Interview by Eetu Niskanen
Editing by Miriam C.
Interview with Lisy Stefanoni, singer of the Italian Gothic Folk Metal band Evenoire, in this interview we’ll talk about the 2008-debut EP “I Will Stay” that its review has taken the maximum rating score here at Femme Metal Webzine. Enjoy it!
How would you describe Evenoire‘s music to people who have never heard you?
Evenoire’s music is a journey into enchanted realms, ancient legends, magical places; our music mixes the power of metal, folk ballads, oriental echoes and evocative atmospheres. The lyrics talk about legends, dark fairy-tales and historical people. The result is a special and fascinating sound enriched by flute melodies and different styles of vocals, which go from sweet and ethereal to powerful and aggressive. I call our music Oneiric Metal.
How would you describe your voice?
I think I’m an eclectic singer, I like to experiment with my voice and that’s the reason why I have no limits. I like to sing both in opera style and in modern style, I like folk and oriental styles, too. I try to create something unique mixing all these ways of singing. I have a good vocal range, which allows me to reach very high notes and my timbre is quite crystal clear, warm and high (I’m a light lyric soprano) and at the same time strong and powerful. It’s really difficult to describe a voice, it’s the first time I do that!
Did you always wanted to become a singer?
Yes, sure! I started to study music at the age of 6, attending music theory classes and flute lessons. Then I studied also guitar and piano, but my great passion was singing, so when I was at secondary school I started to attend courses of modern singing including rock and soul styles. At the age of 16 I experienced for the first time the live performances with my rock band and my acoustic trio, but actually I’ve always sang during music school performances, shows, competitions and local events since I was a child. Currently I’m studying operating singing: I love the world of Opera and Theatre and I hope to graduate soon at conservatory. I cannot live without singing, I sing because it’s the only way to be myself, the only way to express my emotions and my soul.
What kind of music do you listen yourself and how often?
I always listen to music! I love metal, especially gothic, symphonic, prog, folk and bands with female voices. My favourite bands are Therion, Opeth, Within Temptation, After Forever, Ayreon, The Gathering, Symphony X. I listen to hard rock, rock and heavy metal, too. I like so much folk, medieval, Celtic music, New Age, and Italian Opera of course!
Where does the name Evenoire come from?
We chose the name “Evenoire” because it’s really evocative and has different meanings: NOIR (black) is one of the colour of our music, EVEN (noire) because we like to express joyful colours with folk atmospheres. EVEN may also refer to the night, a dark night: the deep night is the moment of the dreams, of the dark creatures like ghosts and spirits, the moment of enchanted things and many legends, and we like to talk about all these themes in our songs. Evenoire may also refer to EVE NOIR, Lilith, a really fascinating and strong female figure who inhabits a lot of archaic and modern myths.
Could you tell us something about the other members of the band?
We are good friends, not only a band. During these years we had a lot of fun together and we reached a good level of musical harmony. Marco, the bass player, is the major composer of the band, even if everyone gives important inputs to the composition process and we all arrange the songs. I write all the vocal melodies and lyrics. Recently Giada, the keyboard player, has left the band because of work troubles. We are still looking for a new keys player and we will comunicate you as soon as possible news about the new line-up.
How did you get in touch with Femme Metal Records to be part of the compilation “Demonic and Demonic”?
Miriam, the chief editor of Femme metal Webzine, proposed and encouraged us to submit a song for the compilation: we thank so much Miriam and Carrie Sharp for this great opportunity!
What do you think about the compilation CD?
It’s a wonderful idea to support cancer research and promote female fronted metal bands. The bands included play great music, it’s a top quality compilation, a really interesting project!
Why did you choose “Aries” as the particular track to the compilation?
“Aries” is the song from our first EP that well describes our music and our style: powerful music, oriental and folk echoes, symphonic keyboards, prog riffs, different singing styles, and a melancholic acoustic end with a sweet flute melody.
How is the metal scene in Italy?
Not so good. I mean, there are a lot of good bands but it is really difficult to emerge from the underground, metal is not considered in the major music circuits. The clubs prefer tribute bands and cover bands and there is very few space to promote our music. It’s a really bad situation.
What are the plans of Evenoire for the future?
We are working on the full length and we are searching for a label to support our music.
You also released your debut EP last year, how much work did it take?
It’s our first work and our first experience, so it took us quite time but now we have reached a very good harmony into the band, so that the composition of the new songs is faster. We can say we have found our musical dimension.
What is the story behind the EP cover, who designed it?
The cover is a painting created by Gabriella Ghisleri, the mother of our ex keyboard player Giada. The painting describes the spirit of a woman who hides her real face behind a mask. We chose this picture because it represents our songs: the spirit on the boat refers to the ghost of “Azzurrina” and the hidden face refers to “Mirror Lies”, which lets us know about the real identities concealed behind the mirrors. The general setting of the picture, the girl on the boat and the lights reflected by the sea, refer to the song “I Will Stay”, which tells the story of a girl who runs away from her pains on a boat and she perceives the reflections of a medieval feast through the water: that feast will make she smile again.
Is there anything the readers should know I haven’t asked?
For everyone interested in our EP and music please visit our websites for all information. Thanks so much to you Eetu for the interview and thanks to Femme Metal Webzine for the support!
Links
MySpace * ReverbNation * Facebook * Twitter * Site