Formula Indie Sessions _ Interview with Divarella
Introduction of the project
What is your earliest memory connected to music?
Reply: My earliest memory connected to music has to be when I was around the age of 5, my seat mate and I adding melodies to poems in our nursery English book, he taught me one I remember to this day (There was an old woman who swallowed a fly, lol) and I made one for him (What happened to Lulu) but he relocated with his parents before I could give him. I’ve been writing ever since.
How did your passion for creating music begin?
Reply: I honestly can’t say exactly when but it most likely had to be when my seat mate, my first friend I would also say, left my school, (I’m kinda an introvert and I have a few friends so I take friendships seriously). He told me about his parents decision prior and said he was going to convince his parents to stay till the end of the term. I think the fact that I wasn’t able to give him the poem I had remixed for him after he gave me his prompted me to keep writing to keep the little memory I have of him alive. I could write poems because he playfully taught me how and now I write songs.
What’s the story behind your current music project?
Reply: Okay the thing is I’m a storyteller, mine, or not. I channel other people’s emotions, situations or experiences and I write about it. So Wait happened when I first came across a beat on YouTube (beats/instrumentals get me high, lol) and after listening for a few seconds, I started writing how and what I was feeling. It certainly was someone else’s emotions at that time and it was like l was in sync with whoever that was, I was feeling hurt and betrayed but still clinging to a strand of hope left, all at the same time. So when the episode ended, with the tears in my eyes, I got up and went to record what had happened.
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
Reply: I’m a lot of things, my sound included. But it’s mostly sad music, call it 50 shades of pain and depression, lol and there are times I write happy songs too.
What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?
Reply: Effort matters, details too, no matter how little they seem. I never planned to make a profession out of music but I had a change of mind when the first two songs I posted on YouTube amd Spotify some years back garnered some traction despite how poorly they were made and how bad they sounded (to me). The fact that I didn’t even put much effort in making the songs. I recorded them on my phone and added some beats directly to them, no blending, mixing or other processes. I didn’t know how to and didn’t mind. I posted and forgot about them. I was surprised when I started getting emails from people, some sending me contacts of radio stations, some made reaction videos and so on. I was like “wait, what’s happening?”.The fact that people care, regardless of their numbers, that changed my mind, so I vowed to put in my best and get better everyday.
What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?
Reply: A paper and a pen would suffice, lol
And for the recording process, I’d say everything necessary in the studio for an artist. I used to use bandlab on my phone for that before I got myself a nice mini home studio.
Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?
Reply: I would say Salty Chips by Juney Luv and My Defender by Tate Butts.
How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?
Reply: A lot, it does most of the time. Music is my therapy, my diary, my confidant and my best friend. I’m not good at expressing myself or my emotions, most times I get misunderstood and even my intentions end up as drama so I keep to myself a lot and pour out those emotions in writing.
What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?
Reply: Vulnerability is strength in it’s own way you know, it’s okay not to be okay (oops! I wrote a song about that, lol), it’s okay to care, it’s okay not to. It’s okay to be happy, to be sad or angry, to cry when hurt, it’s okay to love, to be loved. It’s okay to be you.
What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?
Reply: Music has taught me that life is precious and time is more precious. “The world changes every second and time gets older with every tick” (Another song right there 😉) What’s matters is the memories you make as they’re gonna be your life in summary at a point in time and then we become lost in history.
What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?
Reply: A dream venue or festival I would love to perform at would be Capital’s summertime/ jingle bell ball or just performing in a stadium full of people actively vibing to my songs. The scenery, the feeling, the people … I can see it already.
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?
Reply: Taylor Swift, Taylor Swift, Taylor Swift… I’ve been a huge fan since Speak Now and I’d always be. Her story, her journey and her artistry is real, authentic and original. She’s an inspiration to me and I hope to meet her someday, but a collab would be ecstatic!
Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links)
Reply: For streaming platforms, my name is Divarella.
IG: @divarella_
Twitter: @_divarella
Facebook: @itzdivarella
Website: https://sites.google.com/view/divarella/ (getting a real one soon)
Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?
Reply: I really hope for more collabs with other artists, I have a few I’m working on already. Just more visibility and networking, more connection with my listeners and also more live performances.
What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?
Reply: That I’m evolving, I’m regenerating into the best version I’ll ever be. It’s a process, a journey I’d love more people to be a part of as I can’t wait to share it all with them.
