Penelope Antena is back, experimenting with a heartfelt piano sound and creatively manipulated, emotional vocals in her latest song titled “Bonfire.” Read our discussion with the artist below!
Describe your sound in 3 words
Delicate, Honest, Colorful
Your sound and the creative way you manipulate your vocals has a sweet James Blake touch. Tell us a few things about your creative process.
First of all , thank you, I’m a big James Blake fan! I think the way I approach music writing is often trying to find something I’ve never heard before. Something, either an interesting chord progression or a sample I come upon, will catch my attention and make me listen in. Then the inspiration just flows and I’ll write a song in one go.
What first got you into music?
My parents are both musicians so I grew up with music all around. But my meeting with Dj and Producer JT Donaldson changed the way I thought of music writing. He turned me to producing, sampling, and creative gear like the MPC or Maschine. That’s really when I started working on my own, not just as a singer but as a producer.
Artists and people that have influenced you?
My mom Isabelle Antena is my biggest influence for sure. She’s the one I’ve been looking up to all my life. She’s an incredible singer, producer and creative force. I’ve learned so much just watching her work and interacting with other musicians. I’m so honored to know she’s proud of me 🙂
Listening to your Club Nowadays DJ set for Nowadays Records, a distinct aspect of your artistic persona emerges. Are you open to the notion of integrating these dancefloor-oriented rhythms into your own musical creations, given your evident enjoyment in showcasing them?
I’d love to, I feel like I already have many times collaborating with different Djs and house producers. I’m actually thinking of a very different music project, that’d be more instrumental and less vocal, probably dance-floor oriented. And I like the idea of having an alter ego.
A drop you wish you had composed yourself?
The Valley by Ethan Gruska. It’s suuuch a beautiful, complicated yet catchy song. He’s so talented, I love him. Plus it really got him on the map and he started working with a love of my fav musicians .
Your most personal and honest lyric?
I only write about what I live and what I feel. I don’t think I’ve ever written anything dishonest . But I think my most personal song might be Alan, from my second album BEAMORE it goes like “ I sit and pray by my father’s grave, had I known you we would have been friends.”
What would be the tagline to the sitcom of your life?
Life is but a dream.
Thank you!
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