Aline Happ: Lyria is considered one of the greatest names of Brazilian Symphonic Metal.
Interview conducted on January 18, 2021
By Dan Locke
Known worldwide as the frontwoman and songwriter of Lyria, Aline Happ is one of the most famous voices of Brazilian metal. In her solo project, the artist records Folk / Celtic reinterpretations of rock, metal, and pop songs and classical crossover music, that are available on her YouTube channel.
You are from Rio de Janeiro. What is your upbringing?
Aline Happ: Yes, I am. Rio is a very urban city and one of the most important cities in Brazil. I believe it may have some similar aspects as other big metropolises around the world. However, due to the warm temperatures and its natural beauty, mainly because of the beaches, people seem to be more relaxed. In contrast, it is quite expensive city for the residents, and Brazil presents some social, economic, and technological distance when compared to richer countries.
How did you discover music?
Since when I was a small child, I used to watch Disney movies, with the princesses singing and I wanted to do the same, also the movie Willy, the whale that sings, was really impressive. My parents always listened to Rock Music too. Later, my parents and I discovered a lot of metal bands together. When I was 13, I listened to Evanescence for the first time and I thought: “OMG! I want to sing this style of music”. Months later, my mom and I discovered Nightwish and we fell in love with their music. So, I started to listen to a lot of different symphonic metal bands, besides other styles of metal too. Then I told my mom I would like to have a band and live from music. She said I should start having classes and so I did it.
How did you start to write music?
I created some stuff when I was a teenager, but they were not as a professional purpose. Then, some months after founding Lyria, I woke up in the middle of the night with a song in my head and it became my first one. Then, I realized that the band should be my career and not only a hobby. I wanted to help people through my music.
Describe your music
Music made with heart and soul. Heavy, deep, but soft at the same time. With a modern, but also classic and erudite style. Generally, I write about things that I saw, that I lived or that influenced me somehow.
Does Lyric have the power to heal people?
I truly believe it. Firstly, it helps me: when I write, it works as a catharsis. That is one of the reasons of the first album’s name. And I always receive lots of messages from people about how Lyria songs have helped them to overcome a lot of situations. This is amazing!
How did you form your band?
I used to have some bands as a hobby when I was a teenager. After graduating from the University, I was working with Marketing and my boss wanted to play the guitar. My mom and my husband encouraged me to have a band again, so in 2012 I decided it was the right time to found Lyria. Some months later, I realized it was time to live from my music. Then I quit my old job and dedicated myself to music.
How did your band get its name?
I was at a Greek mythology class thinking about the importance of the lyre and the name Lyria came into my mind. It was a mix of different words: the lyre, the word lyrics, and the flower Lily. I thought it was powerful, but delicate at the same time.
What was your first performance at like?
Actually, I don’t remember! But the first one with Lyria was near my birthday and it was a very good one. The crowd was very warm and receptive.
What makes a good songwriter?
I think you need to write with your heart.
Do you belong to any to songwriters’ organizations like the International singer-songwriter association, SESAC, BMI or ASCAP?
Yes, one located in Brazil that operates internationally.
What was the title of your first original song? Did you record it?
I can’t remember, I wrote other stuff before, but they were not exactly full songs. Thus, I consider Reflection as the first professional song I wrote. I published a demo during the crowdfunding campaign (it was the only material people had to know the band) and then I released it in our album Catharsis.
Aline- You are working on a solo album. Tell me about it?
It is going to be an album of Folk/Celtic/Gothic versions of rock and metal songs. Thanks to my crowdfunding supporters this album is going to be out this year! Due to the success of the campaign I decided to include an original song too!
Tell me about your latest video Mr. Crowley?
Mr. Crowley is a great song and includes an obscure theme. So, I decided to record a version for Halloween. I created a mysterious atmosphere and added some operatic vocalises. All my versions have been recorded at home. Curiously, Mr. Crowley was recorded and edited while I was with Covid, but I did not know yet.
The latest video released was Crawling from Linkin Park. This is a very powerful song and I created a Symphonic Metal version with Gothic/Folk/Celtic vibes. I’ve been trying to upload a new video every week and this has been possible because of the support of the fans on Patreon.
You did Little Dreamer, is that in pay tribute to Eddie Van Halen?
Yes, Eddie was a great musician and left us a message “never stop dreaming” with this song. It is a beautiful song.
What is your favorite track on the album?
From my solo album? The tracks were not revealed yet, it is a surprise! But I am loving recording all of them!
How do you stay healthy while touring?
I try to sleep and to eat well, but it is not so easy to do it during a tour. I don’t drink neither smoke, so I think it also helps.
What are you’re feeling about streaming music?
It is one more way to listen to music and it is easy to access from everywhere. CDs, vinyl, and other media will still be the favorites for many people.
How can people forget about the origin hashtag # Sharp in a musical score?
I am not sure if I understood the question correctly (laughs). For me, the hash symbol was like a number sign, the one that we can still find in our phones. People now use this symbol followed by some word in order to tag stuff, that is why it is known as a hashtag. Then, some people started to believe that a hash is necessarily a hashtag, which is not. The sharp symbol, in the musical scores, is very similar to the hash but has a completely different meaning.
Is there 2 United States?
At the moment, we can find some polarized opinions all around the world.
What is the mental health situation of the United States? How can the public help the doctors and nurses on the front line?
It is hard to tell, since I live far from the US and I can follow the situation only through some news and friends.
What song from the past is in your mind right now? Moreover, what is the meaning that song means to you?
Since I am recording for my solo project and releasing a new version every week, there are a lot of songs in my mind right now. Each of them has a different meaning to me.
Both Pfizer and BioNTech have conclude Phase 3 Study of the Coronavirus vaccine. With the vaccine it takes two shots. How many people do you think will take it and how many will forget to take the second shot?
It is very hard to tell and it may vary according to each country.
Do you feel the Covid-19 virus going to affect the music business in the future?
It is already affecting a lot, but I hope things get better in the future.
What have you been doing with your self-quarantine? Have you discovered or rediscovered any new hobbies?
Actually, I’ve been really busy. I created my YouTube channel for my solo project during the quarantine and I have been recording a lot of songs at home. I am learning a lot, since I am producing everything by myself! I am also cooking more, watching some shows on tv (when I give myself a leisure time) and exercising at home.
Aline- You have been doing cooking during the lockdown. How do you pick which food you want to showcase?
It depends on what I want to eat (laughs). Generally, I choose something that is not that hard, so people can try at their homes. People are asking for new cooking videos, but at the moment I am focusing more on the songs.
95% of people said that they have changed the way they watch television. This includes people who don’t have television and using their computers to do streaming of programs and movies. Which is your favorite streaming channel?
That is true! I watch a lot of stuff on YouTube on my computer and smartphone, but for the main streaming services I prefer to use my TV. There are good movies and shows in many of them, here the most famous is Netflix. Recently, I watched The Mandalorian from the Disney+, which I also recorded an “epic vocal version” for its theme song. I also watched The Queen’s Gambit and Deadwind on Netflix.
You were one of the first band to do streaming online concerts. How was the first one that you did?
We have been doing it since 2015. We had a lot of fans from many countries that wanted to see us live, but it was not possible to tour the world yet. So, we thought it would be the best way to reach them. We started with acoustic sets and nowadays we play the electric set too. We have a small home studio, so we stream directly from there, but we are thinking about some special editions directly from a venue too.
Many artists are doing nightly concerts over either YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. In October that is going to change at least on Facebook. Facebook is cracking down on livestreamed shows that include recorded music with new terms of service, preventing artists from using the platform for “commercial or non-personal” purposes, unless they have obtained the relevant licenses.
The updated music guidelines state that users “may not use videos on our products [which include Instagram] to create a music listening experience […] This will includes [Facebook] Live,” and stipulates that such content should be posted for the enjoyment of friends and family only.
How do you think this will change the landscape of Facebook?
Facebook always had a lot of restrictions when we talk about music. Thus, we always played the online concerts on YouTube. I am not 100% informed about all these changes on Facebook, but I believe it may change a lot the way musicians are going to use it.
How can bands keep their fans if they can not play live in front of the fans and sell merch to them at the show?
It is important to keep in touch with them. You can play online concerts, organize live chats, produce new material, post some news, etc. You can also sell merch online. I know it is not the same thing, but it is what we have at the moment.
Is pay to play still a thing? Now pay to play also means thinks like playlist on the internet?
Bands and musicians have to decide what is important for them. Personally, it is not the path I like to follow, but I understand people that do it. It is a way to become better known, to reach more people. It may be an investment, which can be successful or not.
What about Holographic concerts in our living room?
. I believe it would be very different from being at a real live concert. It is like watching a streaming concert or a DVD, but the way the image is project is different. But the VR experience could evolve to make everything more interesting.
Are you going to do an online concert for Xmas?
I released a Christmas song with a video, but I didn’t play an online concert yet. I still want to perform one and I will have more details about it soon.
Anything you would like to say in closing.
Actually, I can’ think about other thing. I used to work in the marketing area and I also gave English lessons. I like arts in general and I love to make jewelry, but I can’t imagine my life without making music.
