Ada Szulc: You are a very young man and you already have specific achievements. You’re a musician, a winner of the National Scholarship Competition for Talented Roma Students, and what’s more, you come from a family with traditions, as the son of a well-known musician, Mirosław Dymitrak. Does the fact that you come from a well-known ‘musical’ Roma family
make your life easier, or is it a difficulty, a conviction to music?
Wiktor Dymitrak: I think coming from a family of musicians makes life easier. It’s certainly easier to get through to people, especially in our Roma community. Dad is recognisable among Roma for musical reasons. When I was young, even when we went to visit family or go to Roma parties, everyone always said that I played the accordion, that I went to music
school and so on. And I hope that this makes me recognisable to the Romani people. So that’sdefinitely an advantage.
I’ll elaborate on this topic: your Dad said he had this dream of you continuing his work. Andin such a context: is it a difficulty or a convenience?
I will definitely continue my Dad’s work, because inside myself I feel that this is my only path in life. If it wasn’t for Dad, if it wasn’t for his decisions when I was young to enrol me in music school… Fact, sometimes I didn’t want to practise. Sometimes I didn’t want to play the accordion, sing or whatever. And then my dad forced me quite often, especially in primary
school. And today I’m very grateful to him for that, despite everything. Definitely in this context it is also a convenience. I am very thankful to my dad for pushing me in all this. Hopefully going forward.
You’re interested in hip hop and rap. Are you going to go in that direction?
It’s a controversial issue between me and my dad at the moment… I think that because of my young age hip hop, R&B and soul appeal to me the most. If in fact one day I could break through to a bigger audience, hopefully into the mainstream, then I would prefer to get into more soul or R&B. I enjoy singing more than rapping.
And what is your favourite instrument and why?
Well it would be silly if I didn’t answer: the accordion. I’ve spent my whole life playing it really. Definitely the accordion. If I had to choose, let’s say in the evening for pleasure, what I would play on, I would probably choose the piano today. Right now, I’m in the mood to sit down and enjoy it rather than play. On the accordion, however, it’s an effort to carry it around and so on, so the piano for pleasure. And the accordion for life.
What is your favourite musical genre?
Definitely R&B and soul. To put it another way, I love all music in general, leaving out one genre. Don’t want to say out loud, but everyone knows what I mean. I listen to everything. Recently I’ve even started to listen to the classics. When I go for a walk it’s mostly Chopin on my headphones, so I really like everything. But most of all R&B and soul.
Apart from playing, do you compose yourself, create arrangements?
Yes, I compose on my own. I compose music in general, meaning backing tracks for myself. I write the lyrics. On the accordion I also tried to create, but I didn’t feel it. I didn’t feel it in such a way that I could do it on a daily basis. It didn’t quite get to me somewhere.
In addition to your musical career, we know that you also have achievements in another field: you have won the title of Mister Jaworska Land 2018 – do you have any plans connected with this? Do you want to become an actor, a model?
I’m currently making some extra money as a model. I don’t pursue it on any high scale. Although I have been thinking about going into it completely, I found that I didn’t quite fit in with this environment, this community. I might do it more in terms of making a profit, maybe as a hobby.
What is your biggest achievement?
The biggest achievement for me… This is quite a deep question. Everyone measures success by their own measure. I for one am proud of knowing what I want to do in life. I can be proud, because many people don’t really know the reason why they are on this Earth. And when it comes to specific achievements, certainly this ‘Mister’ title and the scholarship from
the Minister of the Internal Affairs, which I received several times at the competitions in Łódź. Those are the main things.
Who would you like to play a concert with?
Who would I like to play a concert with? Oh gosh. It depends on the style. If I were to rap it would definitely be Malik Montana. If I were to perform in a singing style it would be Roy Woods. I think Roy Woods the most, because I listen to his albums a lot now. And instrumentally it’s with my father, which is not today yet, but in a while, I guess you could say. We haven’t had a concert together for a long time.
What are your dreams and plans for the future?
Future plans include music, of course. Only and exclusively. And the dreams for the future…
I’ve always dreamt of having a big happy family. All in all, those are kind of my two goals in life: music and family. Nothing more concrete really matters. I’ve never dreamt of making money, yachts, villas and so on. In short, I dream of a wooden cottage in the mountains with my family and a peaceful old age.
In Poland?
I don’t know. As long as it’s warm.
Interviewed by Ada Szulc from the “Dom Kultury” Foundation
