In this interview feature, we get to know the most radicalist up and coming stars on the planet.       

This time we speak with soulful, Italian-Irish folk-pop artist Fil Bo Riva.

After a year spent releasing beautiful single after beautiful single - many of which we covered (including standouts 'Go Rilla' to 'L’Over') - it was no wonder Fil Bo Riva made it into our Top 20 of 2018. Now Fil Bo Riva’s sensational debut album, Beautiful Sadness, is out, the critical response has ramped up even further and has seen this ambitious artist secure live gigs both up and down the country and all around Europe. His music combines the subtle, acoustic nuances of folk music, with lavish, soulful arrangements and huge pop hooks, all wrapped up in a fuzzy ball of an audiophile’s dream production.

As we’ve covered every single Fil Bo Riva’s dropped recently, we took the opportunity to have a chat with Fil about everything from the album to The Beatles.

***

TMR: With the Beautiful Sadness album out now, which track are you most excited for your audience to hear (that we haven’t already heard)? Why?

The song we’re most excited for the people to hear is ‘Baby Behave’. It’s one of our favourite tracks to play live and a song that develops with time and with every show!

TMR: The current single, ‘L’Impossibile', is your first in Italian - what compelled you to write in Italian for this song?

‘L’impossibile’ was written while on holiday in Italy two years ago. The melody and lyrics just came to me while being there, I guess I just got inspired by the place, the atmosphere and the music I was listening at the time.

TMR: The tune also bridges the gap between musical eras (as you say moving between 'the modern Auto-Tune verse and the more classical chanson-style sounding chorus’). Could you tell us a little bit about how this track came to fruition?

The track’s soundscape developed a lot in the studio. In the first place I wrote the song in my head, without instruments... and when I came to the studio and first tried out the chords it actually worked. So after some time Felix took the song home and came back with the idea for the Auto-Tune. We thought it sounded very interesting and felt like the contrast really made it special. So we kept it that way.

TMR: If you had to narrow it down to three artists, who would you say your biggest influences are and why?

The Beatles for number 1, 2 and 3.



TMR: Having said that, who would be your dream collaborator?

I think it’s a very hard question, especially nowadays where music has no boundaries. So I guess when the right time will come, we’ll hopefully find the right artist to collaborate with... means we are very open for anything.

TMR: When did you first get the idea that music might be something you could pursue?

I think it was around 10 or 11. I heard The Beatles for the first time, and I thought I want to be like them.

TMR: And what was your first experience actually making music? What did it sound like?

I started playing the guitar so most of my songs were and are written with that instrument. I remember the first song being very very simple and based on rock n’ roll chords. It probably sounded like 60s beat music.



TMR: With such a variety of styles and musical eras explored in ‘L’Impossibile’, can you imagine taking the Fil Bo Riva project into any other musical genres? If so, which?

Oh yes of course. I listen to a lot of different music in my free time so we will just see what comes next. Music always gets inspired by what you hear at the moment.

TMR: Do you get more satisfaction from seeing the audience response to your studio releases, or live shows?

That’s something that comes together. I really learned that both things best work when paired... which makes it all so exciting and never boring.

TMR: Obviously the upcoming tour is the focus at the moment, but are there any specific places/venues you’d like to perform at in the future?

We always dreamed of playing in South America and combine the gigs with some travelling. So let’s see how the music goes there! Hallelujah!



Beautiful Sadness is out now via Humming Records.

-Dan Peeke