Raffaella Piccirillo – Artist Interview
Written by Matt Zin on September 30, 2020
BTD: Before we begin, could you tell our listeners where you are from? I am excited to get started. Your voice is just beautiful!
RP: Oh thank you so much, yes with very pleasure… I’m from Italy, born and raised in Cremona near Milan.
Raffaella Piccirillo
BTD: I was visiting your website and I see you are winner of the Akademia Award for Best EP Pop Rock. Congratulations! How did you find out and how did it make you feel. Take us through those emotions, let us imagine!
RP: Fortunately there are many opportunities on the internet that easily reduce the long distances.
I’m very happy and excited about this award, an my personal satisfaction in response to the many difficulties in this work environment.
BTD: You are a singer and a songwriter, which one do you love the most? If there was a choice which one would you choose? Do you play instruments? Which ones?
RP: Create, compose and to sing own songs give me more satisfaction … however, I like to reinterpret famous songs also in fact on my youtube channel you can find some cover-songs. A personal tribute to the my favorite famous songs.
Yes, for different years I’ve studied the drums which then it allowed me to learn how to produce my music digitally.
BTD: So how does Raffaella come up with lyrics to write a song? What do you typically write about?
RP: I’m a very instinctive and empathic person , I try to focus on the emotions that can arise from a simply personal experience or a social issue more generally.
BTD: Speaking of songs, I would like to talk about a few of them. You have a variety. You sing with such passion. One of my favorites is “Stop!” What is that song all about? What song is your favorite? Which song was the hardest for you to write?
RP: My song “Stop!” is the perfect example of song that complaint silences, the conspiracy of silence, etc. wanting to cut all diseased branches and injustices in our society. “Stop the unjust” this is the meaning of the song.
My favorite song is Roxy instead, a my personal dedication to my friend Rossella Ferraris a poetess, of my own city, who died prematurely.
Roxy I think is the most intense and inner song that I’ve written.
BTD: I was reviewing your skills, we have so much in common. I very rarely meet another female who can talk about As/400, DOS and all those other geeky fun things. Do you find it to be hard to be a female techie girl in a man’s techie world? I ask this because I do. I was wondering about how you felt.
RP: Oh yes, it’s very very hard to be a female techie girl … too much often the woman singer is seen only as cover-girl to be shown especially if she is good-looking. For a pretty girl is not expected to be also intelligent and that she is able to produce her own music thanks to the technology … fortunately, not all are of this idea and my musical collaborations prove this.
BTD: I see we have another thing in common, you are a radio DJ. I would love to know more about that?
RP: My experience in radio born 3 years ago as speaker with several collaborations with Web Radios. I wanted to use this opportunity to support the independent music and emerging also. There are musicians who work in this field for over 30 years and just because they don’t appear on television or in famous shows, they are often considered emerging.
I think it’s wrongful. One must be able to give the right value to things. People who work behind the scenes deserve the same recognition of those popular.
BTD: Back to your music, your song “When A Man…” what is the …? (dot dot dot) Inquiring minds want to know?
RP: When A Man is a song that tells: when a soldier goes to war, he must carry out orders and he cannot ask to himself if he is doing right or wrong … (dot, dot, dot is about to When A Man Kills)
Soldier and enemy are much often family man both, yes on opposite sides but very similar to each other with the same doubts, fears, etc. In short a complaint against the war but from the point of view of a single soldier.
BTD: How would you describe your music to a person walking down the road who only has 4 mins to talk with you?
RP: I have a personality quite complex, I don’t think are sufficient 4 minutes … however passionate, not immediate, with subtexts deep and sometimes ironic.
BTD: Who were your childhood influences and why?
RP: I’ve always listened music of all genres … they are really too many to list all. I love Jim Morrison, Dolores O’Riordan, Lene Marlin for songwriting. For singing I love power voices as Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera, Carrie Underwood, … here in Italy Aida Cooper, Mia Martini, Fiorella Mannoia and many more.
BTD: You are a busy lady, your talents go beyond singing. I read quite a bit on your website. Could you share with us some of your favorite talents outside of your singing career? Could you share with us something that is not on your website as well?
I’ve always loved art in general in all its colors and shades. Having attended a Musical’s school for me it’s quite normal to experiment with acting, dancing and more.
I’ve also having a technical diploma and having to compare myself with the technology very soon, the photography and the launch of own image have been a required steps.
My site fully reflect the experiences that I’ve done and my skills, instead about something that there is not on my site … I can tell you that I’m a stubborn and touchy person and in the life of every day I’m a very normal girl who divides her time between home, family and bill paying.
BTD: Take me into a day of being in the studio, what would I see? What would I do? How long would we be there?
Raffaella Piccirillo In the Studio
RP: Microphone, computer and software’s, cables … many cables, writing lyrics, to register the various vocal lines trying to use my voice to best, and then …there is a really nice post who runs in the network about this question when you create your own music step by step the hours spend very quickly in the studio, the field of sound-engineering is very charming but very overall also. The experience and real practice are worth much more than any instruction and studies received.
BTD: If we were to meet up in let’s say about 3 years from now, what do you think you would be telling me about your music career?
RP: I would love to have a crystal ball about it … I can surely tell you that I will continue to make music, new collaborations, to support other independent and emerging artists and to give a real sense to all my passions that have driven me until here.
The hope that I do to myself is to continue to grow artistically with new experiences and job opportunities.
Stay tuned!
BTD: We would love for you to tell our listeners where they can find your music? If you have any special shout-outs, projects, new music, gig, etc, please feel free to do them now.
RP: The first thing I want to thank you and you all of BTD Radio for this opportunity. Thanks to all people also will read this interview.
A dear greet from Italy and for listen my music, follow and to contact me you can visit these links:
Official website: http://raffaellapiccirillo.wix.com/officialwebsite
