Eleonora Vella aka Le Nora is a young singer songwriter. She grew up with a strong passion for music and over the years she has experimented many music genres. With her music she wants to “communicate with herself and other people that feel themselves at home while listening to her stories”. Recently she has released her single “UNO DUE TRE 4”, what is it about?
Hello Eleonora! Please, tell us something about you. How was your passion for music born? Hello! Yes, of course! It is a little bit difficult to find a precise moment when my passion for music was born. Actually, music has always been present in my family: my dad used to play the piano and we spent nights singing loudly. When I was a little girl, I danced and also had dance classes because I belived that dance would become my profession. I remember that, when I was like 5, I could hear the floor of the dance classroom creaking under the tip of my toes and classical music flooding the room. I was already recognizing the power of music that, now as then, keeps me moving. When I was 15, I discovered rock music and since that moment I have never come back. My family played a fundamental role in my artistic growth, with their support and constructive criticism.
"The main concept of my project is “honesty” and I don’t have filters in my songs"
Who inspires you in terms of music? When you write or compose new songs, do you take inspiration from something or someone in particular? There are many artists who inspire me during the writing process. I listen to a lot of English independent music: I've lived in London for seven years and I had music lessons there, so I had the chance to grow up in a place that opened my heart and my ears to many different genres. I could name a few artists I identify myself with: Janis Joplin, when I'm on the stage, whereas in the studio I'm Antonella Ruggiero. When I listen to Lianne Lahavas, Jack Garrat and Little Simz new ideas come to my mind thanks to their elegance, groove and audacity. Looking at the Italian scene, I love Serena Brancale and her refined and genuine way of expressing herself.
Your stage name strongly recalls your real name: it’s cool and powerful, a name you can easily remember. How did you choose “Le Nora”?
I chose Le Nora because I was looking for a stage name that described me, the real me. The main concept of my project is “honesty” and I don’t have filters in my songs, even in the lightweight ones there is always that dark and deep side… that is because I simply cannot do without it! Moreover, I like thinking that it's a privilege to find out who an artist really is, it is like “spying” on that artist very deeply. Splitting my name, I am opening up a way that leads deep inside me.
"My best songs were born from a strong feeling I wanted to express"
In your opinion how can an artist be original in the world of music nowadays? I mean, is there a way to create one's own individuality and be recognizable? It would be nice knowing how to answer your question. The only way I know —and I consider fair— is naturalness. I think that originality is not something that comes from the artificial construction of a character, unless you have a wide artistic vision as David Bowie had. Originality is the direct connection with our true self and only when we are ourselves, we can reach the heart of who is listening. Musically speaking, if you force or set something up on an artist, that thing will never work. On the contrary, it is like a continuous search for the artist who doesn't stop until the identification of the right sound. It’s wrong to construct a character that you want to be “unique” by changing your true nature. In the world of music, "unique" means real and reliable.
Recently you have released your new single called “UNO DUE TRE E 4”. How was it born? What is it about?
“UNO DUE TRE E 4” was born between tears and laughter because I felt the need to talk about my obsession to mentally count numbers following a rhythm. Sometimes I think that we tend to deny to ourselves and to others that we are also a little bit crazy, but craziness is also something that characterizes each of us. Some people can look at this as something original and amusing, weather for someone it can be something weird. With my song I want to underline the necessity of talking clearly and openly about mental health in an ironical and carefree way. When I found out this obsession of mine, I was at first destabilized but then, when I understood that it was something that my mind needed, I accepted it.
When you write a song what is your main inspiration? Do you follow a particular process or is it a natural flow of ideas?
My best songs were born from a strong feeling I wanted to express. When a feeling or a situation becomes too strong, I feel the need to write it down and it becomes a song. I like starting from words and when I write, I find myself in my favorite dimension: it is like entering a bathtub full of hot water after having suffered for hours because of the cold. With words come also melodies and then, considering the song and the instruments I have nearby, I create the whole thing. So, I'd say that the process is never the same and I think it is beautiful because I believe that the situation, the physical space where I found myself in and the moment of the day, strongly affect my artistic expression.
"To dare means to bring that concept to a superior level and reach unexplored horizons"
What does “DARE” mean to you in music?
DARE is one of my favorite words, I use it often also in my lyrics. I think that nowadays “to dare" is not that easy: due to society's belief, we see the concept of dare as the manner to go beyond modesty in terms of image and behavior. The first artist who comes to my mind if I think about daring, is Madonna. Over the years she knew how to approach her nudity creating a myth. I also think of psychedelic music from the ’60 in which experimenting was the most important thing. To dare means to bring that concept to a superior level and reach unexplored horizons. It is not easy at all. Probably it is a matter of generations and time. I am curious about what we will be able to do from now to the next 15 years.
I believe that music is a constant research and evolution, two concepts that always lead to different territories depending on the person. If you had to look back, what kind of advice would you give to the Le Nora from five years ago, artistically speaking?
Exactly, I completely agree. Surely my past counts many curious experimentations: from my first hard rock band, my reggae project, up to the EDM collaborations. I have never stopped because I believe that every experience is useful, musically speaking and not. If I could give me a piece of advice, I'd say just: keep going and don’t get caught up in despair because there is always a way, we just have to find it, we have to believe in our dreams and in the stories we want to tell.
Thinking about the future, what kind of artist would you like to be?
I think that the future is fascinating and I believe that one of the recipes of happiness is to always have a purpose, something that we cannot wait to realize. I hope to have an artistic future reach in new projects. I hope to always preserve my energy and merge my ideas with those of other inspiring minds. I hope to always be able to turn my thunderstorms into art and translate my experiences in concrete works. I hope I'll always succeed in communicating something, that is why I do music: communicate with myself and other people that feel themselves at home while listening to my stories.
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For DareClan
Images provided by: Le Nora