My interview of Rachel Sermanni

Je vous avez déjà parlé de la très talentueuse Rachel Sermanni et de son single The Fog.

Et bien, j'aime tellement sa musique que j'ai décidé d'envoyer un mail à son manageur (via la mention contact de son site officiel) pour lui demander si une petite interview par mail serait possible. Il m'a très gentiement répondu que oui...et donc voilà l'interview que j'ai faite de Rachel Sermanni (je l'ai laissée en anglais, faute de temps, mais si vous avez un peu de mal avec l'anglais, dites-le moi et je traduirai l'interview) :

When did you decided to do music in a professional way?

When I finished school I left for glasgow with the intention of taking a year out to see what happens. I suppose this was when I made the decision...slightly unconsciously.

What kind of music do you listen usually? Which bands/singers?

It all depends on my mood but these would probably be my constants just now: tom waits, pj Harvey, dar Williams, joni Mitchell, Nick drake, Eric satie, arvo parts, a bunch of jazzy stuff I don't know the names of usually gets played on shuffle also.

Which is the song you’re listening all the time those days?

I couldn't stop listening to Gotye's song, somebody that I used to know, when it was exploding about the place. We would get very excited whenever the radio played it as we travelled.

Which is your first musical memory? (it could be the 1
st CD you bought, an instrument, a song, etc)

I remember my green penny whistle -slightly battered as my little brother was going through a builder phase and had discovered the hammer- my dad taught me twinle twinle little star on it one day.

Do you prefer to sing in studio or in live?

When I am in a studio I still give best performances when they are sung live and straight through. I love playing for people but sometimes, in the intimacy of solely your own company, you can have fun too. Live is best though.

How do you compose your songs?

I like to be alone and to be surrounded by notes and inspirations. My bedroom back home in the highlands is still the most productive place I have found for writing. This is a bit problematic as I am barely there these days. The challenge is to create the same sense of security in other, more accessible places.
Sometimes a concept comes just by jamming on the guitar, sometimes the ideas are distilled in my mind and on paper for a long time before they come into fruition.

What do your songs are talking about?

It depends on the song. I sing about my feelings whether it is very personal and literal, observational and aloof and symbolic. Lots of angles ... It all depends.

What did you learn about yourself, the world and the music industry during the recording of your EP?

When it came to song arrangements I came, through experience, to realise less is more. recording the instruments was focussed on retaining the essential feel to the song and that was best done by simplifying everything to some extent. If we weren't sure what to add we would add nothing at all. Minimal.
I learnt of the music industry that it is best to do as best I can in the field I know best- the musical making bit- and leave the business to others more capable. But it also taught me caution. It is always a better option to stand back and review the situation before going ahead with anything...especially if it seems too good to be true..

How would you describe your music in a few words?

Folklike music. A mix of storytelling and quirky noises.

Do you have a little ritual before your gigs?

I like to prepare throughout the day. stretching continuously from waking in the morning to keep the body warmed up, humming scales through a straw -good for finding the awkward nooks in the vocal range and controlling the breath- a few sips of ginger beer is a nice wee trick too. If I'm physically warmed up it means I need not worry on stage for anything except the true feeling of the song.

Which is your best remember of show? The worst one?

I have had too many to count. I had a great debut with the band at the Union Chapel in London recently.
I had a wonderful moment supporting fink in a church in Cambridge where I felt very much like I truly surrendered myself singing The Fog.

These are recent gigs. Still fresh in my mind. I have had many more great evenings.

Which are your future plans?

I hope to release the album we are currently working on and touring.
I hope to continue creating things. I have some poetry in the pipeline and some artwork is getting included in the musical products which I am so happy to see.
I also hope I will be able to find myself a space to live and freely create when I am able.

Je tiens à remercier Rachel Sermanni pour avoir si gentiement répondu à toutes mes questions et Robert Hicks pour m'avoir permis de faire cette interview.

Qu'avez-vous pensé de cette interview ? Et de la musique de Rachel ?