Interview Key Points

Here’s a breakdown of the key topics and points discussed in the interview:

The Nature of Art and Fiction

• Blurring Lines: The speaker believes the best fiction exists in a “blurry line” between the personal and universal, detailed and abstract.
• Truth and the “Other”: For the speaker, art needs a degree of truth, but it’s ultimately more about exploring or representing “the other.”
• Authentic Expression: Writing from a personal “place” allows for genuine singing or expression from that same place.

The New Album: “Maximalism” vs. “Motomami”

• Maximalism as a Concept: The new album is described as “maximalism,” contrasting with the “minimalist” approach of “Motomami.”
• A Framework for Music: The album is seen as a deeper “framework” for the music rather than just a collection of songs.
• Causing Chaos and Fun: The album’s release involved a period of “causing chaos” and having “fun” in Madrid, engaging with politicians and navigating fines.
• The Joy of Sharing: The album’s completion brought a sense of joy and readiness to share it with the world.

The Creative Process and Patience

• Patience as a Teacher: The long process of creating the album taught the speaker patience, with each project building this quality.
• The “Lost” Stage of Creation: Referencing Leonard Cohen, the speaker describes a stage where a record is no longer solely yours and takes on a life of its own, a feeling experienced during the album’s creation.
• Three Years of Development: The album’s creation spanned three years, encompassing significant life events.

Inspiration from Leonard Cohen and Light

• “Forget your perfect offering”: A key quote from Leonard Cohen, “There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in,” served as a guiding principle.
• Embracing Imperfection: The speaker aimed to allow “the light to get in” through imperfections, hence the album’s title, which translates to “how to make more space for the light to get in.”
• Light Through Cracks: The interviewer highlights the significance of light entering through cracks, representing glimpses of what’s available and yet to be revealed.

Artist’s Isolation and Social Life

• Conscious Isolation: The speaker admits to isolating themselves during the creative process, prioritizing studio work with close collaborators.
• Balancing Solitude and Connection: While isolating, there’s an awareness of needing to connect, often through studio sessions with friends who are also collaborators.
• Intensive Lyric Writing: A significant period was dedicated solely to writing lyrics, with the speaker refusing to return to the studio until satisfied.

Shifting from “Motomami” to Deep Study

• Breaking the Cycle: The artist consciously broke away from the typical album-tour-collaboration cycle.
• Studying Spirituality: The album became an excuse to delve deeply into studying spirituality, theology, and the concept of sainthood across different cultures and religions.
• Exploring Global Sainthood: The speaker researched various figures like Rishis (Hinduism), Xi’an (Taoism), Zadikim (Judaism), and “Friends of God” (Islam), noting diverse understandings of sainthood.
• Hagiography Research: The process involved reading numerous hagiographies (lives of saints) and immersing in their stories, languages, and contexts.
• Celebrating “Otherness”: The act of creating songs inspired by these stories is seen as a way of celebrating and understanding “otherness” in an increasingly divided world.

The Personal vs. Universal in the New Album

• Blurry Line Revisited: The speaker reiterates the idea of a “blurry line” between personal and universal, detailed and abstract, implicit and explicit.
• More About “The Other”: While acknowledging the album contains “little pieces” of the speaker, they emphasize it’s “much more about the other.”
• Specific Inspirations: Examples like “Reliquia” being inspired by Santa Rosa de Lima illustrate the blend of personal experience and external inspiration.
• Channelling Stories: The goal was to “channel” the stories of various inspiring women like Santa Rosa de Lima, Santa Rosalia de Palermo, Hildegard von Bingen, and others.

Emotional Intensity and Personal Growth

• Deeply Felt Emotion: The speaker acknowledges experiencing powerful emotions, including tears, during the album’s creation, especially while recording vocals.
• Unreadiness for the Project: There was a sense of not being ready for this type of emotionally intense project before it happened.
• Sister’s Critique: A crucial turning point was a sister’s comment about “destroying the song,” prompting a re-evaluation of how to “go all the way” and “finish the thought” in songwriting.

Embracing Imperfect Growth and Identity

• Sacrifice and “Violent Change”: The process of growth and evolving as an artist involves shedding past work and potentially losing comfort or audience, seen as a form of “violent change.”
• Dying Identity: The speaker desires for identity to be fluid, allowing for daily reinvention and self-discovery.
• Doubt as Proof of Life: Having doubts is seen as a positive sign, indicating that what is being created is alive and true.
• Acceptance of Sacrifice: The speaker accepts missing out on things and making sacrifices, finding peace in this realization as they grow.

Navigating the Present Moment and Desire

• Difficulty with the Present: The speaker admits to having a hard time being fully present, often being on the move and thinking ahead.
• Desiring Less: A practice for finding inner peace involves actively trying to “desire less.”
• Prayer and Gratitude: The speaker prays based on what they are lacking, whether it’s peace or needing to express gratitude.

Seeking Guidance and Connection Beyond the Self

• Listening Over Asking: The speaker emphasizes the importance of listening and stopping to connect with something larger than oneself.
• Guidance and Blessings: Prayers are directed towards guidance, blessings for loved ones, or inner peace, depending on current needs.
• Projecting Towards the Beyond: Drawing inspiration from Alana Portero, the speaker believes prayer, even without explicit faith, is a way to project oneself towards what’s beyond, helping to shed “poison” and find one’s center.

The Art of Play and Conversation

• Basque Ball Game Analogy: The conversation is likened to a Basque ball game (“El Juego de Pelota Vasca”), highlighting the dynamic exchange and skill in their dialogue.
• Enjoying the Exchange: The speaker expresses enjoyment for the conversation and the interviewer’s ability to “return the ball.”

Childhood, Family, and Early Musicality

• Athletic Pastimes: The speaker’s childhood activities included dancing and playing soccer.
• Sibling Dynamic: A childhood dynamic with a sister as defense and the speaker as striker is seen as a metaphor for their supportive relationship.
• Supportive Family: The speaker expresses deep gratitude for their supportive family, including their mother, father, and sister.
• Disassociating Through Music: In childhood, music provided an escape, with melodies repeating in their head, leading to a form of dissociation.

The Concept of “God” in Music

• Impossible Exercise: Depicting “God” in song is acknowledged as an “impossible exercise” due to the divine’s transcendence beyond human language and sound.
• Human Imperfection: Any human creation related to the divine will be inherently imperfect.
• Title vs. Song Content: The album title may not be literal, suggesting a complex exploration rather than a direct statement.
• Ambiguous Representation of God: On the record, “God” is portrayed in various forms: human, relational, and even as the speaker themselves.

The Album as a Life’s Work and Intense Creation

• Culmination of Work: The album feels like a culmination of the speaker’s work up to this point, a powerful and impactful output.
• Uniqueness of the Experience: The speaker feels this level of intense creation might be a singular, unrepeatable experience.
• Near Mental Breakdown: The album’s completion was accompanied by extreme stress and a feeling of being on the verge of a mental breakdown due to deadlines.
• Seizing the Creative Window: A strong internal imperative to release the album within a specific timeframe, despite creative idealizations, was present.

The Role of Orchestration and Maximalism

• Limited Orchestra Time: The work with the London Symphony Orchestra was brief (3-4 days), with arrangements largely pre-written.
• Precision and Control: The recording process with the orchestra was highly precise and controlled, with most elements already meticulously arranged.
• “Berghain” as a Statement: The album’s opening with “Berghain” is a deliberate, “front foot aggressive” choice to signal a departure from “Motomami” and showcase the album’s maximalist orchestral intention.
• Maximalism vs. Minimalism: “Berghain” embodies the album’s maximalist approach, contrasting with the minimalist elements of “Motomami.”

Inspirations: Björk, Patti Smith, and Not Caring

• Maternal Figures: Björk and Patti Smith are described as “mothers” and highly inspiring figures due to their freedom and irreverence.
• “Not Giving a Fuck” Mantra: A key mantra for the speaker is “not giving a fuck,” embodying a sense of liberation and defiance.
• “Stretch the Ball and Say the Truth”: This phrase, written on a mug, served as a daily reminder for the creative goal of the album.

The Meaning of Pressure and Sacrifice

• Pressure as a Catalyst: The statement “If pressure makes diamonds, why aren’t we all shiny?” explores the complex relationship between pressure, potential, and human experience.
• Carrying Weight: The speaker acknowledges that people often carry burdens and questions the contradictory nature of pressure.
• Begging for the Career: The speaker “begged” for their music career and the opportunity to make large-scale projects, accepting the inherent pressure and risk of “breaking.”
• Acceptance of Desire: The speaker accepts the consequences of their strong desire for this career, even if it means being on the “edge of breaking.”

Evolution of Vocal Style and Songwriting

• Allowing for New Vocals: The successful platform established by “Motomami” allowed the speaker to explore new vocal techniques and push boundaries in their singing.
• The Importance of Writing: The ability to write in a way that allows for vocal openness and surrender is crucial for authentic expression.
• Spirituality as a Foundation: The speaker’s connection to spirituality has been a constant presence, influencing their creative journey.
• “Motomami” vs. Current Album: “Motomami” is described as more “grounded” and focused on exploring the material world, while the new album searches for “verticality.”

Performative Aspects of Art and Identity

• Artificiality in Art: The speaker acknowledges the “artificiality” inherent in performance, even the connection created on stage.
• Extreme Performance: Pushing any aspect to the extreme, whether femininity or masculinity, can lead to performative qualities.
• Construction of Self: Artists often construct an avatar or persona through their work.
• Acceptance of Fiction: Like David Bowie and Nick Cave, the speaker embraces the theatricality and fictional aspects of creating art.

Collaborative Writing and Focused Execution

• Learning from Others: The speaker is interested in collaborative writing to gain new perspectives and learn different approaches.
• Focused Songwriting: Unlike some artists who write many songs and then select, the speaker focuses on developing and finishing a chosen set of pieces.
• Executing Intentions: The process involves selecting specific ideas (like an aria or a song inspired by Rabia al-Adawiya) and executing them fully.

“La Jugular” and the Micro/Macro Connection

• Inspiration from Rabia al-Adawiya: The song is inspired by the Sufi woman Rabia al-Adawiya, who emphasized loving God for God’s own sake, not for reward or out of fear.
• Interconnectedness: The song explores the Islamic concept of everything being connected, from the micro to the macro.
• Juxtaposition and Tension: The speaker finds excitement in exploring the tension and juxtaposition between the small and the large, the micro and the macro.

Observation, Nature, and Impermanence

• Keen Observation: The speaker demonstrates high observational abilities, noticing details like trees breaking through pavement.
• Nature’s Resilience: The image of nature breaking through man-made structures serves as a lesson in resilience and eventual triumph.
• Appreciating Imperfection: The speaker finds beauty in things that break perceived boundaries, like roots breaking pavement.

Musical Listening and Study

• Diverse Listening: During walks, the speaker listens to a wide range of music, including classical (Chopin, Wagner, Mahler, Bach, cello suites), Spanish composers (Albeniz, Granados, Falla), and contemporary artists (The Strokes, Nick Cave).
• Appreciation for Cello and Maria Callas: The speaker has a particular fondness for cello music and the opera singer Maria Callas.

“Memoria” and Imperfect Memory

• Lyrics by Carminio: The lyrics for “Memoria” were written by Carminio, who shared a traditional fado.
• Personal and Fabricated Memories: The song explores the idea that memories can be both real and somewhat fabricated, with a vulnerability in acknowledging this.
• Confessional Moment: The vocal delivery shifts to a more intimate, confessional tone, reflecting the imperfect nature of memory and personal truth.

Lost Items and Emotional Landscapes

• Lost Items: A humorous segment touches on losing various items and experiences in different locations (heels in Milan, smile in the UK, faith in DC).
• Beautiful Skies: The sky in Buenos Aires is described as exceptionally beautiful and almost tangible.
• Japan’s Stimulation and Nostalgia: Japan is perceived as a place of intense stimulation and sensory experience that can also bring out underlying sadness or nostalgia.
• Tough Love in Madrid: The speaker reflects on a “tough love” experience in Madrid.
• Blessings and Gratitude: Despite challenges, the speaker feels blessed and grateful.

The Nature of Prayer and Seeking Peace

• Prayer as Listening: The speaker sees prayer not just as asking but as listening and stopping to connect with a higher power.
• Guidance and Blessings: Prayers are directed towards guidance, blessings, and inner peace.
• Projecting Towards the Beyond: Prayer is seen as a way to connect with something larger, get rid of “poison,” and find one’s center.

The Ball Game of Conversation

• Dynamic Exchange: The conversation is likened to a dynamic ball game where both participants are skilled at exchanging ideas.
• Enjoyment of the Interaction: The speaker relishes the engaging and skillful nature of the conversation.