INSPIRING AND SHAPING HER INTO THE ARTIST TODAY ‘ALESSI’S ARK’ TELLS ME HOW LISTENING PARTIES WITH HER FAMILY HELPED HER, TELLS ME ALL ABOUT HER NEW SINGLE ‘SACRED’ AND MORE, READ IT NOW!

What are your names?
Alessi. I play with my bandmate Jason Santos too.

What is the bands name?
Alessi’s Ark

How did you come up with the bands names?
After a long evening of going back and forth on different ideas with family and friends, we settled on ‘Alessi’s Ark’ as it encapsulated the idea of being an inclusive project where everyone is welcome. Nature and animals are often referenced in lyrics so ark felt like the right fit.

What is your genre of music?
It has been named a lot of things over the years ; alt-folk, psych folk, folk rock, folk pop…you can decide

Give us a little bio about you.
I am from west London and was brought up into a music loving family. Our parents played a lot of brilliant music at home and on car rides ; Prince, Sade, Madonna, David Bowie, The Jam, TLC…though my family don’t play musical instruments, listening to music together was always a big part of our time together and it definitely inspired me and shaped my interests.

What made you go in to music?
I started playing drums at 11 and loved it. I played drums in the school band and then started teaching myself guitar at 14. I left school at sixteen and started playing shows in and around London and went from there. di-font-family:

Are you a signed?
Not at the moment, we released our new single through ‘CD Baby’ and they are a great team. Over the years I have worked with EMI, Bella Union, YepRoc and The Orchard.

You released your new single ‘Sacred, tell us more about the single.
The track was recorded between Jason’s cabin on the southeast coast and Arch 79 in Bethnal Green, the practice space/studio we use in London. I think the two contrasting environments are reflected in the sound.

What is the meaning behind the single?
The song is a kind of prayer, asking for the grace to balance the pushing and pulling in relationships and seasons in life.

Describe the track in two words.
Faith and resilience.

What was the writing process like?
I wrote the song at home in late Spring and brought it to the cabin

What was the recording process like?
Jason played the synths, keys and bass and I played the guitars and drums. We recorded the track between the cabin and arch 79 across a few days. It was wonderful to keep it simple.

Who did you work with on the single?
Jason recorded and co-produced the song and our friend Jag Jago mixed it for us in Brighton. Jag produced my last album ‘Love is the Currency’ with Will White and it was lovely to work with him again.

Will we see any music videos for the track?

Will we see an EP or album?
If so what can we expect? We have recorded a tour EP exclusively for our upcoming tour, titled ‘Light in the Dark’, Jason and I played mostly synths on the tracks – – it is very freeing to experiment on new instruments. I love the DX7.

Do you have any shows coming up?  
Yes, we head to Tom Thumb Theatre in Margate this Thursday and head out around the country in the coming weeks.

If so where will you be heading?
Tour poster below

Image may contain: one or more people, people standing, outdoor and text

What else can we expect in 2019?
We release a new single in early November and will be playing around the UK again before the close of the year.

Do you have any collaborations coming up with any up coming artists?
My friend and Bloodmoon bandmate, Charlotte Carpenter, and I might record some more in 2020 and I’ve been working on an album with friends from CHAMPS on the Isle of Wight, we’ll release that when we can.

Would you be up for collaborations if other musicians wanted one with you? and who would they have to contact?
Of course! They can reach out to aa@alessisark.com

 Do you play any instruments?
Drums, guitar, keyboards

Who are your influences?
Faith, nature, relationships, kind people, animals.

When you’re not doing music, what do you do?
I paint, do woodwork and house renovation work with Jason. He is a very skilled carpenter.

What’s the best advice you have ever been given?
Start with love.

What advice would you give to aspiring musicians not about the industry and just as an artist?
Keep writing and growing, stay close to your loved ones and don’t take the darkness in the world personally, focus on love and kindness.

Where in your hometown is a must go to visit?  
Walk along the river Thames as far as you can…the scenery changes so much and it is beautiful to see the city from the water’s perspective.

Do you have social media accounts so your fans can follow you?
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

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