Naomi Thieme is a 26-year-old from Freiburg, Germany, with a diverse artistic background. She grew up in a creative environment, exploring interests like photography, painting, music, and dance, particularly HipHop. She attended a Steiner school, supporting her artistic and intellectual development. After high school, Naomi traveled and studied sociology and architecture but found her passion in the art and culture collective "Dachziegelflow" in 2021. There, she managed cultural events and started creating her own music. Naomi is now releasing her first 8 songs and is focused on expressing herself through various artistic mediums like music, modeling, and performance. She aims to inspire others as her favorite artists inspire her. Naomi describes herself as a perfectionist and is finally ready to embrace her artistic path with courage.
J: How did growing up in a creative household influence your approach to art and self-expression?
NT: I feel like they’re always two sides of it. On the “downside” in my family, the artist always put themselves behind their husbands or behind an intellectual career to hold up with society and its expectations. So I kind of learned that as well: to put my artistic passions at second place to go study at university. But I am grateful for that because I love to connect wisdom and art, I’m very grateful that I’ve been to university and got to learn more about critical thinking.
On the upside I got in contact with creative energy and creating from a very young age as my parents were always into painting. My mum was very into music and my dad into photography so from a very young age I got the opportunities feel creative energy and to explore. To dance, to create, to sing, to play the piano; my parents taught me a lot. Also they got me into a very artistic school and always encouraged me and I am very grateful for that.
J: You mentioned feeling different in school—too girly for the boys, too boyish for the girls. How did that experience shape your artistic identity?
NT: It definitely helped to embrace my queerness and free myself from societal expectations. I love to express myself in many different ways and style is one very important component. I don’t feel like I have to choose one way of being and stay with it forever but rather be a new version of myself every day. Depending on my mood - one day baggy, one day chic. I love being authentic and confident with it so people realise that they don’t have to be afraid to do so as well.
J: How did attending a Steiner school contribute to your personal and artistic growth?
NT: I felt more accepted as a unique being. To have that school-support adapted to my skills and talents made me more confident. I learned how to stand up for myself and others.
J: You’ve dabbled in various forms of art, from photography to painting to music. How do you decide which medium to focus on at any given time?
NT: I go with my intuition. In general, dancing frees my mind and lets me get into my body. Music and painting helps me to express my emotions and songwriting releases my thoughts. But it comes in phases and I am open to variate in the future.
J: How did you transition from dancing with “Dopies” to finding your voice in music?
NT: Since I started training with the “Dopies” dance was always a priority. I did learn the piano and I loved to sing at that time as well but it was more to pass the time or to express my emotions for myself, while dancing was on stage being visual for everyone. When I stopped dancing competitions that created more space to make my voice be heard. It took some time for me to hear my own voice and to be confident with it.
J: What drew you to songwriting?
NT: It came very natural to me. Music was always a big part of my life, listening to music and really listening to the lyrics helped me a lot to go through struggles. So I had the urge to express myself through words as well.
I recently found an old self-burned CD with my favorite songs and there was one song on it that I wrote when I was 12. There I realized, that songwriting and recording has been in my life way longer than I thought. Even at 3 years old I had this vintage cassette recorder with an attached mic and loved to record stories and sounds.
Finding my tribe with the Dachziegelflow and getting in contact with other songwriters gave me the confidence to write more and also share this experience and the outcomes with others.
J: Can you share a bit about your experience managing cultural events with the "Dachziegelflow" collective and how it influenced your work as an artist?
NT: It was a parallel development organizing events like open mics and spending time in the studio writing songs & creating music. The most important part was the collective. Creating together, having a sense of belonging, learning from each other, building a network and sharing your ideas while supporting each other. That was the part that empowered me the most.
And actually, just doing it. Having the opportunity to be on stage performing and practicing, slowly building the confidence to put myself out there.
J: You’ve described yourself as a perfectionist. How do you overcome the inner critic to share your work with the world?
NT: I found myself in a place where it’s overdue to release my music. The hardest part is that I feel like I’m already further in my development as an artist than the stages of my first songs. It’s hard to put them out there when I feel like I would be making better music right now. But I realise it is very important to share the process as well. Nobody started as a master. And I also want the people to be part of my journey. I don’t wanna be embarrassed about my first songs because they mean a lot to me and I still love them. I still feel them. They are a big part of me as an artist. I also feel like I have to release them to make space to create something new.
J: Your debut release of 8 songs is a significant milestone. What are the key themes or emotions you explore in your music?
NT: In these couple of songs I explored various ways of expressing myself. It started with a flow state with the first song. Then I tried out storytelling and in the third one I let out some anger and emotions to release them. The next two songs were collaborations with a friend and we were just trying to share our inner world. The last song is just Vibin.
J: Which artists have been your biggest inspiration, and how have they influenced your creative process?
NT: My biggest inspiration and I call him my “Spirit Artist” is the independent rapper Russ. I’ve been following his journey as an artist for over 10 years now and I love how he can express himself lyrically while delivering self-made fresh beats that are dance-able. What I love the most about him is that he makes me feel understood. Sometimes I feel like his songs are dropping at the exact moment where I feel what he is expressing. It’s like he is speaking to my soul and from my soul. That is a big part of why I want to make music; to be able to express my feelings and at the same time inspire others, to make them feel like they are understood and not alone with their feelings and what they’re going through.
It reminds me that we are all going through the same human experience.
Of course I have to mention all the female artists that I admire like IAMDDB, Mahalia, Jorja Smith, Billie Eilish, Doja Cat and many more.
J: Can you describe the feeling of finally releasing your own music after working behind the scenes for so long?
NT: It is terrifying but freeing at the same time. I feel like I have to get them out to make space to create new music and I’m looking forward to it.
J: What has been the most challenging part of your journey as an artist so far, and how have you overcome it?
NT: The most challenging part was to accept that I am an artist. To fully go with it and stand behind myself. I always knew I was an artist, but I never had the courage to describe myself as one.
I guess I’m still overcoming it.. but I had to learn the hard way to pour my energy and my love into my own dreams instead of trying to push others and their potential. I still want to keep that quality, but without sounding selfish - I need to put myself and my dreams first. Otherwise why would I have these dreams, if I’m not the one realising them. Also, I know that I am well equipped to achieve them.
J: You’ve traveled and lived in different places—how has that influenced your art and worldview?
NT: Traveling, especially traveling alone brought me closer to myself. I love seeing different places and different cultures. I love seeing different people. I’ve always been fascinated by various cultures adapting to them and honoring them. As I do hip-hop, soul and jazzy kind of music, I am much influenced by the black cultures and I appreciate that a lot. I feel like traveling brings people closer to accepting each other while being different. For me, traveling is also being in a state of flow and that is an equivalent of being creative.
J: How do you handle moments of self-doubt or creative blocks, especially with such a diverse range of interests?
NT: Having this diverse range of interests helps a lot. By accepting a creative block in one area I turn to another. For example when I have a writing blockage I try to free my head with dancing. In case of self-doubt meditation always helps in form of any artistic activity, Yoga or classic meditation.
J: Now that you’re embracing your personal path in art, music, and modeling, what are your hopes for the future? What do you want to achieve next?
NT: I want to achieve being one with my purpose. Following my path with courage, even when difficulties occur, I wanna be a warrior of light. I also want to collaborate with other artists and people to stay connected. I want to develop myself further as an artist, event manager, sociologist and human being.
Specifically, I will host a big fashion event on the 29.11. in St. Bartlemä, Innsbruck. It will present an upcycled Collection created by a collective of artists who came together 2 years ago. The project is called EXÆQUO (meaning: equally, on one level) and is also a platform to connect artists of all kinds.
We produced a unisex clothing line by printing, painting and sewing. That event will be the biggest event I’ve ever managed, starring a group exhibition, a dance show, a music performance and a fashion show, so I’m very exited about that.
J: How do you balance your different artistic passions—music, dance, modeling—and where do you see them intersecting?
NT: I always loved acting as well, so I’m thinking about diving into that or doing a synchronous speaker apprenticeship. I feel like all these interests move in one industry so I definitely see them intersecting and supporting each other. Maybe one leads to another and so on.
Last but not least, what message or inspiration do you hope to pass on to others who might feel hesitant about pursuing their creative passions?
Just do it. Never be afraid of being yourself because nobody else can be you. Don’t be afraid to be judged and read the alchemist by Paulo Coelho. Be dedicated to your passion. Write your morning pages and find a routine that suits you. And allow yourself to have bad days as well 🫰🏼
Naomi's new song PRESENT is out now on Spotify.
Instagram - @naomithieme
