Exposed Vocals Interviews the portuguese band, Xerife

Exposed Vocals: How did you hear about Exposed Vocals? What made you decide to sign up?

 

Xerife: We hear about Exposed Vocals on Twitter and we decide to sign up because it’s a great way to promote our music.

 

Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?

 

Xerife: We are a band from a village near Lisbon, Portugal. Everyone had different jobs before Xerife, but our passion for music just came up and we know that this is what we want to do for the rest of our lives! It’s not a soft work, but we are stubborn and hopeful too.

 

Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?

 

Xerife: We don’t have a sheriff in Portugal. It’s an authority from USA. So, we choose that name because we wanted to bring something new to Portuguese music. “There’s a new Xerife (sheriff) on the town” it’s our slogan.

Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?

 

Xerife: Nowadays, the music market it’s completely different. Everything goes faster and faster! If we want to become famous, online music sharing it’s an important step. We have our music for sale on multiple digital platforms, but, sometimes, and to compensate our fans for being so amazing, we give them one song for free.

Exposed Vocals: Since everyone was a start-up once, can you give any smaller or local bands or artists looking to get gigs and airplay some tips?

Xerife: Well, we are starting up right now with this band, but everyone in the band has some experience. What tips can we give? Talk with other bands and try to organize your own shows. It’s the best way. Talk to the promoters and don’t be afraid to brag about your band. If you want to sell a product, you have to believe in it.

 

Exposed Vocals: Do you ever make mistakes during performances? How do you handle that?

 

Xerife: Yes, of course! We are human! But if you are well prepared and you have a good chemistry in the band, you improvise and most of the people don’t notice any mistakes. After the show it’s important to talk about it, to understand what did go wrong and try not to repeat next time.

 

Exposed Vocals: Do you tour? Anything interesting happen on tour that you think our readers would enjoy hearing about?

 

Xerife: Until now we didn’t made any tour. Our shows are mostly at the weekend. But we have some funny stories. For example, get to the concert, after driving 400 miles, and notice that we didn’t bring our guitar amplifier! An advice: check everything before go to the show!

Artist:

Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?

 

Xerife: It’s our lead vocal, Laura Macedo, who writes all the lyrics. Most of the time we have the music structure done and then she writes something that the music inspires. Sometimes the lyric just comes up, other times she writes based on a theme that she thinks has to do with the music.

Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?

 

Xerife: We have our facebook page where we do all communication with the fans: https://www.facebook.com/XerifeOfficial. We also have our music on Spotify, iTunes, Shazam, Deezer, Amazon, Google Play, Xbox Music, Kkbox and Nokia Mix Radio.

 

Exposed Vocals: What are some really embarrassing songs that we might find on your mp3 player?

 

Xerife: We think that there’s not embarrassing songs because you can always take a lesson and tips from every song.

Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?

 

Xerife: Playing all around the world!

Exposed Vocals: Any planned studio upgrades? What are you working with now?

 

Xerife: We just finished our second work that will be released in the end of February. After that we are going to promote it and then it’s time to have more studio work on new songs.

Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?

 

Xerife: We try to reach some radios and TV shows, but it’s a little bit difficult in Portugal. Shows are also very important to reach new fans.

Exposed Vocals: If you could perform anywhere and with any artists (Dead or Alive) where and who would it be with? Why?

 

Xerife: Woodstock, Wembley, any music festival! With whom it’s a difficult question because they are so many!!! Freddie Mercury, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, Michael Jackson, Kurt Cobain, Stevie Wonder, Bruno Mars, Slash, Mick Jagger, Sting, Xutos&Pontapés (portuguese rock band)… because they are/were all legendary artists and they make the difference in music!

Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?

 

Xerife: After the release of our new EP, we are going to do other videoclip and try to get to as many people possible.

Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?

 

Xerife: Something related to art.

Exposed Vocals: Do you remember buying your first album? Who was it? What was going through your head?

 

Xerife: Yes. In my case (Laura – Singer) it was Bon Jovi – Crossroads. And I thought: “Wow!” I listen to it so many times!

Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?

 

Xerife: It’s a really hard work. We can’t only worry with our music because, most of the times, our music don’t pay the bills. So, we have to teach and have other band projects to face all responsibilities. That compromises our creativity and freedom to create. It’s very hard to live just from the music in Portugal.

Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2016?

 

Xerife: They have to listen to our new work, that we think it’s better than the last one. And they have to appear on our shows to celebrate the growth of our Xerife’s family.