Aradia – Fire

By starrymag | September 13, 2021

By: Alejandra Gil M

 

 

Q) Your new single “Fire” is out now, what was the writing process like for the song did you have the lyrics or the music first?

A) Yes, I’m very excited that “Fire” is out in the world! This song is very close to my heart—I wrote it during COVID, and it came to me in direct response to the emotional strain caused by the pandemic and other challenges at the time. I didn’t sit down and write the song. I woke up around 4am with the entirety of the lyrics and arrangement in my head, on replay. So, I got out of bed and recorded it.

 

Q) The song feels like a synthpop anthem that harkens back to the power pop of the 1980s. What was the creative process like?

A) Thank you!! I can’t help it. I’m addicted to 80s synthpop—as well as today’s retropop & Nu Disco. So, the sounds you hear in this song are simply the result of my love for that style of music. I’m not necessarily intending to imitate the instrumentation, but I do find that when I dial in my synth sounds, they end up sounding like something from that era, often with some juicy house & techno sounds thrown in for good measure.

 

Q) “Fire” feels meant for the dance floor, what that your main goal recording it?

A) Again, thanks! My main goal was to simply get it out of my head and into reality. And part of it was definitely self-therapeutic in the sense that it made tangible my ability to bounce back from really difficult situations. It made my bouncing back at the time real, if that makes sense. My goal for listeners is what it says on my site: Thou Shalt Shine. I want to uplift people—through music and in general. I want to make music that resonates with people on multiple levels and definitely hope the songs make people dance!

 

Q) The track was also released with a lyric video, how involved were you in developing the concept for it?

A) The lyric video was created for me to the specs I had in mind: something inspiring with a retro vibe that reflected the lyrics and spirit of the song, and something that was visually interesting & appealing. There was a little back and forth on feedback, but the producer did a really great job of interpreting my brief. I’m also going to be releasing an official video for “Fire” soon.

 

Q) Inspired by the confusion and fear brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, “FIRE” is about that “inextinguishable spark that keeps us going no matter how hard things get.” What do you hope people take away from it?

A) I hope that people are reminded that we all have that inextinguishable spark, even if we don’t think we do. I hope people are reminded that they have the power to choose not to give up.

 

Q) Have you gotten any specific feedback about the track that has stood out?

A) One person heard it and said, “It’s the music for the scene in a movie where the guy realizes he loves the girl and runs to get to where she is so he can tell her – and she’s there and there’s the big build up.” That comment literally almost made me cry!

 

Q) This single was mixed and mastered by Grammy Award winner Tony Black, what was it like working with him?

A) A nightmare! Just kidding!! He’s one of my favorite humans and unquestionably the best producer/engineer I’ve ever worked with. His feedback guided me through iteration after iteration of this song, until I finally fine-tuned it into precisely what I wanted it to be. He’s been an incredible colleague, teacher/mentor and encourager throughout the process for every single and for my new EP. And Tony’s mixes really make my songs shine.

 

Q) On our previous interview you mentioned that Theatre Paradoxe in Montréal and the Columbia City Theater in Seattle have been some of your favorite venues to play at, with everything reopening, do you have any future plans of a tour or any upcoming concerts?

A) Playing shows is very much top-of-mind for me and I really can’t wait to get back out there. Currently I’m scheduling more streaming performances and have one on September 18th with Outer Space Entertainment and I’m excited about that. But I hope to start booking in-person shows in advance of venues reopening so I can have things lined up to look forward to. I’d love to do another show with MTL Uncovered!

 

Q) You have been writing your own songs since you were 12-years old. Your sound draws inspiration from the observation of the world, human connection, and influences from some of the greats—Blondie, Imogen Heap, Annie Lennox, Depeche Mode—to name a few. Is there anyone you would like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

A) Yes! I still very much want to collaborate with Jody Wisternoff and would love to work with Sia. I also think a collab with Roosevelt would be pretty dreamy.

 

Q) You´re released an EP this summer. What has it been like putting it together?

A) The EP came out Aug 20th and I’m so excited about this release. Tony and I worked a ton over Spring and Summer to get these songs ready, and I’m really happy with how everything came out. The process involved a lot of fine-tuning and working to create a cohesive sound that’s distinctly mine. It was a wonderful experience and I learned so much about myself as an artist and as a producer.

 

Q) What would you like to say to fans and supporters of you and your music?

A) Firstly, thank you – for listening to the music and supporting my work in all the ways you do. And I want you to think of me as your biggest cheerleader. Whenever you need a boost or you need to feel like someone understands what you’re feeling about the world or about yourself, you can put on my songs and pop open my Instagram to get a dose of positive energy. I want you to shine! Also, I finally have MERCH! I lovingly designed all the graphics myself and you can shop right from my site https://aradiamusic.com.