Formula Indie Sessions _ Interview with ATLAN
What is your earliest memory connected to music?
I remember looking at my father spending time in his computer listening to Michael Jackson, he used to dj songs and, found comfort in that
How did your passion for creating music begin?
I didn’t have a very musical family, none of them played any instruments or sang but, I sort of got interested in music naturally. Every Christmas I’d ask for a guitar or a drum kit you know, everywhere I could develop my creative ideas, and by the time I was like 11 or 12 I downloaded the demo of Fl Studio, that’s where I started the whole journey.
What’s the story behind your current music project?
Very interesting, it’s unlike anything I’ve ever done before, The project is a multidisciplinary world where music, story, and imagery are inseparable, it contains a full-length album, a novel, artwork like paintings and some music videos and a Requiem, yes a choral, orchestral Requiem, sounds exciting doesn’t it?
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
Like something that’s always been there but was just waiting to be discovered, but it can also be as simple as cool songs to use as the soundtrack of your life.
What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?
To not be afraid of crossing boundaries, make any genre you like, explore and have fun. Rules are there to compliment and mostly keep a balance. Always listen to the pros but, build your own opinion based on what you learn.
What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?
A DAW, a couple of vsts and libraries and mixing tools. What I can say is, the tools are really the least of the stuff that matters, you can make whole songs with just stock plugins, you just need to develop a vision and a good ear, that’s what’s truly essential.
Which indie artist or song are you loving right now? Kiesza. She’s incredible and very inspiring.
How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?
Deeply actually, I didn’t have a simple childhood or a stable household growing up, so there’s some darkness there, but at the end, instead of letting it consume me I got used to turning that anger and sorrow into music.
What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?
That whatever’s on your mind, emotions, lyrics, imaginary places, color mixes, random harmonics you hear, all of those are resources, the tools as I said before aren’t that crucial, nowadays you can find thousands of free music production tools, take advantage of that. Everything I’ve built so far, even if it’s not much, comes from the feelings and emotions I experience everyday, music is a medium to share that with everyone.
What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?
That an original work is born not from seeking to make it, but naturally, you don’t need to copy what others do millimetrically, once you start focusing on a theme you deeply love you can do great things.
What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?
Definitely Coachella, but I like Tomorrowland too.
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?
Well they say never meet your heroes but, I think Illangelo, such an inspiration.
Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links)
You can find me on YouTube as @atlanofficial, on IG as @saint.atlan, on Spotify and BandCamp
Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?
To have some of my songs played by the Vienna Philharmonic:)
What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?
The depth, longing and amount of variation in my work, I want listeners to be a part of it and find a place where they can rest in the middle of the storm, just like I did with other artists, I especially plan shows to be a unique experience in the future.
