Who is Daniela Bruno?
I am a basically a very introspective person in a noisy world; I spent all my time trying to get a balance between
fantasy and reality, between inspiration and ordinary things.
Did you find this balance and how important is the fantasy for you, where does it stand for, creativity?
Nowadays I have reached a point where I may say I have a balance; it is not that sort of a balance that may be
for a life long, but it is a nice temporary dimension and I want to take the most out of it. Fantasy is one of those
things that help give sense to an entire life; creativity is fantasy translated into actual things, into tangible creations:
fantasy is nothing if not turned into creation.
You are the singer/bassplayer for Miriam. Can you give a brief update on that band?
At the beginning of 1998, with Carlo Bucciarelli and Francesco Sordini I have founded MIRIAM. Many things have
happened since that day: line-up has changed, 2 promo’s and 2 official releases have gathered a number of fans
and friends in several countries; nowadays we are in the middle of our evolution: Carlo and me, we are working
really hard to push our inspiration one step forward, to shape our sound in a way that it is unique and recognizable,
and basically to communicate our innermost feelings through our music.
Whatever we have done so far, we feel like we are just started and this is the right mood for evolution: a new EP,
dozens of concerts and much experimentation is ahead of us, right from this autumn.
Is it hard to communicate feelings throughtout music, what is the most difficult part in this for you?
Music is the most appropriate communication medium for feelings: sounds help so much, and a vocalist work is highly
facilitated when compared to poets or writers; the hardest thing is to get the listeners into it: nowadays, music is often
received in noisy environments, through low-quality media, everything is leaning towards lo-fi. Getting attention is way
harder under these conditions.
Next year Miriam will be around for 10 years, how will you celebrate this?
The new EP will be homage to us and to our closest friends; it is a mean celebrative release, with new songs that have
a warm vibe. It will be a clear sign of life from MIRIAM. We want to celebrate our first decade leaning towards the core
of our inspiration, without artistic compromises and without intermediation between our music and our listeners.
When you look back in 10 years of Miriam, what were the highlights?
The last 2 months have been amazing: after years of silence, we’ve seen our latest release on air and finally we decided
to open the gates to our fans and to our friends in the world. Our new portal of communication, the MIRIAM.space www.myspace.com/officialmiriam, has disclosed hundreds of interesting collaborations, lots of friendship and interest for
our world. During these years, we have worked very hard in the shadow, trying to maximize the sonic result of our latest
release; there have been highs and lows, production has been tough and the inner life of the band has been signed by it.
Is there anybody in particular you like to have a collaboration with?
I have been cooperating with Roberto from Pulcher Femina several years ago, nowadays we cooperate with Artica. A
dream come true would definitely be: being remixed by Schiller, or putting my vocals on a new Massive Attack track.
What has changed for you in making music 10 years ago?
We have grown so much as both persons and artists: music used to be a game to play, we embraced our electric
instruments and our synthesizers and everything used to run as smooth as it could. Nowadays, we feel more pressure
from the expectations of our friends and supporters; their expectation is so important to us and we know that everyone
who has a special feeling for our music has a special approach to it: seeking for emotions, for deep visions, for new
imagination: it is somewhat of a responsibility, but we’re absolutely glad to carry it on.
What is the difference for you between music and “noise”?
Music is a matter of harmony, a combination of lines and colors; noise by definitions is the simultaneous presence of
every frequency, every color. Noise is invasive, it tends to spread across the spectrum while harmony tends to be
selective, to fill in specific corners of the heart. Music is a tiny drop in the ocean, that’s how we see it
Who are of influence on you both as a singer and as a rolemodel?
It is not easy to say: there are several female singers that I used to appreciate, people has told me very often that Alison
Shaw is an immediate reference. I always admired Lisa Gerrard, but I have been looking with interest to other female
singers that I admire for their personality: PJ Harvey, Shirley Manson, Bjork. There are hundreds of old and new singers
that I admire. I don’t have a specific role model, but I like singers that have a strong presence on stage, which means that
I have to look more into the pop-rock scene.
What can we expect of Miriam on stage also from your presence since you love a strong presence?
The new line-up is more oriented towards an electric approach: there will be V-drums and electric instruments, and a
selection of songs where rhythm is always present. Personally, I will do my best to impress, there will be also some
interactive elements such as a quite dreamy video installation.
What is your favourite Quote?
Form the title-track of our latest release, “Holding out for a shelter in vain, when beauty is invisible, I am buried deep in
dirt and still lingering around”. There’s so much of myself in these words.
You are spiritual, what of the elements (fire, water, earth and air) do you prefer and why?
I prefer water, since I absolutely love water-like colors: green and blue; water is protection, is the pristine element where
everyone and also life itself comes from. Water is constant evolution, nothing is stationary as it seems, there are particles
flowing back and forth in every direction: it is so much similar to feelings and emotions, in the way that these evolve and
constantly change.
Besides bass you play more instruments, what instruments can you play and which would you love to use on a
Miriam cd?
I used to play piano and electric guitar; I would love to play a harp on a Miriam CD, but this is merely a dream for the
moment; we used saxophone in “Space White Stones” and made experiments with a violin in the latest months; a flute
will be probably added to some of our new tracks: it is such a soft and dreamy sound that I really love.
Why is the human voice the most beautiful instrument?
Because it is the most flexible music tool! There are shapes and shades that electronic and electric instruments are far
distant from reproducing; you can modulate every breath in different fashion, you can easily communicate emotions
through it.
When did you discover you could really sing?
When I met Carlo in 1992 I didn’t have any previous professional singing experience. I started as a keyboardist while
another female singer was on board; one day she didn’t come to studio and I took the microphone, it really looked like I
was doing that from years before.
What triggered you to start making music?
It was my dark-waver background; Rome was a very interesting scene at the beginning of the nineties, everyone in the
circle was putting together a band: the step from active listening to active playing was really a natural thing.
And how is the scene in Rome these days?
There were so many artists around, and many humble and creative persons. Not so many bands as of today, but almost
every band like us, took its root from that period.
Love is important in your lyrics, do you believe in love at first sight or is it lust at first sight?
Love is silently hosted in my lyrics, it is not explicitly mentioned but in few occurrences only. There is a higher love that I
lean towards, in the majority of my lyrics, even if some older songs take it more at a ground level (e.g. “Lies” from “Scents”).
Higher love is never at a first sight, it requires patience and much care. In ordinary things, I am a person that needs to know
so much about the others before disclosing any kind of feelings.
What is love for you, what does it mean?
It is trust, protection, belief. Love is the cornerstone of the existence; therefore it has to be reliable and strong. Passion is
another thing, but it will change as fast as the wind.
Do you agree in a relationship both are needed, love and passion? Does this also count for being in a band, it’s some
kind of relationship as well?
Yes, it is necessary to have a right balance of both these things, also in a band. Music requires care, attention, but also a
sort of untouchable energy that is unpredictable and unspoken, just the same as passion.
What are your wishes/dreams for the future?
To widely express my self through my artistic experience; to be free to explore new possibilities without compromises, and
reach our friends and supporters directly and possibly touch their feelings.
Any last words for the readers?
Thank you so much for your friendship and for the passion that you demonstrate everyday. We look forward to have a chance
to see you in one of our next concerts, we look forward to hear your opinion and get your feedback about our music.
And many thanks to Cyber Angels for giving me the chance to be in touch here.
Website:
www.myspace.com/officialmiriam