some reason it was quite obvious for me that they will exist and that I will always have to work harder to prove myself for whatever reason. Which is actually sad if you think about it. But the signs were and unfortunately are always there since we’re born. Plus the subtleties during my University years and later on in my career, misogynistic comments and unappropiate behaviours etcetc. made it all very clear where I or actually we stand in this industry. It’s a tough battle and you have to have super tough skin, otherwise you won’t survive and they will eat you up, sadly. But the fact and audacity that these kind of things are accepted and normalised by our peers is disgusting.

Have you faced any challenges that could only happen to women in this industry? Can you give us some examples and explain how you overcame them?

Of course, so so many. The most recent one happened actually at this years Eurosonic in Groningen where I played with Valeria Stoica. Right before our linecheck the stage manager came to talk with the guys in order to make sure that everyone has everything they asked for. When he asked if we use a bass amp the guys turned to me to ask me what I prefer and when the stage manager saw who they were talking with he started laughing. Such a concrete example of something that only happens to us. Unfortunately I didn’t react at all and I regret terribly that I didn’t stand up for myself. I only got pissed and told my collegues what happened and that was that, sadly. But standing up for myself when these situations arise is something I really need to learn because most of the times I’m still insecure and scared to speak up and honestly I/we should be merciless with these kind of behaviours and men in general. And then there’s the typical example of “ohh she plays an instrument, I bet she sucks” and they are listening to you only to test you and see if you really suck. If you don’t suck they congratulate you and tell you “wooow, you played really good, have you heard her? She did well.” And then the next day you literally start from 0. Because again, they want to test you to see if it was just pure luck or you actually are a good musician. And even though they don’t verbalise that this is happening it actually is and it’s super obvious and the little subtleties give everything away. This concrete example happened to me a few years ago, but it’s actually kind of a constant and it’s always there sadly. It messes with your mind and you start doubting yourself while giving them power. I sometimes still struggle with believing in myself, it comes and goes in waves. Sometimes I think I’m a really good musician, other times I’m just scared to go and play because I know this pressure is out there and I’m always watched and “hunted.”

The only thing to overcome these challenges is to stay strong, mind your own business, study and play even better, ignore them, be stubborn, believe in your talent and capacity, be confident in your abilities and stand up and speak up for yourself and other women! and prove them wrong. And even when you’ll prove them wrong, it won’t be enough. So you have to work on being content with yourself and your journey. Easy to write and say, harder to put into practice. But I guess we have to keep trying, for our own good, not theirs.

Have you ever felt pressured to present yourself in a certain way because of your gender?

Mmmm, not that much. Maybe just sometimes when I had to attend more special events, but even then I still stuck to myself, my style and what felt true to me in that moment. So in that sense I feel really lucky that I don’t feel the need to impress a single soul from the industry by the way I’m dressing or talking. I am who I am and if you like me like that great, if you don’t I don’t care. I won’t change for nobody just because there are some unwritten rules that need to be obeyed and that were pushed upon us since forever. Even when small things are suggested that don’t align with my beliefs, standards, style etcetc, I refuse them. I always been and stayed true to myself regarding this subject and it’s really something I cherish a lot and won’t change for anyone. I wish I would be this sure and decisive with the topic from the previous question, but it’s a work in progress and I’m slowly getting there as well haha.

What changes would you like to see in the industry to make it more inclusive and welcoming for women?

I think first and foremost having more respect towards us would be crucial, and then equal chances, equal treatments, equal fees, equal opportunities, more awareness when doing a festival lineup and not only, more curiosity in searching if there are any bands led by women, if there are bands with more women members in them and then trying to push and support these projects while treating them right regardless if they are at the beginning of their careers or not, more transparency and inclusion from organisers regarding this topic, more events and gatherings that stir conversations and real solutions up, significant implementations in the local scene and not only, would be a good starting point I’d say.

How optimistic are you about the future of the music industry in terms of gender equality?

I think we all noticed that some changes have been already made regarding this topic worldwide, which is nice and feels promising. Even in Romania, or at least in Bucharest, through the Women in Music Platform, things are starting to get normalised a little bit. I still think we’re at the beginning of this “gender equality” ride and so much needs to be done and changed, but it’s definitely better then it was 10 years ago when I moved here and started my music studies. And I believe it will only get better and better because that’s how evolution works. But yes, I noticed it’s something that people, luckily, got more aware of these past years and more projects and ideas were born because of this. I recently got accepted for a Mentorship Programme organised only for women and non-binary by four huge different organisations from Europe and I’m sure many other initiatives like these will follow and it will only get better, so I believe there’s hope for us haha. But I also believe that until these concepts will get normalised and we’ll be treated equally like our fellas, we have to look for all these opportunities, grasp them, learn from them, improve on our crafts and most importantly, even try personally to change something, no matter how small, in our local community. If we speak up, at some point someone will start listening, if we ignore all the little subtle signs, nobody will come to save us. But the change is within us, we’re strong and powerful. Always were, always will be and that’s something we have to remind ourselves from time to time!

Can you share a memorable experience or achievement in your career that you’re particularly proud of?

There are so so many tbh, but I will share 3 that really mean a lot to me, because I can’t choose just one. They are achievements I always turn to whenever I feel a bit lost in order to encourage myself again. My bachelor concert I organised at Green Hours Jazz Club with all my friends in the place that shaped me as a musician. The album launch concert of my band at Club Control where I really outdone myself on every single aspect. And our super special concert at Jazz in the Park in 2023, for which I’ll be forever grateful. All of them were big dreams of mine and I had the immense luck to be encouraged and supported in making them come true by the most amazing men: Voicu Rădescu, Florin Oslobanu and Alin Vaida. There wasn’t a second I felt denigrated because of my gender and for that I am forever grateful and in awe of them! Thank you! The world/industry would be a better place if there would be more men like you!

Are there any projects or collaborations you’re currently working on that you’re excited about and would like to share with our audience?

Yes. I’m currently working on the second album of my band and I’m extremely excited for it. It sounds insane and it features the most amazing musicians and I just can’t wait to finally release it. Some friends of ours are already super annoyed that it takes so long for us to release it, but that’s a story for another interview haha. But it’s coming this year, I promise!

Other than that I’m working on activating “jazzunit” again. For those who don’t know, “jazzunit” was a concert series I created at Club Control a few years ago. Meanwhile the concept changed and expanded a bit, so now I’m trying to implement all the ideas and get active in the scene again. I want to promote and support our local jazz community as much as possible, because at the end of the day that’s where my heart belongs. So in case you’re interested in any of these jazz things hahah you know where to find me and all the infos regarding these personal projects of mine.

Aaaand other than that the closest concert you can see me at is happening on the 11th of March at Expirat, with Kadjavsi, where we’ll play our new album on which I composed my best bass lines so far. Hope to see you there!

Looking back on your career journey so far, what are some valuable lessons or insights you’ve gained that you wish you knew when you were starting out?

Honestly, the first thing that pops into my mind is to not accept free services from friends or collaborators. Basically don’t do stuff for your own projects for free. Very controversial, I know. But I had the worst experience that really fucked me up for a long time, and it’s exactly the misogyinistic, dominant, selfish and narcisstic men we’ve been talking about. As cruel as it sounds, that’s the reality and the truth about this particular human being I had the bad luck working with. So since then, even if I work with friends and even if I don’t have the right amount of money to pay them deservingly for their services, I still try my best to give something back. Even if it’s like the smallest amount of money, I prefer that, than having someone work for free. It’s one of the first things I talk about now whenever I want to start a new project/idea and need some extra help. Plus, I’m an advocate that no one should work for free, even if the budget is not where it should be. Talk it out, compromise, negotiate, be empathetic and understanding, because after all we’re human beings and artists and we know how hard it is to make a living out of this.

Another one: The process is more valuable and important than the result! This is a pretty recent one and I’m still working hard on getting rid of the old-school mentality that’s been implemented in my brain since I was a child. I can only say that this change of perspective really makes a difference in how you approach and think about everything. Whether it’s about studying, releasing music, learning a super random hobby or even unlearning old toxic patterns. Failure isn’t this endgame everyone keeps brainwashing us about. Failure means you still have room to improve, but it doesn’t mean you suck and you should give up. Again, very easy to write and say, but hard to put into practice. But I think it’s worth it because after you get comfortable with this approach you basically kind of get invincible and super courageous. And then they probably get scared because they don’t dominate you and don’t have any power over you anymore.

Last one, although they are many more, but these 3 lessons were and are pretty much fundamental for me: find your own way, find your own voice, find your own approaches, find your own techniques, find your own particularities and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise or influence you or derail you from your own path!!! Of course, that doesn’t mean to not take advice, lessons from people you truly admire and so on. It just means to figure out who you can trust and who you can’t. It means to figure out when they are critising you, if they are full of frustrations and unfulfilled dreams or if they are giving you constructive feedback. It means to choose your environment wisely and most importantly to know yourself and trust your talent, abilities, path so well that no outside noise can disturb you from achieving your craziest dreams! You know you best, and you know what works for you and not, you know what you love and appeals to you and what not, you know what drives you the most and not. And you have to trust that feeling inside you, that gut feeling. Because it’s always right!

What advice would you give to young women aspiring to pursue a career in music? But to the ones that are reading this interview?

Literally everything I wrote in the previous answer applies as an advice as well. Advice I wish someone would’ve annoyed me with every single day when I was starting out. Other than that, I also think it’s important to find a woman figure that you really admire and ask yourself why you look up to her, what is it about her that you want to implement in your career as well and find ways in how you can achieve at least 1% of what she did. Push yourself and don’t limit yourself. Sometimes this person might live in the same city as you and you can write her on Instagram. I know it might sound scary, but it really isn’t that scary. And never forget, even if she doesn’t reply, you don’t lose anything. But maybe she will, and maybe you’ll get close, and maybe you’ll collaborate and so on. And maybe she lives in another country, like Nubya lives in the UK. But that didn’t stop me in actively following her and reading about her. I even wrote her on Instagram and she replied 5 years later, which is insane. But you can’t imagine how special that moment was for me! And last but not least, be kind, be humble, work on controlling your ego, don’t let it ruin your perspectives, be empathetic and dream big! As big as you can! And then find ways in making those dreams come true!

I know I wrote km in this interview, but it all came from my heart and from hoping that someone will read this and get a little bit encouraged and inspired. And whoever read all this interview, I appreciate you so much and thank you, truly! Also, I consider myself really friendly haha so if you have other questions, curiosities or whatever, drop a message! I would love to hear from you! Thank youuuuu!

If you want to be the first to find out which projects she’ll join in the future, follow her on Instagram. And if you want to see what she’s up to on stage, go support her at Kadjavsi’s concert on March 11.

Rock Monsters Romania believes in professionalism and in the chance for women to stand out in an industry that seems dominated by men. Because of this belief, every March on our website you can find 8 women who are making waves in the music industry and offering daily inspiration and support to those around them.

Text by Radu Mihai

Interview by Ionela Pleșan and Radu Mihai