Silversnake Michelle BTD Artist Interview
Written by Matt Zin on September 30, 2020
BTD interviews, Silversnake Michelle
BTD: I am so excited to talk with you, I have read your bio and I have to say it’s very inspiring but before we begin, could you tell our listeners where you are from?
SM: Italy
BTD: I just have to hear more about your stage name, Silversnake Michelle. I read that your stage name is a symbol of rebirth, wisdom and life itself. How did all this come about? What does rebirth, wisdom and life mean to you?
SM: Amazingly, Silversnake originates as a burlesque’s character.
I just wanted to use a different and original name, including my favorite animal.
In eastern cultures the snake is a mix of sensuality, rebirth, and immortality. Nearly the opposite of western cultures where snakes refer to sin and temptation. Snake is a cold animal, lonely and self-sufficient. An animal that, despite having many physical limitations (no arts, deaf, and, in many cases, blind) has anyway evolved by adapting to hardest environments. Just as he would teach us that there are no limits in life, except those created by our mind.
And, of course, silver is the color of the perfect balance: the meeting halfway between black and white and therefore a wisdom’s symbol.
BTD: Who else is in your band? Do they assist in your song writing material?
SM: I choose to be a single artist, so I make use of more musicians in my project. The one who followed me from the beginning is Daniel Marchetti. He plays piano, keyboards and guitars and work with me on arrangements. I usually write lyrics and the main melody.
The other musicians now working with us are: Valentino Vitali on drums and Enrico Mamoli on bass.
BTD: How would you describe your music to a person who only listens to rap?
SM: Emotional, sexy and… sometimes very hot! Well, let’s say that if I tell him that my music is a kind of rock, with 70s and 80s influences, drifting to prog rock… I suppose he even wouldn’t take off his earphones…
BTD: Can you tell us, about your rockin song Drops of Time? By the way, congrats on your recent award on that song. How did you feel when you found out the news?
SM: I was so excited and this news made me aware of how nice and interesting was my music. It was able to touch hearts all over the world.
“Drops Of Time” has lyrics expressing an intense feeling of the unavoidability of the finite. My soul is shrouded in anxiety and apprehension when I perceive “the big lie” of living: we delude ourselves in being real, but we are only the projection of an image, of a very distant light. I have that feeling since I was a child, so much that once I asked to my mother : “Are we real?”
BTD: I dig your song Colors Of Memory, could you tell us more about this about? Why is it the second song on your album “So In My Mind?”
SM: It is track no.2 in the album simply because it’s the second song I wrote. “Colors Of Memory” is the will to leave a mark in this world (“I wanna live forever”), but also the awareness of being unprepared for this… of still being a prisoner into the memories of the past (“I know I dig the key of my hell-jail”)… of the need to revise my past to drive away that fearful and angry little girl I was once.
First track however is “Silversnake” because has a very important meaning. It is the reason of Silversnake Michelle’s birth and … it all started there!
BTD: What inspired you to get into making music?
SM: I choose to pursue my musical career when I realized that I did not yet live fully. Something did stop halfway. The death of a dear friend of mine made me open my eyes and so I decided to really get involved in something. I wished to express myself choosing the art that best depicted my instinctive and ephemeral soul.
BTD: Who is playing the piano in your lovely song Silversnake Slow Steps? Would you also tell us about this song?
SM: It’s Daniel. It is the last song of “So in my mind…” and here’s where this concept album comes full circle. It represents the little steps of the first song towards all others.
It has the same melody of “Silversnake”, but the arrangement is quite different, softer, less angry. Even lyrics are different, containing the titles of all the songs of the album.
BTD: What song took you the longest to write?
SM: It was “Silversnake”, my first song. At that time I never wrote a song before, so I wanted it to be perfect. I was just trying to express my emotions, but at the beginning I was stuck. Always thinking to grammar and proper form in the lyrics. I even wanted this lyric to be revised by an English girl because I desired that everybody understand the meaning of my songs.
Then, in further works, all of this went lost. Now I don’t care about it anymore and I express myself in a most childish way. I like my emotions coming out rough. Even if there are improper or grammatically incorrect terms, I really want the true core of emotions to emerge. Artistic language is something free and I realize to be often inscrutable.
But, in some songs, I want mainly address to myself rather than other people. That’s why I use gibberish… secret codes, you know… just like when I was a little girl inventing new “colorful meaning” terms.
BTD: What was it like releasing your first album “So In My Mind?” Were you nervous, excited….etc
SM: It was a great experience. For the first time in my life, something really mine was taking shape. I have met people who believed in me, supporting my project and that they still continue to do so.
At the same time it was also a challenging trial, allowing me to grow emotionally and professionally. Recording sessions let you come face to face with your limits and you really discover yourself and where you need to work on.
I mean… you have to work hard and there are opinions from people judging you as an artist and as a singer.
Finally I learned to go further and to firmly believe in myself and in my project. Then I thought… well I don’t need everybody to like me, I just need to love myself.
BTD: Who were your childhood influences and do you see a little bit of those influences in yourself while performing on stage?
SM: My childhood was influenced by artists like Madonna, for example. I was a great fan of her and … yes… she influenced me a lot artistically because I think she’s a great performer, versatile and eclectic.
BTD: I read you used to work in theater. I just went to a play the other day and it was so much fun. What led you to work in theater?
SM: Theater was my passion since I was very young. I was fascinated by the idea of living more different lives. I mean, it wasn’t only the concept of being someone else, but of being it for a defined period of time, and of living “that” kind of experience, obviously. When they gives you a role, your life changes depending on that role. It’s not only a matter of studying your character but to dive in it… and be that character in every way.
BTD: What would you say you love most about making music? What do you love least about making music?
SM: First I will tell you what I love least… It’s the attendant system of “modern” music. A system that trap music in many ways. I think about commercial duties imposed by record labels and, of course, about talent shows that for my opinion are the death of talent itself, for they completely distort artist’s nature.
However, what I love most in music is that make me feel always comfortable… and all of my anxieties fly away. Music is definitely one of most beautiful expressions of God.
BTD: Where do you want your band to be five years from now?
SM: Boy, what an hard question…. imagine that I can hardly find my way just when Daniel ask me about rehearsal’s schedule for the next day….
What’s great is that I see myself in thousands different ways. One day I imagine myself performing live all around the world, the next day being a mom fulltime, another day living in a Irish cottage and then again selling ice cream in Auckland Islands…
I plan anything, that’s the best: I can go on writing songs or everything could even take a different course… maybe because I’ll run into a new path, charming me more and allowing me to disclose a new side of myself.
BTD: We would love for you to tell our listeners where they can find your music? If you have any special shout-outs, tour, special projects, etc…please feel free to tell us now.
SM: Here are the links where you can find all about me and my music:
SM: And more… coming soon (December 2015) my new concept album entitled “Her Snakeness”.
A rock work tasting very “progressive”…. Stay tuned!!!
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