By Jim Barber
When one thinks of Switzerland, the brilliant white snowcapped peaks are the pictures that usually come first to thoughts, adopted by the darkish brown of Swiss chocolate, and the deep blue of Lake Geneva.
However one of many European nation’s most acclaimed, most prolific and most essential musical artists can have everybody considering of the color inexperienced, which is the title of her newest album – a strong assertion of her development and dynamism as an artist. It’s crammed with suitably lush melodies, expressed by way of verdantly compelling preparations, complimented by sage songcraft and a vocal supply as faceted and brilliant as a minimize emerald.
Telli is as skilled and profoundly proficient as she is prolific. Inexperienced is her third studio album launched on Metalville Information since 2022, following on the heels of Easy Speak that 12 months, which made it to quantity two on the Swiss Charts, adopted by the chart topping Hooked on Colour in 2023. As of the publishing of this text, Inexperienced had already hit primary on the Swiss Charts. In between Hooked on Colour and Inexperienced, she additionally launched a stay acoustic album. Black ‘N White.
When speaking with Telli, you come to know rapidly that there’s a disciplined, canny, pushed businessperson coexisting alongside a remarkably passionate musical creator. There aren’t any half-measures, no false begins. The consistency of the timing of the releases is deliberate, the inventive spirit harnessed and centered in a method that not solely permits for her proclivity to be prodigious, however which by no means dampens the spirit and wonderful memorable, insistently fascinating nature of the music itself.
“Me and my crew, now we have a method we need to go within the subsequent 5 years, ten years. And we knew that now we have to do loads of albums at first. And additionally it is nice to have these modifications in fashion and method from one album to the subsequent so that individuals actually get to know me as an artist. The primary album was extra on this actually exhausting rock vein with some metallic stuff in it. And it was really the start of the expansion of me as a songwriter, which you hear by way of these albums. But in addition it was a strategy to remind individuals who knew Seraina earlier than about who I’m after which introduce them to the brand new stuff. So it’s type of on objective, but it surely’s additionally not on objective as a result of it’s simply what I really feel. I’m mainly all the time writing songs. And so it was clear that after Hooked on Colour, we did just like the acoustic album, so then we knew that we would have liked a brand new album and new music,” she stated, as she not solely talked about this potent and profitable technique of viewers constructing, but additionally how she nonetheless believes the car of the total album, together with bodily copies, is the easiest way to reveal her progress and evolution as an artist over time.
“I imply, I feel it’s in regards to the price of the music. I imply, you’re employed on a giant mission and also you give it to the folks. And for me, I couldn’t think about solely working with singles. It actually relies on the fashion of music. For instance, in hip hop, you solely have singles and so they do loads of collaborations after which they’ve 5 totally different variations of the only. However I feel we’re nonetheless fascinated by albums in rock music. I promote loads of albums. And that is additionally one thing that will get rock music into the charts, which is enjoyable, as a result of within the within the charts, for instance, in Switzerland, there’s loads of rock music, really within the high positions with the album charts, as a result of we really nonetheless do albums. Yeah, it’s enjoyable. I imply, we promote loads of vinyl and CDs, particularly on the exhibits. Lots of younger folks come and so they have vinyl gamers once more, which is cool. I virtually promote extra LPs than I promote CDs. I don’t see that it’ll ever completely go away as a result of folks nonetheless wish to have this bodily factor of their palms. It’s additionally nice whenever you create an album as a result of it’s additionally the paintings and like the quilt, the lyrics in it, like the way it seems. And that is nice. I feel loads of music followers like to have this bodily copy of their palms. And it’s good that younger folks nonetheless see that, as a result of I feel like for some time it went away as a result of it’s a lot simpler to hearken to music by streaming. I even have Spotify. Once I need to try an album, I am going on Spotify and I hearken to it after I’m on the street with the automotive. It’s really easy and it’s actually cool that this exists. However nonetheless, if I’m a giant fan of the band, then I’ve to really get it and have a bodily copy.”
One doesn’t have to be probably the most perceptive of people to see there may be some type of inventive pattern taking place with Telli’s music. Hooked on Colour, Black ‘N White and now Inexperienced – there’s a particular significance to the utilization of color and now particular colors as a thematic thoroughfare from mission to mission.
“I feel after I had the concept for Hooked on Colour, I really already sorted out some components of a giant color mission. It’s simply one thing that was all the time there for me. Additionally, after I was finding out music, I’ve all the time labored with colors. I remembered melodies and harmonies with colors and the way it all performed collectively. I had this in my head and the color popped up and I knew, okay, that is it. It’s only a factor that’s extra to me than simply having colored hair. It’s a giant factor. It’s really an even bigger mission. It means I’m already writing, so to say, on the subsequent album and it’s going to remain vibrant. It’s only a method how music seems for me. Should you hearken to a concord or a melody, then it seems in a method, in sure colors. Some issues have extra gentle in it than others, for instance. I don’t know, that’s simply how I clarify it and what it means to me. There may be music that’s extra darkish – It doesn’t have loads of color. Then there may be music with loads of color. Ultimately, I used to be simply writing songs I needed to put in writing. I simply knew I needed to name the album Inexperienced,” she stated.
“It’s the primary album I really simply wrote after I needed to put in writing. I didn’t consider it. I didn’t change something about it. I didn’t give a shit about what somebody would say in regards to the music. I simply wrote what I had in my head. There it’s. I simply stated, ‘that is the theme for me for this album. It’s known as Inexperienced.’ Inexperienced can also be simply one in every of my favourite colors.”
Whereas how Telli processes or understands music by way of color is the overarching assemble behind her present music, there are extra direct thematic parts to Telli’s songwriting as properly. There are songs of empowerment, songs of the resilience of familial love, harrowing tales of self-doubt, however finally there’s a by way of line of power, positivity and connection which, coupled with Telli’s cinematic, charismatic, deeply soulful vocal performances, makes songs comparable to ‘Dwelling’ and ‘17’ hit you proper within the coronary heart, thoughts, soul and spirit as a listener.
“It’s really impressed by folks I simply met or have in my life. ‘Dwelling,’ for instance, was impressed by one thing my mom all the time informed me. After we have been youthful, she all the time stated, once we received into {the teenager} age, that it was going to be exhausting. You go outdoors into the world and also you don’t slot in. Particularly me, I didn’t match into something. I simply all the time did my very own stuff. I used to be unhappy loads of instances. However she all the time informed me, it doesn’t matter what occurs, you’ll be able to all the time come dwelling. It sounds simple, but it surely was one thing that empowered me my entire life. Even when I f*** up actually unhealthy, I can come dwelling. Even when I’ve to combat with my mom, she is going to nonetheless be there. Additionally, my dad and my entire household. I’m actually joyful that I’ve so many nice folks in my household who help me. They let me be me all my life. I can all the time be who I’m. Even when folks round us didn’t get why I appear to be that or why I do that music. That is why I wrote ‘Dwelling.’ I simply had this a part of the lyrics in my head. It was there. That is how I wrote this entire album. By way of the songwriting, I sat there with my guitar and I had this in my head. I don’t have a son, however I do know what I might inform him. Then I began writing the music. It began with this starting,” Telli defined.
“With ‘17,’ some years in the past, I used to be instructing right here in Switzerland. I had a younger pupil [who was on a form of apprenticeship] for 3 years or one thing. Sooner or later she stated that she needed to put in writing a music. She had no concept how to do this. She was taking singing classes with me, however she didn’t play an instrument or something. I stated, okay, we will try this. I requested her, how ought to the music sound? Then I began to put in writing some chords and melodies. She got here in along with her lyrics, and so they simply blew me away with what she wrote there. To begin with, she was so true. She wrote down all the things she feels. It is a actually highly effective factor in music. You’ll be able to present your interior self. It’s simply okay to do this. You’ll be able to’t inform these ideas to anyone in individual, however you’ll be able to write it in a music. It’s okay. She wrote about how unhealthy she feels going out and seeing different folks. She didn’t understand how she ought to look. She thought all the things she does is incorrect. She stated, I don’t even understand how I must be. That impressed me a lot that I really needed to put in writing this music. It’s known as ‘17,’ as a result of she was 17 when that occurred. It’s type of like an age. I bear in mind after I was 17. Abruptly, folks stated, ‘you’re an grownup now. It’s a must to try this and that. It’s a must to know that. It’s a must to go to work.’ I used to be like, ‘what the fuck? Yesterday I used to be a baby. Now I’ve to do all of this. I don’t even understand how. No person tells me how.’ On the opposite aspect, you’re informed you’re nonetheless a baby. You’ll be able to’t determine something. It is a actually exhausting time. I simply needed to present this music to our youthful folks, to our youngsters in order that they really feel heard. Additionally, for the dad and mom. Simply bear in mind, we have been all 17 as soon as. All of us felt the identical. Perhaps we’ll have just a little extra persistence typically if we expect again to these instances.”
Probably the most anthemic songs on the album, and one which incorporates a really distinctive vocal efficiency from Telli, is ‘Penalties.’
“’Penalties’ is actually about our society and a few issues which might be disturbing. Should you take a look at one a part of the music it’s about these huge rock stars and the politicians – those who attain thousands and thousands of individuals. They attain younger folks. Everybody listens to them. However so a lot of them don’t give a shit about what they speak about or how folks see them. They exit and they’re racist. They drink. They take medication. They hit folks and say silly issues. I might love to succeed in so many individuals to present them one thing good. I’m asking these folks within the music, why don’t you try this? Why not use your platform and attain out for good? Some folks have the luck to be in that place. They’ve superstar dad and mom and grew up well-known, or they only have numerous cash. Or they’re simply on the appropriate place. Why are folks like that? Everybody listens to them despite the fact that hey don’t even have something good to say. They don’t even give it some thought. For them there no penalties. For instance, you’re a huge pop star. You’re in a stadium. You’re drunk there and loads of children will see you. They assume, ‘she is so nice. I additionally need to be like her. I need to drink too.’ You need it so that everybody sees you, and hears what it’s important to say, and listens to your music. You’re a rattling function mannequin. Should you do one thing like that, you’ll have thousands and thousands of younger folks beginning to drink. Perhaps as a result of they noticed you drink alcohol so now it’s cool to them since you did it. I’m all the time considering lots about this like this. It’s why I don’t have alcohol on stage. I clearly say on a regular basis that we don’t take medication. We inform folks that rock and roll has nothing to do with taking medication and ingesting. It’s simply music. It’s a way of life,” she stated.
“One other factor is after I exit and I see regular people who find themselves largely buried of their telephones. They don’t see something. They stumble upon you. they don’t even see you. The whole lot you do is affecting folks round you. In case you have children they do all the things they see you do. Everybody of us has this duty. We will’t simply ignore it. We’re all a part of the identical world.”
Telli additionally talked about her disappointment with facets of the present music trade, particularly how the sexualization of girls, or maybe extra precisely, the overt oversexualization of girls, continues to be a major issue within the industrial success of feminine artists throughout the spectrum of genres.
“it’s nonetheless there. I nonetheless see it. I imply for those who for those who look into the pop music. Take a look at these younger, actually proficient, lovely women and all of them are simply bare on stage. And I might throw up seeing it. After which there is sort of a new one who begins to interrupt out. You assume like, wow, she’s actually inventive. I like her fashion, blah, blah. Half a 12 months later, she’s half bare on stage. And it’s like occurring and on and on. I don’t find out about metallic. I nonetheless see loads of ladies like enjoying with that. And I imply, that’s a factor we ladies have to consider as properly. So so long as we play that recreation and so long as we expect that we will solely succeed if we present our our bodies so long as that may exist, issues aren’t getting any higher, which is gloomy for all of the younger women on the market. And I see like bands, they they’re small when it comes to being common. After which at one level, just like the lead singer seems far more lovely and horny on stage – impulsively, they’ve like an even bigger success. So that is simply what I see. However in fact, there may be like different examples,” she stated, including that bearing all this in thoughts, she has labored exhausting to domesticate an ‘picture’ that places the deal with her artistry and the standard and evocativeness of her music, not what she wears or how she portrays her bodily being.
“I imply, I do it on objective that I don’t present myself this manner and I additionally make some extent to talk up about it like I’m doing proper now. So I feel that’s one thing that I used to be lacking after I was youthful, after I was a youngster. I missed having ladies I might look as much as. I need to present folks that we’re simply robust. And that we’re additionally not solely like within the entrance simply displaying ourselves off, however that we’re good singers and do different issues like writing songs and actually doing the exhausting work behind the scenes and within the studio. And that is one thing that I really feel strongly about. I simply need to be function mannequin to point out like younger women that it’s attainable to not solely be the gorgeous woman within the band, however you too can be just like the band chief and you’ll write your personal songs you’ll be able to produce your personal music. You’ll be able to play your personal guitar, you’ll be able to play piano, you’ll be able to play many devices. Should you like. You’ll be able to really do something you need by way of expertise and exhausting work.”
Telli has been a working skilled musician, songwriter, performer for her whole grownup life, because the age of 20. From 2010 to 2014 she fronted native exhausting rock/metallic band Rizon, adopted by a tenure with Surrillum, which lasted till 2017, overlapping her first huge foray into an even bigger musical world. In 2015, Telli’s powerfully emotive voice, incendiary onstage power and melodically potent songwriting first got here to prominence on a bigger scale when she turned the primary lead vocalist/frontwoman for the all-female, pan-European metallic band Burning Witches. She participated within the band’s first couple of albums, earlier than deciding to go solo in 2019, utilizing the chance afforded by being in that band to speed up her performing and songwriting chops, in addition to get a crash course within the vagaries and vicissitudes of the music trade – an schooling that has paid dividends since then.
“Truly, I’ve been creating music since I’m like 20. In order that was lengthy earlier than I really began Burning Witches. And that was only one factor I did. However impulsively folks knew us. They did love the music. They liked my singing and so I received higher recognized for that. And I’m very grateful for that. However that is only a small a part of me. And it was actually enjoyable to do this as a result of I simply love the ability of the music, and I liked to play with these phrases and to sing that harsh. However I really I studied jazz music and I began listening and enjoying and singing pop music, really. So, sure, that’s the place I come from. And in addition blues and stuff like nation music; this was all the time like round me and was a giant a part of why I received into music. And I additionally assume it performed a giant half in my songwriting in Burning Witches, really. I feel that made the songs we did actually cool as a result of there was loads of pop in it. And there have been nation parts too as a result of folks preferred the singalong stuff with melodies that individuals actually can join. That is simply my fashion. And this was Seraina in metallic. And now it’s like I’m bringing all the colours into my music,” she defined.
“Once I was actually younger, it was largely Christina Aguilera and loads of like pop music that I used to be into. I simply noticed that lots of people preferred hearken to their music, and for this reason I began writing songs. Afterward I feel I noticed like Melissa Etheridge, for instance, enjoying guitar. And I used to be like, yeah, I imply, I can try this, too. Yeah, you’ll be able to play guitar and write your personal songs, at the same time as a lady. So, yeah, it was it was ladies like that. However I additionally had loads of male function fashions, I’ve to say, particularly within the tougher music. Once I received into metallic, I turned a giant fan of Rob Halford [Judas Priest] and Mikael Åkerfeldt from Opeth. These have been like my heroes as a result of they did music that’s so inventive and it’s one thing distinctive, and I needed to create one thing like that, too. I needed to create my very own sound. And for this reason I began enjoying the electrical guitar to play stuff like that. I imply, there’s loads of nice rock musicians on the market. There are additionally just like the Foo Fighters, for instance, and Pearl Jam. And it’s really unhappy that there aren’t extra ladies I can say.”
The facility of music to alter hearts and minds, to encourage, to construct group and connection, these aren’t solely why Telli’s songs resonate so powerfully with audiences, however why music is essential to her as its creator. The therapeutic facet of artwork and music can’t be overstated. Music heals, music binds and music can generate change from inside or from with out.
“You’ll be able to write down something on this paper. You are able to do a music out of it. Should you think about you’ve gotten a darkish factor in your self, that consumes you, then you’ll be able to create one thing out of it that different folks can hearken to and join with it. The worst factor is to maintain it in, to depart it on this darkish spot. Particularly after I began writing songs, it felt like a remedy, as a result of I used to be writing stuff to assist myself. However then different folks informed me, ‘I do know precisely what you imply.’ All of us have these emotions. That is regular. It’s additionally superb to have it. It’s superb to share it with different folks. That is what the music ‘Let It All Out’ is about. That is the aim of music. I spotted why I needed to do music. It’s not due to me, I simply need folks to hearken to it in order that they really feel secure, and really feel joyful, and really feel heard like I do after I hearken to my favourite music.”
By way of touring in help of Inexperienced, Telli stated many dates for Europe are within the works, however that she additionally actually needs to come back to North and South America as properly.
“I bear in mind one time after I was in Burning Witches, we travelled from Minnesota to Edmonton. I skinny it took about 24 hours. We have been opening for Visions of Atlantis on the time. I feel we performed a pair different exhibits within the western a part of Canada too, however that’s the one time I’ve been over there,” she stated.
For extra data on upcoming exhibits, in addition to Inexperienced, go to https://www.serainatelli.com.
- Jim Barber is a veteran award-winning journalist and creator primarily based in Napanee, Ontario, Canada, who has been writing about music and musicians for greater than 30 years. Apart from his journalistic endeavors, he works as a communications and advertising specialist and is an avid volunteer in his group. Contact him at bigjim1428@hotmail.com.
