British-Brazilian singer-songwriter Liana Flores talks about her debut album, Flower of The Soul, which is set to be released on June 28th. The album has an 11-song tracklist which includes her singles, "I Wish for the Rain" and "Nightvisions."
Your journey from a small town in Brazil to London reflects a blend of cultural influences. How do you navigate between these two musical worlds in your songwriting process?
Liana Flores: I wouldn't say that navigating the two is a very conscious thing I do when songwriting, but looking back on the album it definitely is. I can see which songs are more folk-influenced and which are bossa nova-influenced. In terms of guitar playing, I would say that listening to specific players definitely influences the guitar technique and the melody could come from either one.
Your songwriting paints dream-like scenes. Are there any memories or experiences that have inspired your lyrical imagery?
Liana: It tends to be any time that I spend in nature.
As a previously independent artist what kind of challenges did you face in the industry?
Liana: Collaborations have always been challenging for me and having to promote the music as well. I’ve been lucky to not have to do it before this campaign, so it's been a learning curve.
How do you stay creative while navigating such a complex industry?
Liana: Listening to a lot of music.
Can you describe "I Wish for the Rain" in three words?
Liana: Peaceful, nostalgic, and melodic.
How has your creative process developed since you first started?
Liana: Just from listening to a lot of music and writing about 10 projects that never saw the light of day. Writing and listening to a lot and finding what I want to sound like.
What has been the most defining moment of your career so far?
Liana: Probably announcing this album, finishing it, and releasing the singles from it.
How do you connect creating a song in the studio to performing it live?
Liana: By trying to remember what it was like recording the song for the first time and bringing that into the performance.