You know what? Almost everyone deserves a lesson in spontaneity every now and then. Almost. There are also those very few who actually give the lessons. One such individual is Tristana Wolf a.k.a. Tani. Tristana made an album and she did it as naturally as humanly possible – alone, in her room. At first, she wanted to record the whole thing again to get better quality but then decided to go with the raw product. It’s called Uturnis and it’s charming. Just like Tani. Here’s what she has to say about it:

Hey Tristana! Glad to have you 🙂 Please introduce yourself in a few words.
Hi! I’m just one shy, simple girl from Buenos Aires, Argentina. I like making songs, singing and when I do, I feel more alive than ever. I like pop music and colourful things, I sing about what goes inside my mind.

What is “Naive honest pop”?
I like to call my music that way, because is pop music, but speaking from the heart. I think there are many cliché songs, and in my case, if I feel I’m kind of getting naked in a song, or that I’m telling the truth, then I feel it’s a good song.

When did you decide to take up music? Did you think you would ever have your own album?
Since I had 7 years old or so, I always wanted to be a musician! I started taking lessons of all instruments I could: guitar, piano, singing, and drums. But I wasn’t part of a band until three years ago, when I started playing drums with some friends. When I graduated from high school, I was kind of afraid to admit what I truly wanted to be. So I went study design, what a bore! Then “Uturnis” came up, and I just didn’t have an excuse anymore. I’m studying percussion at the conservatory now (wish me luck!).

How long did the whole thing take? Did you write any of the songs in advance or was it all improvised?
I believe it all took about two months, tops. I already had the chords and lyrics of two of the songs, but not the whole thing. I remember most of the songs I made in just a few days, and then, the last two songs of the album were made a few weeks apart.

What do you sing about in Uturnis? Where did you find your inspiration?
I believe each song is like one mini thought, of those you have and then evaporate in a minute. Lyrics came out of different punctual situations with friends or lovers, but they don’t intend to tell a story, rather synthesize one general idea. For example, one song says “you noticed the stain on my pants” (in Spanish sounds so much better!), meaning “you noticed me, you saw me, you like me blab la”. I guess I was trying to describe ephemeral sensations.

What music do you listen to? Who are your favourite band and performers?
When I made “Uturnis” I was very inspired by Argentinian indie bands, such as Las Ligas Menores, El Mató A Un Policía Motorizado, Los Japón, 107 Faunos, (you should check them out!). But I’m a big fan of all-girls-band ESG, Connan Mockasin, Tom Tom Club, Björk, Amanda Palmer (more for her ideas of how to live from music), and Micachu and The Shapes!

Are musicians different from other people? How?
I believe they are a bit lazier than other people! At least that’s what I can tell by looking at myself, I also heard other musicians say “I just don’t know how to do anything else!” which I share. We feel useless sometimes…

Describe your creative process.
First, I wait for inspiration to show up. At least for now, I can’t just sit with the guitar and come up with an idea, if inspiration’s not there, nothing good comes out. At least nothing I play would call my attention. So, when I feel I need to grab the guitar or the piano, (because I feel the need first, not the other way round), things start making sense by themselves, I just let the song be, and those moments make me feel very happy. I record on the computer, or the cell phone as I’m creating the song, and usually lyrics come up at the same time,
Finally, when the song is finished, I always listen to it while walking on the street, as a way to test it.

What would you be without music?
Without music I’d probably be submerged in a big depression haha. I don’t know, maybe I’d be into painting or another kind of art. But art is such an important aspect of life for me!

How is performing solo different from being part of a band?
I started playing live with an acoustic guitar and my ex-boyfriend in the keyboard, so I was technically not alone, but it was definitely very different from being in a band. Playing with more people, especially if they’re playing your songs and for you, can require a leadership’s attitude I still don’t know if I totally acquired. Because yes, it’s a band and everyone should contribute with the vision of how the band should sound like, but at the same time, when you are a solo artist like me, it shouldn’t go too far from what you wanted the band to be like.
It also requires so much more organization, when to rehearse, coordinate many things. But it’s fun, and it sounds so much better than playing and acoustic show…

Do you think a place where musicians from all parts of the world can connect, support one another and exchange ideas is truly missing? Can Drooble be that place?
I think a place like that could be very interesting, nurturing and helpful for musicians from all around the world. If Drooble keeps growing like its doing, it could perfectly be that place.

Are you planning anything we should be excited about this year?
Actually, yes! I’m recording my new hi-fi, recorded-in-studio, album next month or so. I’m very excited!

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