Can you tell us about the making of Eyes? What was the production process like for this release?

When my friend Ekaterina Bazhenova-Yamasaki invited me to perform my first solo show in 2022 at Iklectik (London), I didn’t have any material to play so I spent 6 months writing songs for live. As more live shows occurred, I kept writing new tracks, first acting as live transitions. They all ended up in the album!

Ideas came from melodies in my head and everyday noises, and took shape by experimenting on the violin, piano, Ableton and vocals. Lyrics always follow at the end, from sounds turning into words. There is no specific theme, only sharing personal observations of the world, people's behaviors and periods of my life.

You started classical training at the age of six, but started playing in punk bands in your early 20s, after you moved to London. What did you bring—or not bring—from your training into those bands? And how has that experience informed what you make today?

My classical training required a lot of discipline, which I found difficult as a child, we were not really encouraged to stand out and be creative. The rigor I learned from this training shaped my musical ear and my ability to play in harmony.

When I joined the bands, I had to leave that paradoxical comfort zone of blending in and express my creativity, overcoming shyness. This led to many other bands and improvised violin performances that gave me the confidence to build my solo project. From discipline to spontaneity, from soft harmony to rebel dissonances, I kept everything I learned from these various schools and this blend inherently represents the music I make today.

How do you approach music as an artist versus as a collaborator?

As a solo artist, I enjoy having full control on the writing, composition and performance, shaping my creation completely freely. As a collaborator, I like taking a step back and listening to the general atmosphere, in order to adapt and find a role that can complement the project. London is great for that reason; this is such a rich place for collaborating with many motivated and inspiring artists. We always learn from others and it’s rewarding.

What are some of the musical influences on this newest project?

When I write, I don't listen to any music to avoid getting too influenced without realizing it. Film music is always inspiring me because it has the ability to convey such strong emotions or bring me back to specific places and periods of my life.

Naming Howard Shore here (amongst so many) due to his amazing flexibility, I admire versatile musicians who are able to renew themselves. I also remember feeling very emotional when listening to Portishead for the first time, the way they combined strings and electric music encouraged me to start sharing my project to the world.

Is there any new music you’ve been listening to lately that you want to highlight?

Astrid Sonne’s new album Great Doubt and Nourished by Time’s new single “Hand on Me.” In general I mostly listen to older stuff (a lot from the 90s).

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