Formula Indie Sessions – Interview with Totaiota
Totaiota is the motor that drives the life of a young composer, the freedom from rules and schemas, the powerful, passionate music born from a strong childhood dream, always there, waiting to be set free.
I’m Ester Maiorani, an Italian pianist, violinist, singer and composer from Rome, now based in Switzerland. Totaiota is my own perspective: a way to uplift emotions and turn heavy feelings into something strong, light and enjoyable. It’s the need to communicate hidden words, the driving force that lets me tell my own story. Blending Pop songwriting with Jazz and Funk nuances and a touch of classical sensibility into an introspective, dynamic sound i build a universal conversation based on true, meaningful experiences, to which everyone can relate.
What is your earliest memory connected to music?
I have a few that marked the way I behave today. One of them is when, around the age of seven, I started composing. I remember going to the piano trying to put some chords togheter, describing an imaginary scenario with rabbits and little goats jumping around
green fields. I still remember the melodies and that’s a memory that I’ll keep forever with me.
How did your passion for creating music begin?
I was born by two pianists. Both classical and I honestly think I could not escape this reality. They introduced me at a very early age (around 3) and since then I never stopped.
What’s the story behind your current music project?
Totaiota is something that, seen from outside, seems quite recent. In fact it was “officially” born in 2025. But from my point of view is something that I carry on since I’m a little child. Totaiota was born from the desire to talk about my self, my story, my experiences and my achievements throughout music: the story behind Totaiota is my life.
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
Since I had a lot of influences during my life and I have a strong classical background, I had the audacity to put everything I know in music. The prinicpal style of my music is a pop-jazz with a very important touch of classical and a bit of funk. Often I like to add completely different elements, coming from traditional musics, folk, I switch often from english to italian. My music, to be honest, evolves with me. So it’s various, driven by curiosity and ambitions, it’s strong and powerful, but also enjoyable and lightful. Totaiota’s music is the exact reflect of my personality.
What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?
To walk away from rules. During my studies they woulkd teach me to follow some specifics patterns, to do that and that, and to avoid the rest. Well, when coming to composition, I accepted that the best way to talk about something is with freedom and spontaneity. I litterally sit at the piano, do some chords and, if I like them, I use them for my music, if not, I change them. I don’t care anymore if my fiths and sevenths are parallel (classical musician will understand what I’m trying to say).
What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process? First of all the piano and my voice. Withouth them I really could not compose. When I sit
at the piano I feel myself and I enter in another world, and singing on my melodies and harmonies helps me to get even more in the mood. Then, when recording, basic gear is ok: a laptop, an audio interface, mics, and a DAW (cubase or ableton in general). Then
whatever is the mood of my song, I really like to add violins and choirs everywhere. So I try to bring my second instrument everytime I need to record something. I usually do the violins on the spot. I don’t really think about them in advance. I think it’s way more spontaneous and gives me the chance to experiment and have fun. At the end, when the demo is recorded and ready to be transmitted to my musicians, I usually write the score and put everyithing under copyright to protect it and assure that anyone takes my ideas.
Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?
I discovered a few years ago Giulia Dabalà and I really enjoy listening to her productions, that are really inspiring for some projects I am doing for the future. And honestly, even If i don’t know her in real life, it seems to be a really great person!
How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision? Since little I had traveled a lot, with my family, and seeing a lot of places helped me to
built my personality. I’m a huge curoius, I love discovering, trying and, most of all I’m ambitous and I persevere until I get to my goals. I moved to Switzerland in 2021, and there everything changed. I had to deal with my problems alone, I was 20 and everything seemed way more difficult than it was. Music was my way out. I used my mood to dig down into music and what I knew, and compose a bunch of little pieces. Then my inner “I” kicked in. I discovered jazz and pop from very close. I WANTED to enter the school I’m enrolled in now, and I built skills and thecniques until 2025, when I finally made it. And in between, all my defeats and my achievements became music. I made an album, a bunch of new compositions and I did my first public concert in 2025 only with my music. And since then, my visions and my ambitions are clearer then ever.
What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work? First of all, no one is alone. We all go through though times, difficulties, happiness and
the list goes on… only, with a different point of view. And I hope that what I lived and talk
about in my music can be something people can relate to. But my music is also a story, it doesen’t necessarily have to be a moral at the end. I’d love my audience to listen to my music as they could read a book. And they can learn or think wathever they want from it. My music wants to be an enjoyable moment people can have with loved ones and friends and feel less alone in this complicated world.
What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?
If you wanna reach your goals you have to work for them. Music is hard, not as most people think. I spent 20 years of my life to get a Master degree. I had to balance mandatory school, personal life and studies since the age of 14. I would study 8hrs a day, between homeworks, to get the right technique to play correctly. I burned out 3 times between 18 and 24. I wanted to give up, but my dream was clear. I wanted to be a musician, play on big venues and reach a higer purpouse in my life, other than doing exams for my degrees. So i continued and I became who I am because I didn’t give up. I still don’t have a stable job in music and still I am doing it and taking every chance to go towards that direction. Music taught me to not give up at the first obstacle. It thaught me to take time, to think with logic, to be organized and to continue no matter what. Because, if you love something you have to take it with your own hands. No one is going to give it to you untill you reach for it.
What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?
As an Italian coming from Rome I would like one day to play on the Auditorium parco della musica. On the other side, as a musician living in switzerland I would like to touch to the big scenes of Paléo or Montreux Jazz festival. Maybe some day.
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why? Very hard question. If I could collaborate with a band in the past it would have been
probably The Beatles. I listen to them since I’m a kid and I always played a lot of their songs. I really learned a lot from them. I mean, if some day Paul McCartney called me, I would run in UK in instants. And maybe I would collaborate with Jacob Collier, just to have fun with crazy harmonies and experiments the joy of playing with one of my favourite artist’s of all times. He’s a inspiration.
Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links) I have a website www.totaiota.com where listeners can read a bit about my life, listen to
some extracts of music, and see the dates of my next concerts. Then my music is reachable on every music platform typing Totaiota.
For socials here they are: totaiota_official (IG) and Totaiota (FB page).
Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?
I recorded an album in august 2025 and since I had a lot of troubles during the post production my next goal is to release it, finally in 2027 (one year and a half after the programmed date). Then I’m applying for some contests and programs and I really would like to make it through some of them.
What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way? Well, I think discovering where I come from, not only as a place. I’m talking about
background, who I am as a person and not only a musician. I think connecting with a public is important to let them understand better your art.
