Formula Indie Sessions _ Interview with Mariano Mallia
Mariano Mallia
What is your earliest memory connected to music?
My earliest music memory comes from a visit to Monacilioni, Italy, where my uncle was a local music teacher and orchestra director. I remember him being able to pick up and play almost any instrument, and that really inspired me.
How did your passion for creating music begin?
When I was four years old, my parents put me into piano lessons. Believe it or not, I really struggled with it. I didn’t enjoy practicing. It wasn’t until I started playing trumpet in middle school that I really fell in love with the art of performance. I started practicing almost everyday. However, it wasn’t until much later when I was 18 that I started singing, picking up the guitar, and writing and recording my first song ideas.
What’s the story behind your current music project?
My artistry is a journey defined by perseverance. After a vocal injury nearly ended my career in 2019, I spent 4 years in recovery, rebuilding my voice, my identity, and my purpose. Those obstacles changed me as an artist and as a person, and allowed me to craft music with much deeper meaning that I previously had. I hope my story and my music can inspire others to never give up and to trust God through the process.
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
My music bridges the intimacy of coastal folk pop with authentic acoustic storytelling, carrying the personal soul of my hometown while speaking to listeners from all backgrounds. My stories resonate with listeners searching for authenticity in an overstimulated world that can sometimes feel artificial.
What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?
It may sound cliche, but the classic advice of never giving up and being consistent is what has ultimately got me to the point where I’m at now with music. The biggest thing that has changed and improved the way I make music is simply consistent work, practice, and patience over years and years.
What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?
I always like to have a guitar and piano around to write music. Different instruments inspire different songs. I have a notebook where I physically write ideas, poems, and lyrics. I find that getting away from my phone, especially during my creative process, is almost always beneficial. In the hyper digital world we live in, I find there is something special and inspiring about writing something down physically. I record, produce, mix, and master all of my music in a software called Ableton.
Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?
I am enjoying “Alabama I Am Bound” by Walker Burroughs
How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?
My personal experiences are the reason I am who I am today. Both the good things and the bad things that happen to us shape us. But ultimately, it’s how we react to those events that makes the biggest difference. I am thankful for the challenges and hurdles I’ve had to face because they have helped me to build my endurance and my faith.
What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?
My main goal is to inspire, heal, and offer hope to others through my music. I write music about the values I believe in: faith, love, unity, perseverance, and God. I hope my music can inspire others to never surrender in the face of hardship.
What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?
The most important thing that music has taught me is that music is not the most important thing in this life. It took me losing my voice to realize that life is fragile, and that we can very easily put our faith and identity in all the wrong places, whether that is music, money, power, status, talents, or other pursuits. So many of the things we dedicate our lives to can be taken from us in an instant. Ultimately, our time here is temporary, and we ought to not hold on to this world with too tight of a grip.
What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?
I’ve always dreamed of playing at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado.
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?
Right now, if I could collaborate with anyone, I would collaborate with Jim Croce. I’ve been listening to a lot of his music recently, and I like the simplicity of the production and the storytelling. The music is raw, authentic, meaningful, and compelling.
Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links)
My music is on all platforms if you search Mariano Mallia or click the following link: https://music.marianomallia.com/listen . You can also find more information and sign up for my email list at my website marianomallia.com.
Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?
My dream is to continue to reach people with my story and to impact lives in a positive and meaningful way.
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