Interview with Adryelle
“Original and passionate ‘DreamPop’ artist Adryelle. was kind enough to have a interview with us. Her music is comfortably wrapped in melancholy moods, while happily combined with influences of Depeche Mode and Tori Amos. Listen to her love of music, art and the future of her career."
How are you today, Adryelle? – Pardon me for asking, but is this is your name or artist pseudonym?
Adryelle: Yes, that is my name! I’m doing very well, enjoying the warmer weather. How are you?
I’m good thank you. We are very glad to have this interview with you today here on #WEATNU DM.
Adryelle: Thank you, I am glad to be apart of it 🙂
Your music reminds me of Tori Amos and Depeche Mode? Beautiful combo!
Adryelle: Yes, thats how people have described my music.
Maybe also with a hint of Grimes so people are saying?
Adryelle: Yeah, I’ve got a lot of that too as well, similar with Banks, Kate Bush and Taylor Swift! haha.
What best describes your music in terms to a new listener/fan?
Adryelle: I would say electronic dreampop. Or chillwave. Your latest album ‘The Waiting Room" is out now on WEATNU Records. People are hearing this great music, any thoughts?
Adryelle: Yeah, its awesome to be apart of WEANTU and all of the artists involved. It’s a great community. I think there is so much music out there now and its hard for people to zone into specific genres. Providing a context for listeners is a great way to present specific music to the world and cut through everything else. And I think WEANTU is a great context for that.
We’re very glad to have you with us. The opening song on your album – ‘The Waiting Room’ – reminds me of Tori Amos’ Spark. Are there personal references to this song?
Adryelle: Thank you, but no, there’s no references to that song.
Just a burst of inspiration one day, poetically speaking?
Adryelle: Yes, I wrote the lyrics separate from the music, it didn’t come together all at once like a lot of songs do. But the lyrics and music worked well with each other. I worked on the music first and just kept building the layers up.
How do you normally approach song writing?
Adryelle: There are so many ways. Sometimes I will have a beat I’m working on and it will inspire a topic. Sometimes I will have a lyric and get an idea for the music. A lot of the time I will write a beat in logic and come up with a melody and then hear lyrics within the melody, and that will be the start of the lyrics. Then, I might just write the basic song on the piano or guitar. So there isn’t just one approach for me!
So you create via midi controller to Logic?
Adryelle: Yes, I have a midi keyboard I use, like my microkorg, or drum machine. I also have some vintage yamaha keyboards I use sometimes. Or then I will also record using real instruments as well, it could be on guitar or ukulele.
When did you begin your life of music?
Adryelle: I wrote my first song (which wasn’t much of a song) when I was 12. I played it for my friend Sarah and she laughed at me!
We’d like to hear that! [laughs]
Adryelle: Oh that is long gone 🙂
And were you trained vocally? – Beautiful vocals by the way!
Adryelle: I did take vocal lessons in college, I did 2 semesters of vocal training. And thank you 🙂
So music is very much a career as well as a passion for you?
Adryelle: Yes, very much!
How is the career of it going?
Adryelle: It’s going well!
I understand you’ve written and had your music played on BET and other television networks?
Adryelle: Yes, i had music on a few commercials that were aired on those networks
Are you still working in this direction? Adryelle: Yes, I would really like to get my music placed in some feature films. I’ve always thought it would be fun to score a film as well, dark ominous tones!
The ultimate dream even for myself.
The entire album of The Waiting Room is brilliant. Has it been well received on radio in various places?
Adryelle: Thank you. Yes, it has been played on a lot of internet radio. As far as traditional radio, I have not submitted it yet, but I do plan to submit to some college radio stations.
I’m sure it will be well received. This is first time I have listened to the whole of this album completely and every song is a work of art. How long did it take to complete?
Adryelle: It took about a year I think. Some songs I had laying around and just needed to put them together or finish them. I recorded it within about 6 months though. I definitely knew I wanted the album to be more electronic than my older stuff and knew what I wanted for it, so I think having that direction helped a lot.
While we are on the subject of Electronic, do you care to go over your past influences on how you came to write electronic-based music?
Adryelle: Sure. When I first started writing I was really into a lot of 80’s music and my first album had a lot of electronic elements. I moved away from that, but have always wanted to go back. I love how much you can do with electronic sounds. Its a whole other world. You can set whatever mood you want to set. I think my past stuff has some electronic elements but it isn’t full electronics.
When did you make the full transition? Adryelle: Well, The Waiting Room is my first album that is all electronic. My older stuff had elements of that sound but had real instruments as the base. I did a lot of piano based stuff.
So you start with a clean project, writing from the ground up, especially on the drums? Adryelle: Yes, definitely.
You mentioned once, that you use Reason as a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation)?
Adryelle: Yes, I wrote a lot in Reason for The Waiting Room album, I additionally used Logic and Pro Tools. Now I’ve transitioned to using Logic primarily.
I personally get chills when I hear ‘The Waiting Room‘ title track, do you think others get them as well?
Adryelle: I’m not sure. I hope it effects people in some emotional way. As with all music, I think that its a success once you have reached peoples emotions. These songs on ‘The Waiting Room’ are pop-laced and catchy, such as with ‘Rainbows’ there appears to be a R&B sound, does this come from any influences?
Adryelle: Yes, I am heavily influenced by HipHop stuff. I’ve always loved Hiphop!
Oldschool?
Adryelle: Yes, definitely!
Very cool, it had a more soulful edge back then. How is the general music scene in Baltimore?
Adryelle: Baltimore is cool. The scene is very diverse. There is a lot of avant garde, experimental electronic underground type stuff here as well as singer songwriter stuff. Its very eclectic and people are pretty supportive.
Is this well known, because I was clueless to it?! lol It’s great to hear that! Have you heard of Lie Craze? She writes an experimental ElectroPop sound.
No. I’ve not yet heard of her.
A collab between you two would be great, she’s one of our artists on #WEATNU.
Adryelle: Oh awesome!
Are you currently playing live anywhere? NYC by chance?
Adryelle: Yes, I’m playing in DC at The Treehouse Lounge on Thursday April 9th with The Starlight Natives. I just played in NYC about a month ago. That was a lot of fun and I hope to go back there soon.
Great! So you have other labels you’re on?
Adryelle: Yes, im on Single Engine Records which is a Baltimore based net label.
Working on new music?
Adryelle: Yes, currently I am working on a new album, in the process of writing that.
Any dates, or is that secret in the vault 😉
Adryelle: No, I dont have any dates yet, but I’m thinking sometime in the summer or fall 🙂
And where would you like to play live that you haven’t? Could go for the next SXSW?
Adryelle: I really want to do a west coast tour, and also Canada as well as Europe. I get alot of requests to come out to those areas. I think I might stay away from SXSW 🙂 Although you never know! I also want to play in Austin
Just like the 4AD artists, would you like to be apart of that?
Adryelle: Of 4AD?
That’s where Grimes went after the Arbutus label.
Adryelle: I’d love to get onto 4AD Records! This music is very suited for their sound. You have a few remixes on the album. One is ‘Kiss the Daylight (SiLenCe Remix)’ – great work.
Adryelle: Yes, my friend Mike Baker did both remixes you hear on there. He is amazingly talented! He also has his own project at www.silencetheory.com
Any other plans for the future?
Adryelle: Yeah, my future plans are to tour more, as much as I can.
Awesome. Any final thoughts?
Adryelle: I guess just to keep an eye out for the new record sometime in the fall. Also, for people who are interested in staying updated, I have a mailing list you can sign up for at www.adryelle.com. Also thank you so much for this interview 🙂
One final question… Favorite coffee?
Adryelle: Zekes!! It’s a Baltimore thing!
And Thank you, Adryelle, for having this interview with #WEATNU Digital Magazine, and good luck with your future!
Adryelle: Thank you!
Interview by Almark – #WEATNU Digital Magazine Buy “The Waiting Room" on WEATNU Records