Feritta‘s talents have been recognized consistently winning the title Best Female Solo Artist Australia in the International Music Aid Awards twice, receiving two WAMi nominations, she has been awarded The Recognition for Exellence Award for her musical talent and for writing and performing the Official Theme Song, “The Light” for the 4th World Zoroastrian Youth Congress.
Feritta has opened for international artists and sold out shows alongside Bollywood superstars Sonu Niggam and triple platinum award winning artist Pankaj Udhas, International Producer as well as popular UK DJ and actor Bally Sagoo to name a few.
Her entrepreneurial skills have seen her launch not one but two websites, Goddess by Feritta, an e-commerce site committed to holistic yet luxury home and beauty products and her popular food blog aptly titled Eat In Style by Feritta which has been awarded the title of Top 100 Australian Food Blogs. Feritta is also committed to sharing her passion for healthy, beauty and food on her YouTube Channels, Goddess by Feritta and Eat In Style by Feritta.
In this interview spotlight, I chat with Feritta about her latest release, challenges, technology and more.
Full Q&A along with links and music below.
Where are you from and what style of music do you create?
I’m an Aussie with a Persian heritage. Over time my music has evolved and what I want to create has changed. Initially I just wanted to make pure R&B/Pop music and didn’t think too much but I feel that over time the kind of music I want to create is the kind of music that connects with the listener on a soul level – expressive music that touches a true emotion or that special part of someone. I think writing lyrics and creating music should be an avenue to inspire and create special moments/memories. It is an art that should be respected.
What led you down this path of music and what motivates you to keep going?
That’s a very good question and again, over time my answer has changed. Initially I just want to sing because I enjoyed it but I think now more than ever I feel compelled to tell stories rather than just write lyrics, for me it is all about emoting and making the listener connect with an emotion. I want them to be moved when they listen to my music.
What motivates me is this inner desire I feel to share my music and messages with a wider audience because I think I have something to be said that can make difference.
How is Set Myself Free different than previous releases?
Set Myself Free is a great example of what I was just saying. I wrote that song when I needed to tell myself a new story. Like many of us, I have had my share of disappointments, struggles and upheavals to deal with and I felt that I needed to change my internal dialogue and reset my how I felt about myself and Set Myself Free is all about empowering yourself and owning your truth. It’s a track that is funky and sounds great but also encourages us to be our best and I like that this song can empower anyone who listens to it!
Were you trying to accomplish anything specific?
For me this track was a form of therapy and healing. I grew up with a very negative self-dialogue about my looks and abilities because I grew up with a lot of negative self-talk as a child and teenager and I carried that into my adulthood and then, after a lot of reading and self-reflection realised one day, that the only person who was holding me back was me. So my lyrics might be taken literally but are actually metaphorical, like in the chorus when I sing I’ll put on my crown, before me you’ll bow” – the “crown” is all about taking charge and creating a new ideal of oneself – taking control and owning who you are while “before me you’ll bow” in about letting go of your fears and realising that once you let go of your fears you can control your destiny and nobody can stop you.
What was it like working with Stef Tahlia (Who’s Got Talent Finalist) on this project?
Stef Tahlia is a brilliant musician, guitarist and producer. He gave me complete freedom with the lyrics and melody and I think what we created together is fantastic however my creative side would love to hear it remixed sometime.
Name one or two challenges you face as an indie musician in this over-saturated, digital music age?
Staying true to your message and purpose can be hard because a lot of the industry today is not necessarily in creating meaningful music, they are more interested in creating a “hit” and for some strange reason music seems to be more about shock value and less about music. I think the integrity of the lyrics and the messages being played on the radio today could be a lot better. When you think back to the greatest artists of all time, Elvis Presley, Dean Martin, Michael Jackson, Nat King Cole or Tina Turner to name just a few – they all delivered great music without selling their musical integrity – it would be great to see the music industry come back to music with meaning and not just music to meet sales targets.
What was the last song you listened to?
OMG, I don’t even know if you will believe me, it was the theme song from a beautiful Chinese series called Eternal Love which is on Netflix, it’s such a beautiful love story! I don’t understand the words as it is Mandarin but the music, especially the strings and the way the duet is sung is just so beautiful that I am mesmerised by it at the moment!
Which do you prefer? Vinyl? CDs? MP3s?
MP3’s – purely for its accessibility and convenience.
Do you prefer Spotify? Apple Music? Bandcamp?
Actually I like YouTube 😉
Where is the best place to connect with you online and discover more music?
I’m on all the usual sites but the best ways to reach me are
My website – www.feritta.com.au
Instagram – @artiste_feritta
Facebook – www.facebook.com/ferittafanpage
Anything else before we sign off?
Thanks for reaching out and taking the time to chat with me. Stay blessed!
