Q: Hey, can you tell us a bit about where you come from, and what made you want to start a career in music?
A: Hey! Yes. I am originally from Barcelona, Spain, but I’ve lived in different countries (UK, Brazil, The Netherlands…) during the past 8 years. I have spent the last 11 years studying monkeys and working for the conservation of nature and the protection of wildlife. Actually, I have a PhD in Biological Anthropology. But music has always been my passion. I was singing before I could talk. It’s something that’s been haunting me since I remember, so I had to try it. I overcame my social anxiety and put myself and my voice out there.
Q: Did you have any formal training, or are you self-taught?
A: I am mostly self-taught. I have done some piano and singing lessons here and there to face my fears and test myself. I was surprised when my teachers told me I had a talent, so I started working on believing in it by learning on my own and trying things out.
Q: Who were your first and strongest musical influences?
A: I love all sorts of music styles and singers, but I think my first and strongest influences come from female artists. I love Banks, Florence and the machine, Kate Bush, Susanne Sundfør, Vaults, Britney Spears. I also like some male artists like Depeche mode or James Blunt, but I am mostly influenced by women.
Q: You have just released your new single, ‘What do you know?’. Is there a story behind it?
A: Yes! And it is a weird story. I actually dreamed of this song! I woke up the day of my PhD defence with the song in my head. Imagine! That day, my brain was on fire! I remembered the melody of the verses and the chorus and part of the lyrics, like, some random words and short sentences. So, I picked up my phone and recorded what I remembered. I knew that the song had an intro in my dreams, but I could not remember the melody. Then, I defended my thesis and died on the couch for days. Two weeks later, I listened to that recording and started figuring out the chords of the song on my guitar and created the intro and the outro from scratch. When I started writing the lyrics, I realized that the song was about a friend who was betrayed by a lifelong friend. We had had many conversations about the betrayal and how she felt about it. I guess that’s why my unconscious created those lyrics in my dream. And that’s how ‘What do you know?’ was born! It is a catchy song, with fun lyrics full of anger and a spicy sense of humour. I hope you like it!
Q: Can we expect a new EP or even an album from you in the near future?
A: I have enough songs to release 3 albums, but right now, I am on my own and totally broke. I need help, more visibility and money to face the costs of producing, mixing and releasing the songs. I have plans to release 4 more singles within the next 12 months, and I am working on producing other songs that I would like to release as an album, together with all the singles, when I have the money and resources to do it.
Q: What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?
A: For me, lyrics are very important. All my songs talk about topics and personal experiences that can resonate with anyone. For instance, my first single ‘Flavours’ is an anti-racist song that celebrates human diversity. Now, I am producing a feminist anthem inspired by the story and career of a famous actress. I have songs that talk about sexual abuse, life and death or how all the negative things that are happening in the world (war, hunger, climate crisis, the destruction of nature) negatively affect our psyche and emotional well-being. I do not have a particular sound because I let the music to be inspired by the story I want to tell. I want the lyrics and the melody to go hand by hand. Therefore, my songs can be inspired by different genres: pop, rock, folk, trip hop…
Q: Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it, or are you expecting something more?
A: At the moment, I am struggling because I’ve just started. I am still figuring out how to be a singer-songwriter in this era. Money-wise, it is not giving me back much (nothing, I must say XD), but I love creating music and producing songs. It is so healing and freeing for me. My goal is to focus more on performing and engaging with real people. I have been trying to do some digital marketing and online promotion, but it is very draining, artificial and phony most of the time. Spammers and scams everywhere. Not my gig. But I’ll keep posting cool content on my social media! So please, check them out!
Q: Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song?
A: Well, it depends. Sometimes, I sit down on the piano or with my guitar and start playing around with chord progressions and melodies. Sometimes I create melodies and lyrics at the same time. Sometimes, I create the melody first and then add the lyrics, or vice versa. Sometimes, I come up with a melody while cooking or taking a shower, and then I grab my guitar or my piano and try to find the chords that go with what I created. Inspiration is a random bitch and it comes when it comes. But I am very prolific. I could write three songs per day. I love writing music. It is my therapy, so if I am so quick it is because I have a lot to heal XD.
Q: What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?
A: I’ve had a very difficult life. I am actually facing a very difficult situation at the moment, personally and professionally. However, it is hard to say what the most difficult thing I had to endure is, because it depends on many factors such as the moment in your life you had to face it. I have suffered from bullying, sexual abuse and even death threats when I was working on my PhD. It is a crazy story, but not for today XD.
Q: On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?
A: I think one of my biggest achievements has been to learn how to love myself, build up my self-esteem, make peace with my fears and insecurities (you don’t really overcome them, but you learn how to live with them and shut them up) and understand my needs to be able to choose which environments and people are good for me. I’m still working on it, but I think I am doing a good job.
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