Interview with Amanda Somerville about 芦Trillium禄 promo, Delain Tour, and much more… Check it out at this location…
Hi Amanda, first of all, happy new year! Now, let me thank you for taking your time answering our questions. Tell me, how are you? 馃檪
Happy new year. 馃檪 I’m doing great, thank you!
About this new direction that your music has taken, can you tell me which kind of music are you more comfortable with? Because if we compare this Trillium’s sound and Aina there’s a huge difference, as one is heavier and the other is more symphonic.
I think comparing TRILLIUM to AINA isn’t really compatible because I didn’t have much to do with the musical composition for AINA at all; I wrote the concept, story and all the lyrics, whereas for TRILLIUM, I was involved in every aspect of the composition. Also, AINA was one of the first things I’d ever done in the metal scene and I’ve had nearly 10 years to develop further since then, so of course that will be reflected in my current sound.
The label you’ve chosen for this project’s album doesn’t promote a too strong metal sound, and maybe that’s why your voice doesn’t sound as highlighted as in other works by you. Do you feel yourself more comfortable at Frontiers Records than in any other metal music label?
I wouldn’t say that my voice isn’t a focal point on the album’s songs; it’s very important to me as compared to many other metal bands that the vocals are featured quite prominently in the mix. I chose to work with Frontiers because I enjoyed working with them on the Kiske-Somerville project and also have many friends / colleagues under their label. They’ve treated me very well, so it was an easy decision to make.
Do you consider then this project to be more of a work by Frontiers Records’ owner or is it completely yours?
Haha!! No, no, this is my baby for sure. My Italian gentlemen may be the Godfathers of the project (no pun intended ;-), but I’m definitely the mama.
Let’s talk about your previous projects… Tell me, how was working with Michael Kiske? I guess you’ll consider it an honour as many metal musicians want to work with him. Is it true he’s got a peculiar character as many say? And moreover, will there be a second part of this project?
It was definitely an honor being the other half of a duo with him. It’s not for nothing that he’s a legend in the scene! We clicked immediately and always have a good time together. I think he’s a good person and I enjoy his company and his Elvis impersonations! As for there being a follow-up album for Kiske-Somerville, I suppose time will tell, but I’m definitely up for it!
It was also said for some time that Aina’s project (which was an indisputable highlight of 2003) would have a continuation. Is that already forgotten? Or are you still planning on it?
I’ve had a 2nd part written for AINA for several years already. It kind of got put on the back burner, but I’d still be interested in checking out possibilities.
It can’t be denied that you really want to stay in the metal scene, because you’re already scheduled on the upcoming tour with Delain, but this time Delain will be headliners and Trillium’s the supporting band… Do you think it should be the other way around considering experience in this business?
This is TRILLIUM’s first release, so it’s only natural in the pecking order of the music biz. 馃槈 Hopefully things will go well and then perhaps TRILLIUM will be able to work up to a headliner spot.
Can you tell us some of the songs you’ll be performing in this upcoming tour?
“Machine Gun,” “Coward,” “Bow To The Ego,” “Utter Descension”…
And tell me, how’s your relationship with your girls, Floor, Simone…?
Everyone’s busy, busy!
I’m pretty sure you’ve heard about MFVF, what do you think about this festival? Do you think it helps this part of the metal scene with women on it? Because new bands still appear, such as Diabulus in Musica, 69 Chambers…
I think it’s great, both for the bands and for the audience; I know there are some die-hard supporters of the festival, and you couldn’t ask for anything more as an artist!
Why did it take so long for you to release a new solo project? Though Trillium is not an Amanda Somerville’s solo project per se…
Well, I’m a busy girl. I bounce between 3 countries, I do all sorts of work for other bands and artists, plus have various projects of my own and solo concerts I play, etc. Sometimes that means that my own work takes extra long to complete.
What would you highlight of this Trillium’s cd? Do you think this is your best up to now? And why?
I would say that I’m most proud of “Windows” and “Alloy” so far. They’re audio “snapshots” of myself and who I am as a person and musician. I keep journals and also like to go back and read how I felt or what I did at various moments in time because you can use that to measure how much you’ve grown since then. I’m happy with who I am and where I am at this point in my life and that’s also why I’m so happy with the way “Alloy” has turned out. It’s me; plain and simple. Or perhaps not o plain and simple. 馃槈
I can see Sander Gommans is part of your projects lately, as a permanent guitarist. What does Sander contribute to your music and your life?
We’ve been working together now since 2003. He’s a wonderful musician and we’ve always meshed well together, which is important to me in working with someone because music is the most intimate form of personal expression for me. I’m quite a “family” person and so I love working with people I know very well and get along with. Working with Sander on HDK was a huge turning point for me as a musician because that’s when I truly felt like I took metal into my heart (of which he’s fiercely proud!) and truly made it another facet of myself. It’s because of him that I fell in love with this style of music; writing it and performing it. I also admire him as a musician because he’s so completely different from me, since I’m a piano player and approach songwriting and instrumentation quite differently. We complement each other and it works well.
Well, that’s all for this interview. Thanks again for answering our questions, and if you wanna add anything or tell anything to our readers, this is the moment. All the best Amanda 馃檪
Thank you so much for your time and interest! I wish you all the best and hope to see you sometime soon at a live show!! xx Amanda
Leticia Ballester/David Aresté
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M.S: Hi Amanda, it’s a great honor for us to have you answering our questions,
thanks for sharing with us this time.
A.S: Hello! You’re most welcome!
M.S: What kind of stuff did you grow up listening to? Is that the stuff
you listen to today as well?
A.S: I grew up listening to all kinds of music. Coming from a musical family,
I was very much influenced by them and what they listened to. Lots of folk artists
and groups like John Denver, The Kingston Trio, Peter, Paul & Mary, and also
jazz, classic rock ‘n’ roll and Mo-Town. I am a huge fan of Paul Simon, though.
He’s got to be my all-time favorite. Other big influences have been Sarah McLachlan,
Carole King, Paula Cole and Ani DiFranco. And, yes, I still listen to all of
that today.
M.S: How would you describe a normal day in Amanda Somerville’s life?
A.S: Hmm… since I’m a free-lancer and self-employed girl in the artistic
world, every day looks different (and that’s how I like it!). Today, for example,
I woke up rather late in the morning after a very late night and had brunch
in my bathrobe with Andre Matos (who left after that to go work with Sascha
at the studio). Then I was speaking on the telephone, working on lyrics for
the HDK project with Sander Gommans, speaking on the phone again, doing some
things on the internet, having dinner with my man, writing this interview and
now I’m going to have a conference call about some business. But tomorrow will
vary from this, I’m sure!
M.S: The songs that you have in your MySpace are in between pop and rock,
and you usually collaborate with heavier bands with heavier sounds… where
di you get the inspiration from for those songs? I mean, it has little to do
with what you’ve done for example with After Forever…
A.S: I get inspired by pretty much anything and everything, but it has to
speak to me to the point that it moves me to write a song. I’m ruled by my emotions,
so usually when I’m in a highly emotional state, a song will come out of it.
I have, of course, been influenced by all of the work I’ve done in the metal
scene, but my roots and my musical soul still remain in the pop-rock vein.
M.S: Which CD’s do you currently have available and where can they be purchased
from?
A.S: I have 3 solo CDs that have already been released: in the Beginning,
there was… (my 1st full-length album), Blue Nothing (an EP) and Never Alone
(also an EP, done in collaboration with a charity to raise money for people
with a disease called ALS). These you can find on my website @ www.amandasomerville.com/music.htm
My newest album entitled Windows hasn’t yet been released. However, you
can purchase some of the songs individually as a bit of a preview to the album
@ www.broadjam.com/amandasomerville. It’s a little like iTunes or Rhapsody.
M.S: Let me say congratulations for such an exceptional work as Aina, which
you wrote all the lyrics for and the whole story. How did you come across with
the idea for that story? How long did it take for you to make the story work?
A.S: Thank you! Well, I have a pretty active imagination, so coming up Once
I actually had sat down and felt itJwith the story was no problem for me! was
the right time with a sufficient amount and feeling of creativity, the story
was done in a couple of hours. Total time for the album, however, with the story
and the lyrics was about a couple of months. 
M.S: Which is your secret to manage to assemble so high number of big Musicians
in Aina’s album?
A.S: That, fortunately, was not my job but Sascha’s!
M.S: From all the albums you have made or collaborated in, which one do
you feel prouder of?
A.S: I’m proud of them all. To pick one would be like picking a favorite
child!
M.S: Nowadays Tobias Sammet is preparing the third part of Avantasia, have’nt
you talk about making the second part of Aina?
A.S: Sure, we’ve talked…
M.S: After Forever’s new album is about to be released, did you collaborate
with them again? How did you see Floor at the recording sessions?
A.S: I certainly did! I did some lyrical editing and sang in the choir.
I saw Floor as lovely as ever at the sessions!
M.S: Can you tell us about the differences between their new album and the
previous one, Remagine?
A.S: Well, I think it’s their best album yet. It’s more aggressive, but
more commercial, in my opinion. I love it!!!
M.S: Besides, what can you tell us about the other current projects you
have? Collaborations with Asrai, with Sander Gommans…
A.S: I’m working on Asrai’s songs with Sascha, writing and re-writing lyrics
and vocal lines, plus singing the pilot vocals for the pre-production and backing
vocals. For HDK with Sander, I’m writing the lyrics and many of the melodies/vocal
lines. With Andre Matos, I’ll be recording backing vocals with him (him singing
and me singing) for his new solo album. With Epica, I’ll be finishing the vocals
with Simone coming up again Feb. 12 and will also be singing in the choir and
doing the backing vocals, like always. Plus, I’m still working on my album,
always writing new songs, and I have a new project coming up with which Sander
will also be involved – but that’s still top-secret. So, lots going on! 
M.S: How did the oportunity of singing for Luca Turilli’s solo project happen?
What’s the result of that experience?
A.S: You mean the Prophet of the Last Eclipse? That was quite a while ago!
It just came about because of the connection with Sascha.
M.S: How would the concert of your dreams be?
A.S: Mine or someone else’s?
M.S: What do you think of the actual women/rock relation? Do you think it
is still linked too much to the gothic world?
A.S: Not at all. Women have a loooooooooonnnnnggggg history in rock way
before the gothic scene came about. Remember Janis Joplin? Nowadays there are
still lots of great rock chicks that are also quite far from the gothic/metal
scene. Ani DiFranco, K.T. Tunstall, Sheryl Crow, etc. – who all, by the way,
seriously rock it out with a guitar in hand.
M.S: What is your opinion of the nowadays hard rock panorama? And of music
in general terms?
A.S: I’m often overwhelmed with how much music and variety is out there.
I have my favorites, but it’s sometimes daunting to know how much more there
is out there.
M.S: Which was the last gig you’ve been at as a spectator?
A.S: A gig of friends of mine in my hometown, Flint, Michigan; Russ, Jon
& Todd of Crop Circle. They’re great!
M.S: Well, we’ve reached the end of the interview, if you want to add something
to our readers, now is the time. Thank you very much and we hope to see you
soon!
A.S: You’re very welcome! Thank you for your interest and please stop by
to visit me @ www.myspace.com/amandasomervillemusic – I keep updates of what
I’m doing on there, plus I love to hear what you have to say. Cheers!
xx
Amanda
David A. / Leticia Ballester
Photos: http://www.myspace.com/amandasomervillemusic