Formula Indie Sessions _ Interview with Valerio Lysander
Valerio Lysander is a chamber pop singer/songwriter from Rome, Italy. He moved to the UK in 2013, where he refines his art and publishes three albums. Since then, he has built his career in the UK and abroad and has performed in the UK, France, Scotland, the Netherlands and Italy with his pop/folk songs influenced by classical music with quirky, original, optimist and honest lyrics, looking at the world with a full emotional spectrum.
His first self funded EP Tidal Mental Head marked the beginning of a career that in 2016 would take him to be among the 10 nominees for Best Male in the Best of British Unsigned Awards and to have a new single, Ryan, broadcasted by BBC Introducing. In 2017 he was among the finalists of the Coffee Music Project and Pride’s Got Talent, and performed in Trafalgar Square for Pride in London and on the main stage of Manchester Pride.
In 2018, a new track about the hardship of being a musician in modern society, If You Were Me You Would Be, was broadcast on BBC6 by Tom Robinson. In the same year, he performed in many European cities, including gigs for different Gay Prides and Sofar Sounds. On 21st July 2018, he released a new 13 track album, “We Are Like Coloured Moths Towards The Sunlight”, which explores the different struggles humans have to go through in their quest towards happiness, and in 2019 a new EP “When the Clouds Will Gather I Will Drink the Rain”, both of which have had singles featured on many national radios, including the BBC. In 2019 he has kept performing in Europe, with gigs in the UK, Italy, France, Germany and Norway.
With listeners all over the world, Valerio moves back to Italy in 2021, where he is in the finals of Musicultura 2022, Roma Music Festival 2021 and Premio Lunezia 2021, but he keeps his British roots, getting to the finals of Pride’s Got Talent in 2022 and performing for Pride in London in the same year.
What is your earliest memory connected to music?
Both my parents were singers in a pop band and in a folk vocal quartet and also played in my hometown’s marching band. It’s hard to identify one specific memory, because I was surrounded by it in many forms.
How did your passion for creating music begin?
I was inspired by great singer/songwriters and I wanted to emulate them. Songwriting helped me transform my feelings into something useful, and through it I was able to overcome a lot of difficult moments of my life.
What’s the story behind your current music project?
The main motivation behind my music is the idea that we all play a role in one another’s growth, and I try to express that through my lyrics and the themes I explore in my songs. Musically, I come from a very diverse background, and this naturally finds its way into my project. I’m drawn to pop, folk, and musical theatre, and after many years of studying piano, I’ve also developed a deep love for classical music. In my songs, I try to bring all of these influences together: a pop-based structure enriched by carefully crafted vocal harmonies, orchestral arrangements, and acoustic instruments.
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
It’s like Christina Aguilera had child with Rufus Wainwright, and then it was brought up by Regina Spektor and married Sufjan Stevens.
What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?
Very banally, studying piano and music theory helped me construct songs in a more creative way, supporting me with the mind when the creativity was stuck. Songwriting is definitely a matter of heart, but maths and dictionaries can help open up new paths you could never get to.
What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?
Definitely a rhyme dictionary is one of the most useful things. It really helps when I’m stuck, and as I said before, finding a new word this way can really give a new perspective to songs.
Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?
Oops, you catch me in a very embarrassing moment, but I have listened non-stop to Golden by Huntrix for the last 10 days. Not ashamed.
Other than that, Sufjan Stevens has a very special place in my heart.
How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?
yes definitely. I put a lot of myself in my lyrics, and I strive to be authentic and vulnerable in them, to show myself as I am.
What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?
I try to put a message in every song, so it’s hard to summarise, but I guess that generally what I try to say is that every bad thing comes for a reason, and that we can learn from our pain.
What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?
I can’t be liked by everyone. I used to hope for everyone to like my music, but at some point I realised “if someone loves metal, how can they like my songs?”. I started applying this to all things in life, and it made it more peaceful for me to accept rejection.
What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?
Royal Albert Hall has always been at the top of my list!
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?
I’d love a collaboration with Regina Spektor or Sufjan Stevens, I have always liked their music and I feel very close to them artistically, so I think we could create something beautiful together.
Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links)
All the links here: https://linktr.ee/valeriolys
Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?
Right now I have an album ready to be released, but I’m waiting for the right mindset to publish it. My life is quite full at the moment (I’m about to get a degree in psychology) and I want to give it the attention it needs.
The songs are ready, but I need to find an album cover and the title of the album.
What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?
Something that speaks to them and can add a little beautiful piece to their lives.
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