Formula Indie Sessions _ Interview with PAU
What is your earliest memory connected to music?
Maybe my grandfather, who played so many instruments. Or the Beatles’
”Blue Album” under the X-mas tree?
How did your passion for creating music begin?
At first, there was just the sound. That strange, warm feeling I had when I strummed an E minor chord on the guitar and my sister, walking by, said, “Stop playing that sad music.” Or my aunt’s cuckoo clock, which played beautiful melodies every hour on the hour. I became addicted to that sound and had to pluck that resonating steel spring over and over again. Then came the first garage bands in the neighborhood. I asked a boy to play the blues on his guitar before we masturbated together.
What’s the story behind your current music project?
I always thought the best way to live this life would be as a singer, like a griot—someone who can tell stories. But at the same time, I knew that to do that, I first had to live and gain experience. It also seemed pointless to me to repeat and vary chord progressions and melodies that had already been played countless times. Now I’ve learned to love and have found my own musical language. (Still fragile, but sometimes I catch the cap of a goblin dashing by…)
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
I don’t want to describe my music. Everyone will experience it differently, and hopefully I’ll keep coming up with something new. But I think anyone who listens to my music should bring a little curiosity and an open mind.
What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?
I spent a long time exploring experimental and conceptual music—it was important to me, but somehow it started to feel too restrictive. A major turning point for me was finding my own voice. It was the influence of a very dedicated improvisational musician (Jason Kahn) who opened up this new world to me by using the voice in a completely different way.
What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?
I usually write my songs on the guitar, or while I’m out for a walk, or just out and about. It’s rare for the lyrics to come first; more often, it might be a dream or just a feeling. Then I get down to writing and composing—which can sometimes take years…
Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?
Elliott Smith: Everything means nothing to me
How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?
See above
What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?
I often write songs about things I don’t understand myself. But I try to capture them as precisely as possible, at least emotionally. We can’t control life, but we can learn to love.
What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?
Don’t just stand on the sidelines. Be brave and throw yourself into the moment.
What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?
Bad Bonn Chilbi or anywhere where people are nice, like my music (and pay me a little something.-)
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?
Just because you like someone’s music doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll have a fruitful collaboration. 🙂 Maybe Robert Wyatt—his approach to making music really resonates with me. Maybe Zaho de Sagazin, too—I love her style.
Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links)
Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?
To perform my songs in front of an audience with a cool band is allready great. But I also have other plans—for example, I’d like to start or lead a choir.
What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?
I don’t think I’m particularly interesting—of course I sing about myself and my life, but I’m just a dummy, a placeholder for what can happen in life.
