Magana

The new interview is with an incredible singer from New York called Jeni Magana. I have been a fan since I discovered her music few weeks ago.

She has already singing with many bands like "Jeni and the Bets" or "Oh Odessa" and now she uses her own name: Magana. I'm convinced that in a few years she might be one of the most popular singers with specs in the world (like Ingrid Michaelson but a lot more rock).

Her voice is really beautiful and the sound of her music is amazing. This is the first time I'll post two videos at the bottom of this page but you must absolutely listen to one of her songs and also her great cover of this classic song: Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) on electric guitar.

I am very proud that she has agreed to answer to my questions and you will discover much more by reading this interview.

Remember her name: "Magana", you will see!

Please share the interview and subscribe to: Youtube channel, Facebook, @maganarama
Her first CD with Oh Odessa
The new Golden Tongue E.P. 


Thank you so much for the interview Jeni. Can you tell us a little bit about you, where were you born, where have you lived?

My pleasure! I was born in Bakersfield, CA and I lived there until I moved across the country to Boston to go to a music school there. I played upright bass in school and when I graduated I moved to New York City. I've been in New York since 2008 so I'm starting to look around and see where I want to move next.


How did you first get started writing music?

I guess I've always written music; I can't really remember a time when I wasn't making up songs. I sang a lot when I was a kid and when I was still young I learned how to play piano. I started playing bass when I was about 13 and I think that inspired me to pick up the guitar and put chords behind what I was singing. The songs were not very good but I think it was teaching me lessons about how to write that are useful now.


When did you realize that’s what you wanted to do?

It wasn't really a conscious decision. It was more like a series of events that led me to this moment. I've always loved music and been curious about different instruments. For a long while I wanted to play classical bass and I remember my teachers at school telling me that was such a depressing field and that I should go do something original. That didn't change my mind and I still played classical bass when I got to NY for a while but it always stuck with me and I think it helped me make the decision to start playing my music out.


Is your family members are musicians?

They are not, although they could be. My mother can sing and play piano but only does it sometimes. I taught her how to play a tiny bit of bass and I tried to teach her clarinet but it's more of a sort of hobby for her. My brother played the violin when he was young but he really didn't like it and didn't stick with it.


Have you studied music or did you learn on your own?

I did a little bit of both! I took a few piano lessons and a lot of clarinet lessons, and even more lessons on bass. I went to music school and focused on bass, but the other instruments that I dabble in I have mostly just taught myself.


You released a first album with the band "Oh Odessa" (January 29, 2012) http://ohodessa.bandcamp.com/releases

This is true. That is also my birthday!


Why have you changing your name for "Magana" and not "Jeni Magana"?

To be totally honest, a lot of that decision was that it's hard for a lot of people to spell both names. It's a little less overwhelming when it's only 6 letters. Plus I wanted to separate my personal self from my performing self a little bit. And I really like my last name.


Magana is considered as a band or a solo project?

Currently it is entirely a solo project. I had some help working on the EP but I'm still playing by myself and making as many decisions as possible on my own.


Do you think your sound has changed since you released this first album in 2012?

Definitely. I think I've grown as a musician and really been able to focus on the things I want to sound like. It's still me, but I'm evolving as a person and a musician.


What do you expect with this new project?

I don't know! I'm trying to figure that out now. So far I'm just enjoying the ride.


What musicians have the greatest impact on you and why?

So so so many. But in terms of recent changes, I think St. Vincent has been a huge influence. She made me feel ok about being a little weird and the value of being fearless. Also most recently I started listening to Daughter and they made me feel like it wasn't a crime to be sensitive and emotional but it's actually what a lot of people relate to.


Do you have a new CD soon?

Yes! I'm working on an EP right now and it's almost done! It's 4 songs and I hope to release it in September.


What is your favorite part of creating and performing music?

My favorite part is being on stage and hearing my music and seeing it resonate on people's faces. I love sharing those moments with people.


Can you explain your process of writing and composing?

Generally, I have an idea of a subject that I want to write about. And I play around with guitar or piano lines until it matches that feel and then I write a bunch of lyrics and then realize that I'm writing about something totally different than what I planned, but it's something that is on my mind and it's how I really feel. It's much easier to write once I get to that point.


Which of the songs you have written are the most meaningful to you, and why?

I just wrote a song called Inches Apart. It was going to be about something totally different but I ended up writing it about my boyfriend and my fears about our relationship. It's really honest. And people have listened to it and related very specifically to the words even though the scenarios are totally different. I think that's because even though specific circumstances are different for everyone, a lot of emotions are similar and I love that it relates as much to them as it does to me. I just played a show and I saw a few people crying in the audience and I thought about what it meant to a friend of mine and I almost cried with them.


How would you describe your musical style?

Emotive and a little creepy.


Your Bang Bang cover with electric guitar is amazing! How did you get the idea to make this cover?

Thank you so much for listening! I have always loved that song because it's so simple but has a very strong image. And if you listen to Cher's Bang Bang and the one that I came to cover, it feels like an entirely different song.


I remember a message saying " I am also a singer with glasses!" and I discovered a very beautiful voice! How did you find my channel?

Thank you! I tend to go through a lot of youtube music videos throughout the day because I'm a photo editor and need something to listen to while I work. A video of my friend Hannah Winkler came up and it was on a playlist called female singers with glasses or something. It's just so specific and I thought that was great.


What do you think of this blog and have you discovered some singers?

I think it's great! I love things with a specific purpose, like this. And I really like learning about people's stories so I think these interviews are great. I also streamed some of the "girl singers with glasses" videos while I was editing and got to hear a variety of stuff that way. Some people I knew of already but I definitely found some new artists in there as well that I enjoyed.


You seem to be wearing your glasses in many videos. Is there a story behind them?

Mostly the story is that I'm blind. I wore contacts for several years but when I got out of college I couldn't afford them and so I just decided to embrace the frames. I just recently got a prescription for contacts but I'm not used to them anymore so they make my eyes hurt. I got new glasses, too! They'll be making an appearance in my next video on youtube.


Do you have a web site to publicize your music? Can you give us the main links?

I'm waiting until the new EP is done before I put anything major out, but you can find any news about my recordings and shows on my facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MaganaOfficial


Have you ever perform your music in public?

I try to play a show once a month. I'm taking July off to go on tour as a bass player for another band but am planning some major events when I come back. I'm also interested in touring as a solo artist, which I've never done alone before.


Any plans for a tour? Which country would you like to play first?

Yes! In my dreams I will be on tour forever. I'm planning a tour here in the US for October which will hopefully work out. I would honestly love to go to any country that would be interested in having me, so hopefully I can work that out! But in general my favorite country so far (in my limited experience) has been Spain and if I didn't need to worry about money I would just go travel around Spain and play music for whoever was there and call it a tour.


If you could go open up for any artist on tour right now who would it be?

Radiohead! I love their music and also I think their fans would enjoy it.


Are you open to the idea of collaborating with other singers?

I think that collaboration is a great way to learn and to get out of your comfort zone and help you get a different perspective. And I love harmonies so I really enjoy working on those with people. I sing on a lot of projects that I play bass for and I love how it sounds. Right now this solo project is all about the freedom for me to explore myself without outside influence, but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy collaborating.


What kind of music do you listen to today?

I have been really into female singers recently; I think I'm getting personal inspiration from them. AURORA is beautiful and inspiring. Also Laura Mvula, Daughter, St. Vincent, Julien Baker, Trixie Whitley, Lianne La Havas. The list goes on and on.


Have you ever been signed up by a record label?

I have not. I think it's important to do a lot of the work yourself so that if and when a label takes interest in you, you're in a position to have a little more control. I heard once that Regina Spektor did that and it really stuck with me.


What are your dreams in life?

To work as a musician! I'd love to make some money touring as Magana, have some songs licensed for a TV show, and continue to play bass for the projects I enjoy.


Is there anything else that you are working on that you’d like to talk about?

Indeed! As my day job I'm a photographer and photo editor. But recently I started trying to learn a little more about video and I want to start producing videos of musicians playing in non-studio settings into a single microphone. I'm not sure what I'm going to call it yet but I've just gotten the sound gear that I need and will be hopefully putting up my first video soon! If I go on tour, I'd like to be able to promote great artists in other cities, states and countries as well so please keep a look out for that.

The Early Spring

It spent much time between the interview and the previous one, but only few singers with glasses this year.

The new interview is with a singer-songwriter called "The Early Spring". She's the first Belgium singer interviewed on this blog. I like her voice and I share her videos often on my pages. She's often classified in my playlists "favorite singers of the year".

Her first E.P. "Meeting With A Guitar" is available: http://theearlyspring.bigcartel.com

Listen to the video shared on the bottom of this page and take a few minutes to listen to her music and subscribe to her channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/TheEarlySpring


Thank you so much for accepting the interview.

Of course, I’m pleased you reached out to me.


Can you tell us a little bit about you, Where did you grow up and where do you live now?

I grew up in a small town in the province of Liège. I studied in Liège and then I started travelling. I studied in Berlin for a while, then found a job in Belgium and went to Munich one year later to start a career in the pharmaceutical area. I am now back in Belgium in the province of Limburg.


What were your dreams of future when you were a kid?

There were a few… I wanted to be a great singer and travel the world to play gigs every night and meet new people every day. I also wanted to save animal lives and have a big shelter to rescue and take care of them. At the age of 6, I started wearing my boots to go on the field behind my house, and I would go wash the cows with my bucket full of water… Then when I grew up, I started dreaming about learning all those different languages and being able to find a job where I could use all of them.


Your name is Aurore F., why have you choose the name "The Early Spring"?

I was in a rock band before and when the band split, and I had some time to think about what I wanted to do, I didn’t want to keep my real name. First of all, because I wanted to keep some distance between the person and my music. Then, I also thought that no one who’s not speaking French would be able to pronounce my name correctly (which I don’t mind, I think it’s quite funny) but I thought I might as well find something easier and that’s when I came up with the idea of The Early Spring. I didn’t want to use a fake name, and I liked this concept of a "theme" representing my music. So I browsed a little bit to get some inspiration and when I saw this one word (which I don’t even recall) I had this name popping in my head and it made perfect sense to me.


You had the idea of working with other musician(s) for this project?

To be honest, after being in a band for a few years, I loved the idea of being completely free to do what I love, what I want without having to compromise. It is also easier because the way I write my music, I need to get in a “bubble” and everything needs to come together smoothly within the time I am in this bubble. If later on, I have to pick up the song unfinished (I mean if the structure of the song and the lyrics are not done), It is really unlikely that I will give a life to the song. But, with that said, I do miss the energy of being on stage with a team, and to be able to give my music more dimension…Because what I can do, when I’m at home, recording many different tracks, adding vocals and instruments, I can’t do on my own during a gig.


Your first video was posted 7 years ago. Can you remember the first time you decided you wanted to be a singer?

Hahaha…yes…it is almost embarrassing. I was 5, and I was singing the Little Mermaid in my bathtub. Mom was in the bathroom too and I had this fork in my hand, trying to brush my hair like Arielle and after humming “haaaaaa, haaaaa….” for a while, I said to mom something like: I know who I want to be when I grow up. I want to be a singer mermaid. And I never stopped singing after that… I eventually dropped the mermaid part though… but music has been my passion ever since.


Are your family members are musicians?

One of my brothers played a lot piano when I was a kid. My siblings are 12-13 years older than me and so they would come back from university on weekends and when I was really small, I remember that the basement was magical to me. That’s where the piano was stored. And when my brother was playing, I always had those small butterflies and I would go downstairs and sit next to him… I’m sure that helped me getting so much in touch with music at a young age. My dad was a singer when he was a kid but unfortunately, there are no videos or recordings...


How many instruments do you play and why?

My best instrument is my voice. I love using it and try to sing lower and higher, etc… Then I play guitar, I learned by myself. I play a little bit of piano but I also learned alone and it is not easy. And then I like to play around with everything really. I have a ukulele at home, as well as some drums and instruments for kids, harmonica, Glockenspiel, … I just use my ears and try to trust what I think sounds good.


What was the first tune(s) you learned?

Wow that is a difficult one… I’m trying to remember… I would say Little Mermaid if we go all the way back. But with my guitar, I think it would be "Message from your Heart" from Kina Grannis.


What are the different types of music that you sing?

I really sing everything just because I love learning new ways of singing, I love exploring other styles too and I like the challenge. I would not sing heavy metal though, that is just not my thing… But the music I write and sing, I guess it is more folk acoustic if you have to give it a name.


You have recorded many covers that you have perfectly adapted to your sweet voice (Sound of Silence, Giving Up, Stay....), how do you choose them?

Thank you :) I actually just cover the songs that touch me in a way or another. If I find a track so pretty that I can’t stop humming it, then I’m sure I need to cover it. It’s a feeling thing. I also like having requests so I have the opportunity to sing something that I would probably not sing otherwise.


Can you explain your process of writing and composing your songs? Music or lyrics first?

Sure. Like I said, I need to get into a bubble. I can’t just decide to sit there for some time and force myself to come up with something. I did it, and I think that once or twice I came up with something, but the best case scenario would be that once I get this inspiration and idea in my head, I would have a guitar at hand, and I would just lose myself in the creation of the song. It usually takes less than an hour and everything is slowly building together (lyrics and music) as I go on.


Do you plan to record an album or to write more songs?

That would be my dream. I was playing gigs and I was writing a lot but then I moved to Munich, and for some reasons, I lost touch with my guitar and I couldn’t write anymore. But I’ve been back in Belgium for a year now and I started writing music again and my inspiration and motivation came back so I plan on working hard and maybe record something soon...


What do you think of this blog and have you discovered some singers?

I really like it and I think it is a nice platform to give artists a chance to get to know each other. I am actually planning on listening to every artist that gave you an interview!


Do you have a favorite musician among those I regularly share?

I don’t know yet, as I was not aware of this blog of yours, but I will make sure to tell you once I listened to this playlist I made :)


You remove your glasses for the majority of your videos, is my page could make you change your mind?

Haha, it might :)


What kind of music do you listen to today?

Right now, I am actually listening to this playlist on Spotify called “Cuban Roots Playlist”. I’m in the need of sun and vacation vibe, and I really enjoy Cuban music. (When I told you, I listen to a LOT of different kinds…). In general, within one day, I could go from folk, to electronic, and stop for some reggae or rock or pop or even classical music...


Which famous musicians do you admire and why?

I have to say, without a doubt, Kina Grannis because she is the one who inspired me to take my guitar on my own and not being afraid to be myself and write and sing what I love and not what people expect me to sing. She has a great heart and sense of integrity and that shows in her music and in the way she treats other people and I admire that.


Can we know your favorite song?

Favorite song…it changes all the time… If I have to think of one right now, one that will stay forever is “Yellow Eyes” from Rayland Baxter.


What are your hobbies apart from the music?

I love cooking, travelling, hanging out with my friends and family, hiking, reading, working out, watching sport games, playing video games, gardening, meeting new people, talking different languages,...


What hidden talents do you have?

I guess I can cook ok? :)


Do you have a web site to publicize your music? Can you give us the main links?

I unfortunately don’t have a website for The Early Spring. You can find me on Facebook and Twitter and YouTube (always with ‘TheEarlySpring’ and there is bigcartel.com where I used to sell my EP “Meeting with a guitar” but I need to follow up with this last one...


Do you have plans for 2016 (concert, EP,....)?

Yes!! I am working hard on getting my tracks back together and I am hoping to start getting pro-active with gigs really soon. There are some emails and things getting planned so fingers crossed! A new EP… is also on the agenda :)