Elisa

Music-News.com managed to get to speak to the very charming and talented Elisa before her upcoming European tour,’ L’Anima Vola Live in the Clubs‘. The tour will reach the likes of France, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy and England, indeed opening the tour on Sunday 30th November at the Koko in London.
Speaking a very competent English, Elisa seems happy and raring to go.

MN: I remember seeing you on day time tv on a programme called Roxy Bar, 20 years ago; very shy but very talented even then as a young girl. It was obvious you would be a star to me, was it to you?

E: Oh my! Well I have always been very passionate about music and even then in my dreams I felt that this is what I had to do. If anything my love for music has grown since then but it still surprises me that for example I can get to play all over Europe with my band and sing my songs.

MN: You purposely chose to play clubs and have these more intimate gigs when you could surely play bigger venues?

E: You think so? I just felt it was the right for the songs, for the band and we will make these shows memorable for everyone who will take time out to come.

MN: Tell me about the band?

E: There are 2 new American guys in the band, drum and bass who I am in love with, my husband Andrea on guitar obviously, Cristian and the girls on backing vocals. We can’t wait to go out there and make some noise!

MN: The last album L’Anima Vola is the first album of yours to be all in Italian. Why now after all this time?

E: It’s taken me this long to find my own voice in my native tongue. I really wanted to say things directly to the Italian people in this difficult moment in history for us. On the album sleeve notes, part of the Italian Constitution is written, to remind us all, the guidelines that we seem to have forsaken. There are no immediate solutions but we must learn to stand together.

MN: When was the last time you played London?

E: It’s been a while. I have toured the States quite a bit but London? Maybe 2002? I opened for Damien Rice in Glasgow, Liverpool and a show in a pub in London.

MN: You have been involved in many and varied collaborations(Pavarotti,Bocelli) but the one I most want to ask about is Ennio Morricone and the song ‘Ancora Qui’ which ended up on the soundtrack of Django Unchained. Wow!

E: I still can’t believe it to this day. Ennio Morricone had written this new piece of music for the film as requested by Quentin Tarantino, and Ennio asked me to become involved and write the lyrics:

MN: Did you get to meet them or were music files sent.

E: I went to Ennio Morricone’s house one day and he played me this wonderful melody on the piano .It was 8.30am, the maestro get’s up at 5’oclock. He suggested I write the lyrics to the piece maybe inspired by some dramatic event from my past. It was surreal, magical. As for Quentin, I was supposed to meet him in Rome after a film preview but I was pregnant at the time and nausea set in so I missed out there.

MN: What three songs do you have planned in the setlist that can be suggestive for newcomers to the show in London.

E: ‘Dancing’, we will definitely do that; ‘Together’ and of course ‘L’Anima Vola’.

MN: What songs never leave your ipod?

E: Well they change all the time but of late, ‘Elusive’ by Scott Mathews and ‘Goddess’ by Banks are on rotation.

MN: You seem to have an ever growing tattoo?

E: That’s right. It started with a Lotus Flower and at times it spreads depending on my plans and dreams. It’s very important to me.

MN: A few lightweight questions now Elisa.

MN: Tea or Coffee?
E: Coffee

MN: Vinyl or mp3?
E: Vinyl for sure.

MN: First album you ever bought?
E: ‘Bad’ Michael Jackson

MN: Favourite t-shirt
E: A white t-shirt with a portrait of Edward Scissorhands on it.

MN: An Italian Band that the whole world should know about?
E: Verdena

Elisa,politely, then took leave. Be sure to check her out at the Koko, Camden Town come Sunday 30th November. She truly has an amazing voice and is a class act.

Elisa's new tour will start from the famous Koko Club in London UK on Sunday November 30th just a couple of weeks after 'L'Anima Vola ' Deluxe Edition' is released (November 18th).

30.11 ' London at Koko (UK)
02.12 ' Florence at Obihall (IT)
05.12 ' Bologna at Estragon (IT)
08.12 ' Paris at Alhambra (FR)
09.12 ' Milan at Alcatraz (IT)
12.12 ' Treviso at Supersonic Music Arena (IT)
13.12 ' Bruxelles at Ancienne Belgique (BE)
15.12 ' Stuttgart at LKA Longhorn (DE)
16.12 ' Zurich at X-tra (CH)
18.12 ' Madrid at Sala But (ES)
20.12 ' Rome at Atlantico (IT)