Thalia Zedek is currently touring Iberia. She will play in Portugal on the 11, Plano B, Porto and on the 13th, Lounge, Lisboa. Her 2018 album Fighting Season was one of Mondo Bizarre’s Magazine albums of the year. We have a brief interview with Thalia about her songwriting, covers and touring.
by Raquel Pinheiro
It has been almost two decades since you have been releasing solo albums. By then, did you found it hard to switch from a band and joint writing to solo writing?
I didn’t find it hard to switch. In Come, even though me and Chris worked collaboratively, we also each wrote separately. In a way it was freeing to write for a solo project because I didn’t have to worry about how the song would fit in with a band’s sound or instrumentation.
How has your writing process changed with time?
It actually has changed very little over the years. Of course technology has changed so now instead of recording my ideas onto a cassette, it’s an MP3 recorder. But it still starts with me picking up my guitar and starting to play. For me, the music usually comes before the lyrics.
Where do you find inspiration? Which subjects are of most interest to you?
Lately , because of all of the crazy stuff going on in the USA I have found my writing to be much more political. But I’m also inspired by dreams as well as real life experiences that me and the people around me are dealing with, love, death, friendship, loneliness etc.
You have recorded and sang several covers. How do you choose a cover?
It’s almost always a song that I’ve loved for a very long time and that connects with me on both a melodic and lyrical basis, though a recent exception is an Arboretum song I’ve been covering called “People Flock Not to the Good”. It came on randomly when I was listening to something on my computer. The song I was listening to ended and the Arboretum song started playing and totally stunned me with it’s beauty.
Which is your favourite instrument to play and which is your favourite instrument to compose?
Guitar and Guitar!
You’re seen as one of rock-indie-alternative great ladies/dames. Do you see yourself as such?
That is not how I see myself. I’m just a songwriter and musician who happens to be female and who has been lucky enough to be recording and touring for many years , and lucky enough to have played in some really good bands over those years.
Do you still enjoy touring? Over the years has your way of touring and performing changed?
I still really enjoy touring, maybe even more so than when I was younger, as I feel less pressure than I have in the past. Or maybe I am just a little more confidant? I play a lot more solo shows now than I used to and I’ve been enjoying that lately. It gives me a lot more flexibility in terms of traveling and logistics and also is a different experience for the audience.
Do you have any pre-gig rituals?
No.
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