Website: Ira Losco
Facebook: Ira Losco
D: Come nasce la passione per la musica?
R: Mia madre dice che prima di parlare già cantavo. Ho sempre amato la musica. E’ stata sempre il posto dove potermi rifugiare. Amavo raccontare le mie esperienze e amavo che altre persone potessero sentirsi vicine ad esse. Mi sono sempre espressa attraverso la musica.
D: Quali sono i cambiamenti che hai notato dagli inizi della tua carriera?
R: Sono maturata sia in ambito personale che professionale. Amo conoscere cose nuove, credo che ti aiuti ad imparare ogni giorno. L’artista che crede di sapere tutto è quella che smetterà di essere creativo. Faccio scelte in cui credo e questo rende la mia musica più vicina al pubblico.
D: Quali sono le differenze che hai notato tra la tua prima partecipazione all’Eurovision del 2002 e quella del 2016?
R: Al contest del 2002 partecipavano 24 paesi. Non c’era la semifinale ma solo la finale. Non c’erano giudici nel 2002 o se c’erano esprimevano la loro opinione solo durante la finale. Ora ci sono 42 partecipanti e due semifinali. Tutte le prove sono importanti. Gli artisti sono continuamente messi alla prova. Sin dalla loro prima audizione. Malta molte volte non è passata, il mio obiettivo era riuscire in questo obiettivo: portare Malta in finale. Ci sono riuscita. Il concorso del 2016 era ricco di grandi artisti e belle canzoni. Ultimamente si sta cercando di dare più importanza al concorso, rispetto a passate edizioni.
D: Cosa ci puoi dire della tua canzone “Walk on water”?
R: “Walk on water” ha tutti gli ingredienti fondamentali per essere una canzone del 2016. E’ stata una canzone che ha esposto la mia voce nel soul e l’ha unita al genere drammatico.
D: Quali esperienze con persone provenienti da altri paesi ricordi con maggior piacere?
R: Ho adorato collaborare con Hovi, star israeliana, Sanja del Bosnia, Iveta dall’Armenia e Poli dalla Bulgaria. Francesca dell’Italia e Barei della Spagna erano adorabili. Con Jamala, la vincitrice dell’Eurovision 2016, ho cantato durante l’introduzione dello show. La seguii durante lo spettacolo, e abbiamo percorso l’ingresso insieme; è una persona amorevole e ci siamo complimentate entrambe per le nostre performance.
D: C’è un’artista con il quale ti piacerebbe collaborare?
R: Le collaborazioni sono sempre interessanti e divertenti e gli artisti si complimentano sempre per le qualità che riscontrano negli altri. Mi piacerebbe collaborare con Barei, Iveta, Amir o Poli. Hanno uno stile musicale simile al mio, sarebbe divertente.
D: Come definiresti la tua musica per chi non la conosce?
R: La mia musica è tendenzialmente pop, però ha contaminazioni provenienti da altri generi come urban, reggae, ska , elettronica e le chitarre. Questo permette di avere un suono più ampio e non statico come potrebbe capitare.
D: Come la musica ha cambiato la tua vita?
R: La musica non ha cambiato la mia vita essendo sempre presente, e mi ha sempre rilassato, dato fiducia e eccitazione.
D: Come immagini la tua vita in futuro?
R: Circondata dalle persone che amo e continuando a fare la mia musica.
D: Quali sono i tuoi futuri progetti?
R: C’è un album già pronto con 20 brani. Per la vecchia scuola potrebbe essere considerato un album doppio e ci stiamo pensando su per la realizzazione. Ho intenzione di realizzare dei video che possano accompagnare i miei brani, e dopo la mia pausa poter portare il brano estratto dal mio quinto album all’Eurovision.
Recensione a cura di Stefania Meneghella
Intervista realizzata da Manuela Ratti
Pubblicazione a cura di Roberta Giancaspro
(English version)
Today we’re going to talk about the power of the voice and the the easiness that it can bring. But, first of all, we’ll talk about a singer that, with her voice, produces all this: not only easiness, but powerfull. Powerfull and intensity, and a lot of dreams. With a mix of sensuality and sweetness, Ira Losco, the main characters of these pages, is aware to what her music is able to build dreams, and transmit it to the world in a more powerful way. For this reason listening to her is a pleasure for the heart, capable to collect all the intensity that a voice like a voice of hers contains. Ira Losco is one of the biggest names in Maltese music, and her career spanning over 15 years has seen her win more than 20 music awards. Ira has twice opened concerts for Sir Elton John and has performed alongside Katie Melua, Maroon 5, Akon, Enrique Iglesias, Ronan Keating, Tokio Hotel, Gigi D`Alessio and many more. She has also had a string of chart topping singles, including “What I’d Give,” “The Person I Am,” and “Me Luv U Long Time.” Her fifth album will be released this year. Of course Ira is also no stranger to Eurovision, having come within 12 points of winning the Eurovision Contest in Tallinn. She returns to the Eurovision stage 14 years later in Stockholm with a powerful song, “Walk on Water”. Beyond music, Ira is an advocate for LGBTI rights, supports anti-bullying initiatives and campaigns to help teenagers protect themselves from revenge porn. In 2008 she was awarded a prestigious medal by the President of Malta in recognition of her outstanding achievements.
Now, we leave the word to Ira Losco, whishing her to continue in this wonderful way.
Q: How does your passion for music start?
A: My mother says I sang before I could talk. I have always loved music. It has always been my place of refuge. I love to write about my experiences and I like knowing that there are people who relate to it. The way I’ve always expressed myself best is through my music.
Q: What change have you noticed by the beginning of your career?
A: I have definitely matured, in both personal and artistic aspects. I love learning new things, I find it is important to be open to learning every day. The second an artist believes he/she knows it all, is the second that artist will stop developing and being creative. I make choices that I believe in and that bring my music closer to my audience.
Q: What are the differences that you notice between your first experience at the Eurovision Song Contest 2002 and which of 2016?
A: The contest in 2002 had 24 participating countries. There was no semi final and just one final. There were no judges during the 2002 rehearsals either, or if they were there, their impressions were saved for the final night. Now there are 42 participants, as a consequence two semifinals. All rehearsals are very important. The artist needs to prove him/herself throughout the two weeks continuously. Since the semis were introduced Malta failed to qualify many a time, so that was one thing which I set out to do. It was my aim to get through to the final night and Malta succeeded . This year’s contest, as have been many recent contests, was not short of great songs and equally great artists. The record industry nowadays seem to be giving the contest more attention, which can’t have been said about earlier editions of the contest.
Q: What can you tell us about your song “Walk on water”?
A: “Walk on Water” had the ingredients for being a current song in 2016. It was a song which exposed my voice in a soulful way and played with the drama.
Q: Which experiences with people from other countries do you remember with more pleasure?
A: I loved hanging out with Hovi Star from Israel, Sanja from Bosnia, Iveta from Armenia and Poli from Bulgaria. Francesca from Italy and Barei from Spain were adorable. Coincidentally this year’s winner Jamala and I used to be together during the intro of the show. I followed her in the show so we walked out on the stage following each other, which allowed us to have a few laughs before. We both complimented each other on our stage performance, she is a lovely person.
Q: Is there an artist which do you want to collaborate with?
A: Collaborations are always fun and interesting because artists compliment each other with their different qualities. I would love to collaborate with Barei, Iveta, Amir or Poli. Their style of music is very similar to the one I write, could be fun.
Q: How could you define your music for the people that don’t know it?
A: My music is generally speaking pop music but it includes different palettes of music and crosses over to other genres as well such as urban, reggae, ska , electronic and guitars . This gives it more depth and not necessarily has to have a template sound which most of the times is what destroys pop music as it all ends up sounding the same.
Q: How has music changed your life?
A: Music hasn’t changed my life, it has always been present. It has always enriched my experiences and given me comfort, confidence and excitement.
Q: How can you imagine your life in future?
A: Surrounded by people who I love and still making music.
Q: What are your future projects?
A: I have an album ready for release this year with over 20 tracks . In old school terms this would be considered as double album and to be honest we are thinking on the best way to release it. I have a plan to release at around several videos accompanying my singles and performing after my brief hiatus the brand new single from the upcoming 5th Studio album at the Malta Eurovision Finals.
Review made by Stefania Meneghella
Interview made by Manuela Ratti
Published by Roberta Giancaspro