In conversation
with Priscilla Hernandez
May 2005
A
little background:
While operating “Setting Sun” over the past couple of years,
Part of the fun I guess in discovering new acts have the
Beauty in discovering them often by chance.
Often if you look at interviews conducted previously by “Setting Sun”
you can see how I discovered Acts by all sorts of means through hearing
them on the radio or talking to acts or reading about them somewhere
I didn’t do any of this with Spain’s “Priscilla Hernandez”.
I was actually looking for somewhere else altogether and on my search
Priscilla Hernadez’s name came up
Interested I had a look at her website and was really impressed by
What I saw - this was a website that featured lots of excellent artwork
But also featured loads of music available for download
Interested, I downloaded several tracks and was impressed by some
music which certainly boarded on new age music and as at least
one friend of mine has said since sounded similar to Enya but
to me Sounded much more deeper and emotional, often with Priscilla
Just playing Keyboards and singing – music sung simply but effortisly
Beautifully a lot like Isobel Heyworth from one of my previous
Interviews, but in a completely different style
So interested, I dropped Priscilla a e-mail and this
Interview quite quickly after this
A special thank you to Priscilla for this interview
For more information on her – check out her
website - http://www.yidneth.com
And check out some of the excellent mp3’s on
Her website
Thanks again
Andy N xx
Setting Sun:
Hi there! How are things and what’s happening at the moment?
Priscilla:
Hi, First of all, thank you for the interview in your e-zine.
I feel very honoured so what's going on right now?
Well after being quiet for a while, I've encouraged myself to
Take a further step and go on fighting for my
art (as an illustrator) and music.
I've been online since 2002, and there have been quite a
Few chances to get signed, but I felt I had to say "no" to
Several indie labels just because they wanted a vocalist, not a
Composer or songwriter, or other times because they insisted
That my genre was not commercial.
I've gone on learning and Improving my home-recordings,
and right now I’m about to release my second demo
"Ancient shadows" featuring songs like "But if you go",
"Away", "Lament" and some remastered songs that
were already included in the earlier demo.
Besides, composer Héctor Corcin and I created meeting point
For independent new age artists called NUEVASMUSICAS. It's
Going very well and I think it's a pivotal platform for our
Promotion and indie new age musicians around Spain.
We're in the gathering-organizing phase, of course.
In the meanwhile I keep working as a freelance illustrator.
Many years ago I started a comic project called "yidneth",
It’s time that I sit down again to give it an ultimate push.
(http://www.yidneth.com/nuevasmusicas)
Setting Sun:
Now can you tell us all a little bit about you,
What started you off in the music etc, etc?
Priscilla:
I have composed songs since I was an early age, but I never
Studied music.
I played a few notes on a cheap keyboard and wrote
Some lyrics before the nineties, but I had the music in my
Head even then, and in 1994 I bought my first keyboard,
a psr-yamaha and I then started to make my home recordings
in cassettes, just for myself.
I never intended to sing them myself, and I started to
Look for a vocalist. In 2002, I wrote, "I steal the leaves"
And uploaded it to mp3.com, that was the launching of
My career as singer-songwriter.
It became really popular and I started to receive some
Offers from radios and TVs. I record and arrange my stuff
With my keyboard as my humble home studio, you won't find
Studio products in my music but a true indie artist by heart.
I hope one day one label realizes and help me to fulfil my
Dream respecting the way I create music (of course
I’m willing a producer enhances my recordings, but not,
That they turn it into a repetitive trance-hit)
Setting Sun:
What music are you listening to at the moment?
And what are your influences?
Priscilla:
My influences... Well, actually believe it or not, I learnt to
Sing listening to male vocalists as Roland Orzabal (Tears
For Fears), Sting, and Bowie. Tears for fears is a highlight for me,
I loved the lyrics of the band when a child and I have all
Their cds.
I wonder why none have ever guessed their influence in
My music. People has often compared me to Tori Amos
(Who actually I discovered because of a "comparing
Review", I'm glad they did though because I liked her
Music), to Kate Bush, often to Enya (we have similar
Influences in the airy vocals of traditional Celtic or
Irish music) but our compositions differ in the essence.
All of them have my deep respect but I have to be fair to
My true sources of inspiration.
As female vocalists I like particularly Liz Fraser
(Cocteau Twins) and Miriam Stockley (Adiemus)
A Cyndi Lauper among others.
Actually my genre differs from all of them, as my
Music got spiced by my own tastes, as fairytales,
Fantasy, and ethereality. Haunting, ethereal music and
Bitter lullabies my songs goes from Ethereal Goth to
Celtic pop, New Age and film music.
Setting Sun:
Again for those who don't know you,
Can you tell us what stuff you have released so far
And where people can get them?
Priscilla:
I released a demo in mp3.com, it hit top-selling new age
Album in there, but it does not exist anymore.
I kept on selling homemade demos of it, but I
Discontinued to do it, to work seriously in a proper release.
I remain unsigned and I've had to refuse some label deals,
Just to be true to myself, but I do feel the urgency of
Releasing my work properly.
It would be easier if I just had the money to do it, but when
You are independent, and definitely not rich, things go slow.
Right now you can get a homemade autographed copy
Just e-mailing through my site (http://www.yidneth.com)
And soon "Ancient shadows" demo will be available in
There also. So I highly recommend to sign my newsletter to get
To know when the release is done.
Setting Sun:
It is also great to see from your website
That you play concerts (There is some excellent footage
For example off singing "But if you go") ... How does
Your concerts compare / differ from your studio recordings?
Is their one you prefer over the other?
Priscilla:
From a vocalistic point of view, not much, because I never
Edit my vocals when recording them. I like the fluctuation, the non-
Perfect human quality of an entire take, and thus, in my
Recordings you actually listen how I do sing live.
That footage you refer to is the second international meeting
Of artists for ic-musicmedia (Frankfurt), in that concert, I just
Sang using my already recorded (and played by me) background
Music.
I've gig many times in pubs just playing the keyboard and
Singing, though I confess I feel more comfortable if I have
Musicians playing the background music for me (even if I
Have composed it). My last gig was last 2 of April, 2oo5
Collaborating with Joaquin Taboada for a charity
Concert for Doctors without Borders, it was a great experience
Because of the interaction with many talented musicians.
I'll go on collaborating with Joaquin and Stultifera Navis,
And playing some songs of mine in the concerts we share
Together.
I'll work hard with Hector Corcin in order to get a chance to
Organize a concert of new age artists to promote NUEVAS
MUSICAS.
Setting Sun:
One of my favourite songs of yours is Probably "Flame" –
Possibly because of the two very different versions
(Electric and Acoustic)? Can you tell us a little bit
About this song and also how it felt recording two very
Different versions of this song?
Priscilla:
Actually I recorded the original acoustic version at my
College radio, but the sound quality was not good, and
My friend guitarist and producer Mike Burn (I had met him
Already a couple of times because he uses to visit the Canary
Islands quite often) offered help to remaster it, so he
Re-played my arrangement in the acoustic version of Flame,
Being faithful to it and giving it a much better sound.
Later on he went on the production of the Flame electrified
Mix, in that one, he did all the production and mixing in
His studios in Frankfurt. I'm very grateful to him, he's
Helped me in my singing career encouraging me as a
Friend and even managing me to attend to several meetings
Of artists. From here, thanks deeply.
Setting Sun:
What's next for you? Do you have
Any more gigs / recordings lined up etc, etc?
Priscilla:
"Lament" a song I already play live a couple of times back in
2003 has been recorded and will be released soon to take part of
My new demo.
Also I've recorded "Away" a song I rescued from when I
Was only 12.
About upcoming collaborations I will provide vocals to
Pepe Acevedo's "El Bosque de las Hadas" (fairies forest)
To be included in his next cd release.
About gigs, next is 20 May (Peralta, Spain) along with
Joaquin Taboada and Stultifera Navis.
Setting Sun:
What would be your dream job if you were not a pop
/ Rock star?
Priscilla:
Well, actually if I make it in music I wouldn't be a pop star
Either.
My genre actually cannot be defined as pop rock
But introspective singer-songwriter XD.
But I confess I wouldn't mind to earn a life making
Music.
My dream job would be working illustrating books,
And/or comics, or getting involved in an animation movie.
I love drawing and arts, and actually I think I'm quite
Good at it. You can see my gallery of paintings
In here http://www.yidneth.com/?pag=drawings.
Setting Sun:
What has been your best / worst
Experiences of been in a band? Been in a band myself I've had
Some fun to tell certainly so I could guess you are the same...
Priscilla:
I'm a solo artist; unfortunately I've never had a band, though
I have insisted in the search of a proper group of musicians to
Adopt me, at least to gig.
I play the keyboards and synths and also I write and arrange
My own music and thus I do have all the freedom to create
As I please, when meses are gentle with me :). But I’ve also
Collaborated with others but in specific tracks and they have
Always been enjoyable experiences, some were released in cds,
Others were only online collaborations). The best of collaborating
Is that you get richer by learning from the other musician,
And experiencing their point of view. The worst is that sometimes
I've given away songs that I had already composed and I
Don’t feel free to re-record them. In certain cases this has
Really got to hurt me a little bit, because I don't feel I own a
Song, music and lyric I had already written. I rather to co-write
From the start, that way it's clear is a bilateral composition,
And not a version of one of my songs in which I might
Be giving away rights.
Setting Sun:
Lastly, something light to finish off with
(Borrowed from a pal’s Zine almost) Imagine you were
Ship wrecked on a desert Island and could have
(Clearly have second sight here - lol) The choice of
Having 5 records or Cds with you with a stereo of
Course - what would be your desert Island Discs?
Priscilla:
"Sentiments" by Hector Corcin, my boyfriend who is a composer also,
Beautiful piano playing.
The Dark Crystal soundtrack by Trevor Jones
Mononoke Hime soundtrack by Joe Hisaishi
Elemental by Tears for Fears
Dear Frustrated superstar by Nerina Pallot (an almost unknown singer
But I liked her debut cd quite a lot)
I leave the 5th open, because this simple election has been hard...
LOL
