In anticipation of her upcoming album ‘NO GOD HERE’, enjoy this short interview with the indubitably incomparable singer/songwriter, Lucia Cifarelli.
—
Andrew:
How does it feel when one of your songs becomes deeply meaningful to someone, but then you realize that their interpretation of the song is far off from what you intended?
Lucia:
I want to be included on the soundtrack of the listeners life. So, it warms the cockles of my heart when I learn that a song has landed and truly resonates. How songs are interpreted depends on the individual. As with all art forms, song meanings vary from person to person.
Andrew:
Some fans hang on every single lyric that an artist produces. Should songwriters own any sense of responsibility for the positive or negative ways their music may influence their fans’ ways of thinking and being?
Lucia:
Music like film is a form of entertainment to be enjoyed, and not taken literally unless directed otherwise. In any case songwriters have no control over how someone’s life experience or culture might impact their interpretation of the words. If we as artists censored ourselves from the start, we’d be limiting our freedom of expression. We’re living in a time where books, music, and art are being pulled from shelves and walls due to ideologies that are in direct conflict with what art is supposed to do, which is to move us for better or worse.
Andrew:
I am an amateur songwriter, and sometimes I’ll write a song that stands out from the rest of my work to me, because it clearly and powerfully articulates something deeply meaningful about my heart, or the more complex or abstract avenues of my life experience. Can you relate to this? If so, what are three of your solo project songs that stand out to you for similar reasons?
Lucia:
The songs I connect with change depending on my mood and what’s on my mind at the time. At this moment I’d have to say “No God Here” continues to resonate deeply. As does Dark Horse (and) To Be Alive.
Andrew:
What are three KMFDM songs that are an absolute joy for you to perform? What about those songs makes them so fun for you?
Lucia:
Airhead, Freak Flag & Paradise are a lot of fun. They’re theatrical in their own individual ways allowing me to express different sides of my personality. There’s humor and silliness with Airhead, emancipation and liberation with Freak Flag, and testimony with Paradise.
Andrew:
You know that one incredibly unique vocal sound you sometimes make? I call it the “hell whinny.” It’s glorious. One of my favorite sounds in the world. I was so happy to hear it at the end of Matches and Gasoline. How old were you when you realized you could do that, and what were the circumstances in which it emerged?
Lucia:
I discovered it by accident actually. While under extreme duress due to deep personal wounding happening in my life at the time, I released a primal scream inside the vocal booth. It was unexpected, and took me by surprise, as well as my bandmate Dan (DRILL). He’d been recording and when he played it back, we thought it was interesting. I played with that voicing a lot back then but left it behind for the most part when I joined KMFDM. It felt right revisiting it on Matches & Gasoline. Happy to learn you like it!
—
Lucia’s third solo album ‘NO GOD HERE’ releases on October 11, 2024 !
CD PRE-ORDER:
https://kmfdm.fulfillmentmerch.com/…/lucia-cifarelli-no…
VINYL PRE-ORDER:
https://kmfdm.fulfillmentmerch.com/…/lucia-cifarelli-no…
DIGITAL PRE-ORDER:
https://luciacifarelli.bandcamp.com/album/no-god-here
The album’s first single is available now (the second single, ‘Paper Tiger’ drops later this month) !
‘NO GOD HERE’ single:
https://luciacifarelli.lnk.to/nogodhere_single