Simona Lamparelli (Rubywave) is a singer-songwriter from Pescara, (Abruzzo – Italy). At the age of 26 she decided what to do with her dreams. After two degrees and years of experience in the world of art performance, Rubywave decides to try her best in the land that she always thought was the right place in which to cultivate her art: USA. It was on the other side of the ocean, in New York City, where she decided to start sharing her songs, written in her native language!
In fact, once landed in the Big Apple, this artist immediately began to frequent the environments of the contemporary indie music scene of the City, attending concerts, playing her songs with her Taylor guitar purchased in NYC’s marketplace.
After a few months spent sharing covers revisited in Italian and in English on the best stage ever, the subway, Rubywave started to play in small acoustic venues. Our Italian artist formed a band with talented, local musicians: Kenny Cha (Korea – electric guitar), Pietro Gennezi (Italy – Bass) and Tyler Mashek (America – Drums).
They accompanied Rubywave everywhere, around the five boroughs of The City and performed at amazing venues like
the Rockwood Music Hall and the Bowery Electric.
But today we want to talk about TEMPOFREDDO, her first single, and also a great result of collaboration between Italy and the USA.
“This is a song that comes from the desire to simply say things as they are. The distance creates a void, which I wanted to define ‘cold’.”
Tempofreddo was born on the first trip back to Italy during Easter, in April 2019.
“I arrived in New York in December 2018 and… I had the impression that the winter of that year was extremely
intense. Then, after a second winter in the City, I realized why it was so hard for me: the silent, cold distance which
separated me from the ‘warmness’ of my dears”.
“Once I defined the lyrics and the melody, I felt that it needed an atmosphere, a context that could transmit the infinite melodic nuances. I don’t think the power is in the words, more in the structure and in the music.”-Rubywave
In fact, Rubywave found what she needed to keep create the universe she felt working with multi-talented Dashiel Zane Rowland, a dynamic artist and great producer from Los Angeles.
“My goal with the production of Rubywave’s “Tempofreddo” was to expand upon and develop the mood and sensibilities conveyed in the voice demo played for me when we first began cutting the record. After tracking guitar and vocals, my main focuses were creating a rhythm structure that could best accent her vocal phrasing, carving out frequency space for those vocals to cut through and shine, and creating counter melodies to accentuate her catchy hook. Lastly, I implemented subtle uses of contemporary, digital stylistic choices into the mix of her piece, including splashes of Autotune, heavy distortion, and automated delays and reverbs. It’s been a pleasure and a wonderful learning experience to work with Rubywave and I’m looking forward to further collaborations with her as she continues to evolve her original and unique sound.”– Producer/Mix Engineer Dashiel (Zane) Rowland
“It was very complicated to manage: it was the first time I worked on a piece and the distance made it much slower.” -Rubywave
Tempofreddo is the result of long Skype calls and screenshots sharing.
“We worked tirelessly, finishing the project at 3AM. We were constantly asking each other what we needed in order to make everything perfect!” – Rubywave
The recorded electric guitar is by Kenny Cha, amazing guitarist and composer, who was also the electric guitar in the Rubywave’s band in NYC.
Click here to listen to Tempofreddo on Spotify
Check Rubywave out on Instagram!
NYUNDRESSED – OUR INTERVIEW to RUBYWAVE
Rubywave is full of thoughts and life so I asked her to share a bit of that content recorded below:
1. How has the release of Tempofreddo gone so far?
Honestly, it went much better than I expected. Or rather, I hoped so much, but I didn’t expect anything at all! The song was played almost 5000 times in more and less than one month and it had moderate responses from magazines, blogs, Spotify playlists…This is also thanks to FATANTO, my press office, which I thank officially here, beside the great job
of the super multi-talented Dashiel Rowland, who did the production and the unique touch of Kenny Cha’s guitar. It was a great team-work. I sincerely appreciate each single comment, feedback and message which I received.
2.Will you have an album?
I’m thinking about giving the right space to every project. At the moment, I have enough material to work on several ideas so, let’s see what this 2021 will reserve for us! This situation could be an opportunity or an excuse. It depends on your point of view and how you analyze what’s going on around you.
3. Do you have shows coming up anywhere?
Unfortunately, COVID is everywhere… Or at least, wherever I was going to do something! I always thought that music is all about “experience”, so that’s way I don’t particularly like being involved in online shows. I did only one, in August 2020, just because it was the only chance for have the pleasure to be involved on an event with an amazing lineup! I played with great musicians like Phil Robinson, Rory D’Lasnow, Victor V. Gurbo and Jason Vitelli before to leave NYC. Now, for me, this is the right time for reflect and focus my energies on what I feel, not of what I can or cannot do. That’s why I am working on my technical skills and my emotions: to be prepared for the next live show!
4.How many instruments do you use?
My voice and my beloved Taylor are all I need. But I admit that I am having a double-crush at the moment: drum and bass are being very present in my fantasies…
5. How long have you been singing?
I started to make noises since I have memory, but I am not sure it could be defined “singing”! About that, It’s never too late to learn, especially when it comes to music: I am glad to say that, after the Academy of Fine Art and a Master Degree, now I am attending a course of Jazz Singing at the Conservatory of my hometown! It’s harder than when I was
18, but you know: putting yourself in the uncomfortable condition, leads to improvement.
Rubywave is in Italy now; it’s true, but no worries: she is still working for all of you and when she will be ready to
share her new release, we will be there!
Until her next release, you can keep listening here:
Tempofreddo on Spotify
Enjoy!
