Delving deeper into the inner fabrics of a hugely promising music career which has seen him get love from Ed Sheeran, Emilio Lanza gently turns on the engine and races through the past with an interview about his upcoming single, Rearview Mirror. Set for release on the 25th of August, Emilio is at his transparent best and the self-taught Naples native neatly nods to us to get comfy and provides us all with priceless insight and valuable knowledge.
Q: Hello there Emilio. Thank you for joining us and welcome to our virtual couch here at A&R Factory. Warm greetings to you and we hope that the summer has been going well. What have you been up to besides the music of course? Any family trips or festivals?
A: Hi A&R Factory! It’s a pleasure to e-meet you guys! I will enjoy a couple of weeks at the sea with my family and I just sent my single “Rearview Mirror” as my submission to a local music festival contest for emerging artists, can’t wait to get their feedback! Finger crossed!
Q: Ok, let’s start off here. Rearview Mirror. This is your brand-new release after Rain in the Sea. What has the progression been like and what does this special single mean to you? It feels like this one is a bit different. It’s personal. A fresh start away from the past?
A: Yes, the previous single “Rain in the Sea” was written and recorded right after a 6-year love story break-up, so we can say it was released during the love storm. On the other hand, the upcoming new single “Rearview Mirror” has a special and deep meaning because the storm is now slowly going behind. The “Rearview Mirror” is a metaphor representing our past, our nightmares, our breakups, and our scary thoughts, it can be anything. But the message of the song is positive, according to the song artwork, there is a nice sunset in front of us, and the struggles are left behind us, in the rearview mirror.
Q: Alrighty, let’s chat about where you’re based. Naples, Italy. It’s been on our bucket list for ages to visit. What makes this city so astonishing and what is the local music scene like? Are you inspired by all the art forms and where are some under-the-radar venues with original music we should check out?
A: Aww thank you for your interest to visit Naples, it’s the same for me regarding London, it’s on my bucket list as well! Well, Naples is a wonderful city for several reasons, its history, the sea, the food, and the pizza. The local people are amazing, very welcoming and creative, able to adapt to any circumstance. Regarding the local music scene, you can enjoy any form of art in the city, my favourite are the buskers performing their original songs. There are several venues with awesome music. Unfortunately, my favourite one had to quit during the lockdown, but I hope they’ll be able to start again. I’m definitely inspired by all the art forms, but music is definitely my main focus.
Q: OFFSHORE. This is your upcoming EP. How is the progress going and who have you been working with, has the writing come easily and what do you hope to achieve with this upcoming release? We’re very excited to hear more.
A: “OFFSHORE” means far “from the coast”, and the title is inspired by my past naval engineering studies at the UNI. I have several snippets and demos in the making, and usually, my older brother and my local friends are the ones always ready to help me to produce my music. I always credit their names in the description of my songs. I’m very lucky to be able to develop my musical ideas with them in the same room. I hope to release it in 2024!
Q: Which musicians or bands drive you to be better each day? Who are your role models and who should we be listening to?
A: Well, I grew up listening to the amazing music band “Queen” and the amazing Freddie Mercury thanks to my older brother. But regarding my guitar playing and songwriting, I’m definitely inspired by Acoustic Fingerstyle Guitarists like Adam Rafferty and Mike Dawes and Pop-Songwriters like Ed Sheeran and James Bay. In my spare time, I’m also an Emerging Artists Music Playlist Curator, and it really helps me to keep my ears fresh while listening to new hidden gems.
Q: If you could have a superpower for the rest of your life, what would it be and how would you use it to benefit humanity for the betterment of society?
A: I believe being able to fly would be the dream for many, and that would also be super useful to help other people!
Q: Thanks again for your time Emilio. Lastly, when you close your eyes and recall those early piano lessons, what did it feel like in your bones? Is this where your love for music was first sparked into life? Or did another moment guide you into this world? Such as when you first played the guitar?
A: Thank you for the amazing interview with you A&R Factory team! When I was 10 the piano was definitely the first instrument I studied for a couple of years, but to be honest, the real love for music started a few years later when I was 16 and a classmate played “Smoke on the Water” with his electric guitar, that moment changed my life! I’ve never let go of the guitar since then!
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Interview by Llewelyn Screen