Feliciano strives to create music that speaks to the true experiences that people go through, stripping away the veneer of false confidence and constant joy of popular culture, to connect with what listeners might be feeling deeply themselves. When listening to City Pop and its Japan in the 80s vibe, it was inspirational in that it lent itself to a movie-like narrative, prompting this boy meets girl story in the lyrics. "I'm a Libra" is a song about the overwhelming feeling of meeting somebody and liking that person so much that you are afraid of making a mistake, you want to continue seeing and meeting the person but you feel insecure that you will say or do something to drive them away.
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
Kamil) Hey Feliciano, super nice to have the chance to chat with you. What first got you into music?
The pleasure's all mine, thanks for having me. So, I have always been creative since I was a child. I remember that I used to daydream and create worlds in my head that would last days, if not weeks. What first got me into music was a movie called "Wicker Park." It's an American remake of a French movie called "L'apartament." During the last scene of that movie, the Coldplay song "The Scientist" came up, and it made me realize how powerful was a driving force to express feelings. I've been thinking in music form ever since.
Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of music?
Daydreaming, as I mentioned before. Maybe it's a defense mechanism of mine to deal with this spaghetti called life. Music and other creative ideas are usually the byproducts, but there's another side to it, too. Sometimes, I daydream about doing something so vividly that I don't feel the need to do them in real life.
Your latest song is 'I'm a Libra'. Can you tell us more about the making of it and if there were any unusual things happening during the process?
Those who follow me know that my work is usually about the heavy feelings of betrayal, failure, arguments, etc., but I've been taking a break from them. I still believe that the exposing void of madness is extremely necessary for a better society, but being the martyr can take a toll on you, you know? I don't know... Sometimes, I listen to songs that I wrote in the past. I wrote them out of imagination, but on those listens, I live them as if they were predictions. I'm not a superstitious person, but maybe it's not healthy to only be throwing that kind of energy. That is why my previous single was "The Bounceback." A song about the realization of the continuation of life. "I'm a Libra" takes us back to those butterflies in the stomach. That good nervousness of live achievement. The song began by trying to figure out the making of City Pop music. I started listening to it, and I noticed that there was a certain enigma in them. The more I listened to the genre, the more I felt like I knew those songs. The sound is a distanced melancholic voice asking you if you remember. The romantic in me took me back to those now-dead "butterflies in the stomach" moments. Those legendary feelings are now considered childish by a beat-down society. The more I listened to the raw recording of the song, the more "childish" I got. I wanted to go back to that mindset. Vulnerability, the inner child, the aromatic odyssey, and goosebumps of feeling like you have found the one. The opening line of "You're only one phone call away" came as organic as breathing. The rest of the lines needed to be dusted off from a teenager's chest of forgotten secrets.
Can you reveal the recipe for a musical hit?
I don't know the recipe for a musical hit.
What are you doing to ensure you continue to grow and develop as an artist?
As an artist, one must take the craft seriously. I practice every single day either by composing a piano prelude, a short instrumental piece with electronics, or a short song. If I'm not using my synthesizer, then I'm either brainstorming or researching.
What inspires you as an artist? Could it be the sea, the weather or something else?
What inspires me the most are life experiences, the satisfaction of creating a story or a world, and my ideals and views towards society. Sometimes I feel like a movie director/writer creating these characters and scenarios that are not only entertaining but have meaning in them too. If I don't let all these ideas and thoughts out through music, I'd go crazy, so the satisfaction of a released mind is the main inspiration.
What is one message you would give to your fans?
Fans!? Where!?
Do you have a mentor or coach?
I do have a mentor to whom I owe a lot. His name is Dr. Ronn Yedidia. Back in my drunken days, I was so desperately looking for not only an escape but growth. One day while waking in the Upper West Side of Manhattan, I see this big banner saying New York Piano Academy. I called, took a free class, then called again a few weeks later to tell him that I wasn't able to afford the tuition. Instead of saving his time, he saw potential in me and took me under his wing. I will always be in debt to him for that. Amazing mentor, human being, and friend.
Do you think it's easy to become established in the music world, or is it difficult?
It's not easy to be established in the music world a all, but the life of an artist is incomparable indeed, and the struggles along the way are responsible for their strength, character, and style development.
What accomplishments do you see yourself achieving in the next five to 10 years?
As an overthinker, I try not to think ahead too much. I do everything I can with what I have now. I celebrate every little victory and analyze the failures. In my eyes, that's the way it should be. Hopefully, we can do another interview in 10 years. Then, I will tell you where I am.