Originally from New York, singer song writer (and all round creative spirit) Ariana DiLorenzo has been steadily cutting a swathe through the music world with her brand of music I like to call electro-pop with a slightly dark integrity where synths, dance influences and some deep bass are juxtaposed by Ariana’s engaging lyrical compositions. The dance influences are no real surprise since Ariana’s first release (distributed by Universal) was a trance record.
It this successful mix of electro-pop/dance with clout that has seen Ariana and her band, The Rose gain popularity in the States with a notable performance at the Born This Way Ball after party for the global superstar, Lady Gaga.
Unusually while Ariana is still making a name for herself as a solo artist in her native country, her management machine decided to launch her here in the UK simultaneously with the rather brooding single Heartbeat (click 1 and 2 for the different mixes)which came out in November.
In some respects this is a dangerous strategy since the usual formula suggests that building your name in your own back yard is advisable but there was method in the madness as Ariana states: “because of the UK’s rich history in dance music we thought that it could do well”.
This thought has proved right. Heartbeat’s engaging dance melodies have given a significant introduction to this ambitious New Yorker with features in the mainstream publications off the back of the strength of the single-many have put her forward as an artist to watch in 2014. Indeed as a small vote of confidence Ariana features in the icon Paul Macartney’s video for his latest single, Queenie Eye!
I caught up with Ariana when she was in the UK for a short chat to get some background on this like-able artist.
A nice simple first question-explain how music became your foundation?
I started in musical theatre as a dancer and then I went into musical theatre where I performed on Broadway where I moved into acting. I was also singing for theatre where my love for singing really started to grow. I was actually in studios all the time from a music perspective but it was always in relation to theatre. When I started playing piano music initially became like this fun thing that I would do on the side really.
So when did music become something you took more seriously?
I was writing in school but I was always auditioning or working and performing in theatre and then I got into a group of really great writers and producers and when I was twenty a couple of opportunities came up and I thought it would be great to give it a go. I say it so casually but truthfully when I started in the music (while I still loved theatre and acting) music was just so much more fulfilling for me. I was actually writing a lot of dance music and trance really and one of the tracks that I wrote ended up on CD distributed by Universal and that really solidified this love for me in music.
You are from New York and you are a relatively new artist but you are pushing your single the slightly dark pop vibe Heartbeat here in the UK.
When I was finishing the record everyone felt that it could do well in the UK because of the UK’s rich history in dance music and so we thought we should see how things would go. I got some warm responses and now people really love this and it is really amazing because I have been featured in papers like the Guardian so things are looking really good.
Lastly what are the follow up plans?
The EP is finished but the album I am just a few weeks into writing it. I think I want to get a little rockier I also want to push the dance vibe more because I know what I want it to sound like and so I want to push that more-push it even more away from the pop energy. I see the EP as the centre of where the album would be.
Heartbeat out now.
