Interview with Violetta Parisini

Life is about connecting.

Mexico is recognized worldwide for its warm welcome to musicians and artists; multiple bands have even made this country a second home. Thanks to this, for the last fifteen years we have been immersed in a cultural exchange like never before seen, consuming music, theater and more artistic expressions from all over the globe.

But this phenomenon has not occurred by itself, the openness of the public is important but it is also worth recognizing the work of promoters, embassies, cultural centers, private companies and all those people who have launched initiatives so that we can get involved with other countries without having to leave Mexico.

Precisely one of these initiatives is Global Music Tourlaunched by Ibis Hotels in 2019, with which they organize concerts around the world, inviting local bands to play in the same hotels and later ending in a festival. On this occasion she went to Querétaro, where the Mexican singers performed Maria Centeno and Marissa Murin addition to Violetta ParisiniAustrian singer-songwriter with whom we had the opportunity to talk a few days ago.

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I always wanted to make music, it’s been inside me since I was six years old. I was that person who liked to sing and who was allowed to sing solos, but when I was 18 my voice failed and the doctor told me that I would never be able to sing again, so I decided to study Philosophy.”

He told us Violetta about its beginnings, while we shared a coffee in the Hotel Ibis Mexico Alameda.

Fortunately I found a sound therapist, little by little I started singing again and met people who made electronic music, with whom I sang from time to time. But the truth is that I wasn’t very happy with the music they chose, so eventually I started DJing myself and after a few years I was playing techno and singing.”

He shared about how he got into the techno scene, one of the biggest in Austria and Germany.

Then I lost my voice again and thought about what I really wanted to do, that’s when I realized I still wanted to make music and I still wanted to sing, but something where I could tell stories and perform with more concentration on the music itself. So I found a producer and we made two albums in English, but then I had to take a big break because of my mental health. I suffered from depression and when you are depressed you really can’t do anything,” he said.

Although mental health problems are a topic that is increasingly addressed not only in music, but in popular culture, it continues to be taboo for many people, which is why Violetta He decided to take it as a banner to connect with people on a more personal and deeper level.

I started writing about it and also started my own label, where I do everything myself. Since then I have released two albums in German and am currently working on a third in English. I received a lot of positive feedback, especially because I am willing to talk about mental health issues and how you can’t function when you have them. I make music about special topics, feelings and problems that we have with ourselves.”

The transition from electronic music, especially techno, to what it currently does Violetta seems to be somewhat abrupt; However, for her it was a completely natural process of maturation and understanding of what she really wanted to do.

When I played techno it was all about dancing, now it’s about feeling and thinking. When I’m on stage people sometimes cry and, of course, they don’t dance anymore. We all have very similar feelings, even if our stories are different. So no matter what you’ve experienced, no matter what the story is, feelings connect us all.”

He expressed, highlighting the importance of recognizing what we feel in order to share it with others.

When I was 20 I used to party a lot and I loved it. Vienna has a pretty good club scene, there are many clubs, different types of music and producers; But since I feel like I can only make music that reflects my own life, it was a natural evolution for me.”

He concluded on this great step from one genre to a completely different one. In addition to studying Philosophy, as he told us at the beginning, Violetta He also studied Theater, disciplines that impacted his way of creating music and the way he presents himself on stage.

I am a person very focused on thinking, I put words to my feelings and that is how my songs evolve. Thanks to Philosophy I learned to think very precisely and although it is not necessary to study it to write good songs, it has helped me a lot.”

He told us about his creative process.

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Philosophy has also helped me to be confident in myself when it comes to words, thoughts, and analyzing things carefully. I don’t let myself be intimidated and that has been very valuable, because even though it is superficial that I can say, ‘oh, I studied philosophy,’ it gives me more confidence as an artist.”

Violetta She is the mother of two little ones, and although at first it was not planned to address the topic of motherhood, which has become a recurring and to some extent annoying topic when interviewing a woman; She played a crucial role in defining her as an artist and the theme of her songs.

It wasn’t easy to translate that experience into beautiful and creative things. Although I had a safe environment with a supportive man by my side, motherhood shook me so much that I thought I would never be able to get out of bed again.”

She talked to us, remembering the time she suffered from postpartum depression.

I used to think that whether I was a woman or a man, I could do anything. But when I had children I came to the conclusion that because of the role I have in society as a mother, this is not true. People think they know what you have to do, how it should be done, what is good and what is not, so suddenly you feel overwhelmed by all the expectations placed on you. Not as a person, but because of the role that has been assigned to you in society.”

It is precisely these expectations imposed by society that have led millions of people to develop conditions such as anxiety and depression, among others. And although they are all important and valid, the weight that mothers have to carry is incomparable.

I will never be as good a mother as I would like to be; no one ever will be. I think there is no such thing as being a good mother and this also happens with many other roles that women have in society, because we are expected to do everything perfectly, to be nice, blah, blah, blah. That’s why I started thinking about femininity and the expectations of it, that’s where all the songs come from.”

When portraying such personal situations and putting into words feelings that once made you think you would never get out of bed, it must be difficult to think about sharing your songs with others, since showing yourself vulnerable is often considered a symbol of weakness.

I waited quite a while before performing my songs because I was afraid of breaking down and crying on stage. But once they came out I realized that many people, not just women, share the same feelings. We can relate because we know the feeling of not being good enough and that we will never be good enough for what is expected.”

counted Violettagiving an example of how he has managed to build a strong connection with his audience.

I have to find a way to be who I am without doubting if it’s good enough, it’s something we all struggle with and what we all want. I want to wake up in the morning and think that everything is fine. “I’m not perfect, I’m not meeting all expectations, but I’m human and that’s what being human is all about.”

And although a very long distance separates Vienna from Mexico, where a totally different culture from Europe is lived, when we talk about these roles that we play in society we realize that we share the same patterns and the same expectations.

I’m not sure what it’s like in Mexico, but I know that the social security, health systems and support circles are not as good as in Vienna, so I’m a little afraid to talk about my things as it might sound ridiculous. If I compare it.”

She began her story with a bit of trepidation, noting that she is fully aware of her privilege as a white woman living in Austria.

But, on the other hand, it is not ridiculous at all because as humans we are all equal. If I’m sitting in the subway in Mexico City or in the subway in Vienna I can look people in the eyes and know that we share 90% of our lives. No matter where you are from, we all share the same pressure and the same need to meet the expectations that are placed on us. Life is about connecting, nothing makes sense if we don’t connect.”

About his visit to Mexico Violetta He gave us more details, talking about the Ibis initiative and his experience as a guest artist.

A few days ago I was in Querétaro, I thought about playing some songs in Spanish but there was no way I could understand what I should do on the piano, how to sing and how to pronounce correctly. The reality is that I don’t speak Spanish, but I’m learning, maybe next time I will.”

The singer shared about her desire to learn the local language and her plans to return soon.

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It wasn’t planned very far in advance, my booker asked me if I wanted to do it and I immediately said yes. I thought it was going to be a promoters’ event, but once I got on stage all the people were very open and listening attentively. It was really very nice. The Ibis team was also amazing.”

So what’s next for Violetta Parisini after your first visit to Mexico?

Sometimes I write songs for other people, I started doing it a year ago and I really like it. I’m also working on my next album. I’m not sure when I’ll finish it because I’m producing a lot of it on my own, which is great because I don’t have to answer to anyone. “I can just put the microphone on, sing the same song all day long and figure out what I want from it.”

He commented, highlighting the advantages of being an independent musician.