Formula Indie Sessions – Interview with Raphibello
Raphibello is accoustic, sensitive folk-songs in swiss german. After singing in english for ten years with the band MESSINA, this is a new chapter: closer to the heart, quieter and as honest as possible.
What is your earliest memory connected to music?
Leaning to the front of my mums car to turn up “It’s my life” by Bon Jovi.
How did your passion for creating music begin?
At the age of 15, going to see every concert I could, and talking about music all the time, it just felt natural to form a band with my best friends whom I first had to introduce for this purpose. In primary school, I just wanted to learn and play the electric guitar. Finding out how it works and being able to produce noise ignited my passion.
What’s the story behind your current music project?
I try to tell the stories I accumulate in my head in a way they make sense to me.
The production itself I organize in a way of hangig out and having fun with friends, without any pressure just guided by what we like.
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
See on top
What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?
While making music, perfection is not what we are looking for. Connection, fun and curiosity are the only things that matter in the studio or on stage.
What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?
For this project, my accoustic guitar is most important while writing. It‘s still the only accoustic I own apart from a lot of electrics. I bought it at the age od 14, so 17 years back, but only started writing with it again about three years ago.
Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?
I startet listening more to italian music. I really love faccianuvola and Marco Costello. And my fellow swiss artist Solong.
How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?
A lot of lines in my songs I either said to someone or are things I would like to say to certain people. What I write about comes directly out of my life to an extent that I‘m sometimes afraid that it‘s too close or to obvious for the people „in the songs“ with me.
What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?
I would like my songs to help people tap into their emotions. Not only the positive ones, but to draw hope from opening up also to the more challenging parts of life.
What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?
You can‘t force anything. And it doesn‘t help doing the right things for the wrong reasons. You should have fun exactly at what you are doing. Otherwise, you‘re not making the best of it.
What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?
My dream has been since the age of 16 to play „Gurtenfestival“ on a picturesque mountain close to Bern in Switzerland. With a great view over the city. And I would say, right now, the chances of making it there are going up again.
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?
I would love to work with the canadian artist Feist and see what happens combining our voices and playing styles. I would even consider singing in english again!
Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links)
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raphibello?igsh=dzFrYWpoZzJ0azVr&utm_source=qr
Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?
I‘m looking forward to seeing where the folk-touch of my music takes me and what influences will add to it. Maybe even some elements of my past work will come back, like louder guitars and electronic elements. I‘m interested to see, how that suites my swiss german singing and the calm vibe.
What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?
That music is just one part of what I‘m doing and that I have a lot to say about the world. Probably very influenced by studying spatial planning and history.
