Born in Italy, but London-based, Alice Pisano is a pop artist reminiscent of Taylor Swift (except better). Described by Richard Gottehrer (The Orchard) as writing “wonderful songs that speak directly to the people”, Alice’s music is heartwarming and sentimental. We had a chance to speak with Alice about her new single ‘Tears Will Set You Free’, staying motivated and much more!
Why did you decide to enter the music industry?
Music has always been my big passion since I was small. I started playing the piano when I was seven and went on to take vocal and guitar lessons. I sang in several bands as a teenager, but it wasn’t until my last year of high school that I knew I wanted music to become my job. All of a sudden, I just realised that was what I was meant to be doing. When I’m playing live or writing music, everything just feels so right, like my life has a purpose.
Can you tell us about ‘Tears Will Set You Free’?
It was my first original release after my latest EP Celebrate Life came out last year. I wanted this new song to feel like a natural progression from the EP, but for it to have a brighter feel to contrast the melancholic mood of the EP.
What was the recording and writing process like?
I wrote this song with singer-songwriter Benjamin Francis Leftwich and Matt Ingram during a session at Matt’s Urchin Studios in East London. I love Benjamin’s work so it felt really special to be working with him. We wrote the song starting from a melodic idea of mine which I thought was going to be the verse of the song, but actually turned out to be the chorus! We then developed the rest of the melody from that and ultimately the lyrics.
It was then produced by Troy Miller (Emeli Sande, Jamie Cullum). Troy and I got on straight away, he really enhanced the song and made it the best version it could possibly be.
Does the single have significant meaning for you?
In the song, I’m addressing someone who is going through a hard time and encouraging them to open up and not keep their pain inside. I can relate to that a lot as I’m a very emotional person and crying has always been my way of getting over bad feelings and releasing them.
What do you hope people take from your music?
The best feeling is when someone says a song of mine lifted their spirits and helped them through a difficult time. I got a lot of messages like that about Celebrate Life and that’s all the motivation I need to keep doing this.
What is more challenging for you – melody or lyrics?
Melody comes definitely more natural to me. A lot of the time, the melody for a song will just pour out of me in one go, but I’ll need more time to write the lyrics, usually a few days or so.
How do you keep yourself motivated?
I love making lots of lists of my long and short-term goals, my plans, etc. to keep focused and motivated. Also, the music industry can be tough and I find that sometimes I just have to remind myself of why I’m doing this, which is because I love music. Listening to new music and getting excited about new songs and artists always drives me to keep creating. When I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed, I switch off my phone for a while and just go for a walk in nature; it recharges my batteries and makes me go back to it all with a clearer head.
How would you describe your sound?
I sometimes find it hard to define it as for me it’s all about the song and a different song will call for different production and, therefore, sound. I would say my music is soft pop with hints of indie.
What do you think is the best way to discover music?
Spotify is great. I love putting on a new playlist and discovering new artists; there’s just so much music out there. I sometimes find it a bit daunting, like all the time in the world would not be enough to discover all of it! Obviously, going to gigs is great for that.
What does the future hold for you?
I’ve been writing lots of new songs during lockdown and I’m currently in the process of recording them. Given the situation and the fact the live music industry is stuck, I’ve been focusing on making new music. I can’t wait to share these songs.
Do you have a message for our readers?
Keep calm and celebrate life!
Leave a Reply