Interview with Elana Maro Whatever your genre, whatever your task, just “BE YOURSELF”.
So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?
I was born in Turin and grew up in a small country town in northern Italy. If I think of my days as a child I still can see myself dancing all day long around the house and singing out loud sitting on the stairs (great acoustics there!), making my parents and my beloved elder brother crazy! I can also recall I’ve always dreamt about America and wanted to become like one of those famous American singer songwriters I so looked up to. I think I never decided to become an artist, like I never had to decide to breathe, because it came to me as a natural instinct.. my natural instinct. It felt like the path I simply was meant to follow, the one where I can be my real self, where I feel happy and complete and…in love with the whole Universe.
What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?
I think online music sharing is a good way to both let people hear about you and listen to your music. You can also get in touch with other artists and improve your knowledge or even get useful feedbacks. I sometimes give my music for free and I also help out other artists for free. For example, I worked for free for a year writing the lyrics for an Italian songwriter, making her dream of a new ep come true. I believe that talent is a gift and from time to time it is good to share it for free. It’s like saying thank you to Life for being so generous. That’s why I accepted to work for free with the International Labour Organization. I wrote the lyrics to a pop song that is part of a world campaign against child labour. It was quite a challenge. I had to read up on child labour for several months and had my lyrics rejected a few times before the final, total approval from the head quarters in Geneva, but I’m happy about it!!
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?
I would say one thing that I consider essential. Whatever your genre, whatever your task, just “BE YOURSELF”. Find your own balance between quality performance and originality, expression, that will make the difference. There are millions of awesome performers out there, but that’s not the point. Think about the music legends: they are remembered not for their perfection, but for their uniqueness So, it is ok to get inspired by other artists, but, since from the start, it is important to set your state of mind on the thought “We are (Name) and we are going to perform at our best and in our own style” Try and put your footprint ( I call it your “heartprint”) in everything you do, be it playing a cover, or choosing an instrument or a word for your original song. Keep focused on creating your own sound, never give up, work hard and… don’t forget to have fun!
Do you ever make mistakes during performances? How do you handle that?
Well, I’ve been performing for several years now and I rarely find the ideal situation to perform. So when about to perform I keep my cool and concentration and my thoughts are focused on how much fun it’s gonna be for me and for the audience. That makes me confident enough, but on stage you must never forget “the accident factor” and so you have to be ready for your own “show must go on” anytime. I have been working for years in theatre as a dancer, singer and actress and thanks to that experience, if anything happens, I’m still able to keep my cool and go on with my performance according to the famous theatre rule “it is not a mistake as long as the audience is not aware of it”. You have no idea what can happen behind the scenes (and also on stage!) during a theatre play or a ballet! And the audience never knows! That is one of the funniest things in performing live. If the mistake is noticeable, I suggest to play the irony card. After all, an artist is not asked to be perfection J
Can I give you a tip? To improve your awareness and confidence, I suggest you spend as much time as you can recording. It gives you an immediate, objective feedback on what you’re doing. Then, if you get a chance to get a job in a recording studio, as a musician or as a vocalist, that will really help you learn how to perform under pressure.
Do you tour? Anything interesting happen on tour that you think our readers would enjoy hearing about?
I used to tour full time with an orchestra, then I got my teaching job so now I spend some time at my place in Italy, where I tour locally, and some time abroad. ONe of my favourite memories the tour in Los Angeles. I think every artist should go there at least one time and experiment the vibrant and welcoming atmosphere you can find. It is a place tailored for artists with its many performing opportunities! I still remember my performance at the Hard Café, Hollywood as a dream come true.
Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?
It depends…For my own songs, I usually get the inspiration while I’m doing something else and then, all of a sudden, I instinctively feel like I have to grab my guitar or sit at the piano. It’s like someone is guiding me and the melody and the lyrics (the story) often start coming together. If I’m not home I use my phone to record the initial idea of harmony and melody. When composing a sound track for a play, a video or a commercial or songwriting “under commission” I began “immersing” myself in the story, somehow in the way actors do according to Stanislavskij method. Then I start arranging and choosing the sounds or recording new ones. I like creating my own sound bank from unusual things (do you remember how the sounds in “Star Wars” were created?) If the music is for a commercial I focus on the principles of emotional marketing, but keeping my creativity alive and remaining inspired (that’s fundamental!) when creating what “the client” has asked for.
Do you have a band website? Do you have a Facebook or Twitter? Do you use Bandcamp, Spotify, ExposedVocals or SoundCloud to share your music?
I’ve got my own website: www.elenamaro.com
My Twitter: https://twitter.com/elenamaroreal
My Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elena.maro.5
My Sound Cloud page: https://soundcloud.com/elena-maro
My Reverbnation page: http://www.reverbnation.com/elenamaro
What are some really embarrassing songs that we might find on your mp3 player?
I used to work as a wedding singer, so I had to learn a significant variety of songs, both Italian and international, but I kept them on my player for school parties with children. So, maybe you will find something really embarrassing there. I’m not saying the titles, but you know what I mean… the songs you group dance to making silly moves …
If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?
Can I ask for no money and more years off, instead? Time is the most precious thing we have and once it’s gone, it’s gone. But more time gives you more chances even to find new ways to earn money!
Any planned studio upgrades? What are you working with now?
At the moment I’m working with Reason8 and Cubase
How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?
I use social networks and professional platforms, while in Italy I also have good contacts with some newspapers and radios.
If you could perform anywhere and with any artists (Dead or Alive) where and who would it be with? Why?
That would definitely be in Paris with Josephine Baker! A couple of years ago I was thinking about writing my first theatre monologue. I wanted it to be about a dancer and one morning I woke up with the name of Josephine Baker in mind. I started researching and was immediately captured by her story! So I wrote “…And the Ocean in Between_ an emotional biography”. The monologue tells Josephine’s story as she would tell it herself: sitting in the garden of the house in Roquebrune, near Montecarlo, talking about her experiences as a woman and as an artist and about all the emotions that accompanied her existence. During her life Josephine Baker experienced many historic events of the XX Century herself and that makes her story even more relevant and interesting.
Known to the worldwide audience as “The Black Venus” or as the woman who first danced topless wearing the famous banana skirt, she may be considered the first real pop icon; she was way much more than “just” a great artist.
Josephine Baker gave her personal contribution against racism and also gained three honour medals from France ( one of them the prestigious “Legion d’Honneur”), she began active part in the fight against racial segregation and also participated, with a suggestive and powerful speech, to the March on Washington in 1963, totally supporting Martin Luther King actions.
Since as a little girl she experienced the tragedy of exploitation, of physical and psychological violence, of sexual harassment and of racial discrimination herself.
All these facts made her a real modern woman who always did it her way, by countless sacrifices, making her way through life with the constant determination, definitely “futurist” in the Twenties, “to never depend economically on a man”.
She couldn’t build a traditional family, so she adopted 12 children from different countries with the aim to show the whole world what brotherhood is. Josephine Baker’s story represents women’s chance to win their battle against disadvantage, be it cultural, social, racial or economic by an extraordinary will, a deep trust in life and the endless capacity to love.
So, performing with her, in the city that made her become a legend would be fantastic!!!
So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?
I’m currently recording the guitar tracks and starting to arrange a selection of my folk songs and I’m planning on producing my first ep, but it will take a long time ’cause I’m doing it all by myself. These days I’m working on a new, I dare to say revolutionary, campaign for tourism in Italy, but, since it is really early days, I’m afraid I can’t tell you more,
If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?
I think I would be a tourist guide or a cook, or an interior design. Those are my main hobbies.
Do you remember buying your first album? Who was it? What was going through your head?
It was “Rattle and Hum” by U2. I had just been to a concert of BB King and so I got intrigued…Browsing in a music store I found that album and then I discovered the band, their history. From then on I started listening endlessly to their songs. I learned my first English words through U2 lyrics.
How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?
Music is the love of my life so I keep on focusing and being totally organized. My workdays can last even 16/17 hours in a row, but I don’t mind. I firmly believe in the Latin saying ” potentia est vis” (want is power) and I feel happy and privileged to be living a kind of life I love.
What should fans look forward to for the rest of 2014 and beyond?
My ep and my next theatre play… and there’s always the project I can’t tell you about. It’s gonna be great… so stay tuned !
