Maryanna Phasone- The movie, tells a love story never lived but dreamed. Love at first sight. In the video, there are many memories expressed as déjà vu of mind.
Interview Conducted on June 12, 2020
By Dan Locke
Maryanna Phasone- Singer-songwriter-composer-arranger-orchestrator-producer.
What is your upbringing?
Initially i had a classical education studying piano at the conservatory and approaching classical guitar. I’ve always listened everything. From classical music (I love Chopin a lot), to 70s rock, to blues, to Madonna’s pop, to Queen, Pink Floyd, Scorpions, and most recently Evanescence. I could mention many of them… I’ve always listened to little Italian music.
Just after many years i approached jazz and wanted to study it. I liked the standards, especially the ballads, but too often the genre can become a heavy listening experience, due to too many prolonged improvisations by jazz musicians, and therefore, i wanted to create a new type of jazz that was pleasant even for those who do not like the genre, and here comes the album “Experimental jazz the new classjazzpo” which contains classical music, jazz and pop sounds.
How did you discover music?
I discovered music when i was 6 years old. During walks with my parents, i stopped at every musical instrument store and played all the pianos in the shop. My father decided to let me study it and bought one.
Tell me about how you got your first guitar and do you still have it?
My first musical instrument was the piano, then the classical guitar. Gifts from my father that i still keep jealously.
How did you start to write music?
I’ve always liked to create, and I’ve always been a very independent person. I wanted to be able to do as many things as possible on my own, as not all people are reliable. I listened a lot of classical and orchestral music, i bought many books, music notation programs, so to experiment. It wasn’t easy… Before, i started writing the melodic part. I already had a good knowledge of the composition thanks to the piano. Then, i extended everything from the writing for all the instruments that served my songs, up to the arrangement of all the songs, even for the orchestra parts.
I spent sleepless days and nights to learn and improve myself.
What was your first performance at like?
My first performance was at the age of 3 and i honestly don’t remember… heehaw! However, it’s always very exciting. Accelerated heart, shaky legs, fear of not making it. As soon as you get on stage everything passes and the grit comes out, the desire to interact with the public and give all of yourself.
A couple of years ago you did a video called “Inferno” which is different from anything else you have done. Why is that?
“Inferno” is my warhorse in concerts. I do love rock a lot but i also love jazz: i adore to experiment and bring everything i like on stage. At that time i had a lot of rock inspiration. I let myself be inspired … There is the rock period, the pop period and the jazz period. I don’t like stopping at one genre, i don’t like labels.
What was the title of your first original song? Did you record it?
My first song was “Every time I’m singing” a country / pop song released on my first 2009 album “Welcome to siren’s blog”.
Tell me about your album “Love Dreamer”
“Love dreamer” is not an album but a single extracted from the album “Experimental jazz the new classjazzpo”. This album was born from my desire to create a new and less heavy listening jazz, but also as a spite of those who did not believe in my jazz skills.
Why the movie does tell a love story never lived but dreamed?
Because nowadays, the true and pure love is hard to find. You also happen to fall in love with someone you cannot have in reality, and therefore you prefer to dream of this love, with the hope of finding a real one that is worth living.
What is your favorite track on the album?
My favorite song is “Rebirth”
How do you stay healthy while touring?
Of course: I am a teetotaler, I don’t smoke, i eat healthy, i exercise physically and i try to stay calm.
What are you’re feeling about streaming music?
Streaming has helped independent artists like me a lot. I think it’s a good thing.
Vinyl or digital
Vinyl, absolutely…
Any plans to tour?
In this 2020 due to the corona virus, i am dedicating myself to writing and arranging new songs and soundtracks. If i find a good management, in 2021 i will be able to do a new concert tour.
What are your feelings about social uprising going on in the United States?
I think violence has never brought anything good. This is not how problems are solved.
What song from the past is in your mind right now? And what is the meaning that song means to you?
“Experience pearls” is in my mind right now, which is an Ace of Base song. Beautiful, but painful memories.
How do you feel the Covid-19 virus going to affect the music business in the future?
COVID will increase the online music business. Many musicians are making video concerts online. It’s certainly not the same as playing live. It isn’t the same emotion.
What have you been doing with your self-quarantine?
I rested … hahaha! But i also experimented with arrangements on some covers and created new music for the next album.
Have you discovered or rediscovered any new hobbies?
Music is my job but also my hobby. Then there is the kitchen, sport, reading etc.
Lots of people are doing nightly concerts over either YouTube, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. I see that you did a video of a cover version of Evanescence “Bring my life.” It was very good. You should release it as a single. And I see you did it totally on your own.
I like to experiment. I love Evanescence and, like everyone else, during the quarantine period, I made some videos. I made a simple arrangement with two guitars: an acoustic and a classical, a shaker, the piano, and some percussion. It amuses me… I like it … it’s a passion. However, I’m used to making much more complex arrangements. Now i also make my own official Videoclip alone… hahaha! I don’t want to be presumptuous, because I’m not, but i think in life you can’t always hope for others and you have to know how to do many things by yourself.
Do you think it will be possible to make a living doing concerts this way?
With streaming concerts? Yes, you can make money, but i see it more as a hobby. The real concert is on stage.
First, it was an article in the New York Times, then Rolling Stones talked about it and finally, Live Nation CEO said that concerts may not start again until the fall of 2021. Do you think this could happen?
Everything is possible… It depends on how the COVID situation will evolve.
With Social Distance being the norm. Do you feel that it may be the end of the music fest for the next couple of years?
It could be, but surely something else will be invented. Music will never die…
What about Holographic concerts in our living room?
I don’t like them, it’s not natural…
How do you see yourself in the next five years?
I don’t know… I don’t know if I will still be alive in 5 years … hahaha! The future is too uncertain. I hope to continue making my music and to realize my dream of a world tour. But to do this, I should become famous and it seems somewhat difficult. Anyway, I want to be positive…
Anything you would like to say in closing?
I would like to thank you for your interest in my work and for this interview. I hope that all conflicts will be resolved for the better, that the COVID will disappear, and that everyone will return to livethe music
