In this interview spotlight, I chat with Snow Villain about motivations, the newest release, challenges and more.
Full Q&A along with links and music below.
Where are you from and what style of music do you create?
I grew up in Central Pennsylvania, where I’ve cultivated and developed my skills in the music industry. I have about 15 years of experience and I’ve performed with different bands across Pennsylvania, Washington DC, Boston and New York. I decided it was time to create something of my own and got together with great musicians out in the suburbs of Philadelphia, and that’s how Snow Villain started.
When I was growing up, I was introduced to classic rock and folk music from my parents. My mother loved bands like The Beatles and Billy Joel, and my father listened to CCR and The Rolling Stones. That gave me a natural love for pop sensibility in songs. In the 90s, when I was growing up, I gravitated to grunge and alt-rock. Overall, I like organic sounds, and that’s why I wanted to make this record as organic as I could in the rhythm instrumentation.
What sets Snow Villain apart from other bands/artists is the vision underlying the band’s core. Because I have a versatile voice, the way Snow Villain was created is so that whatever music I’d release can cover up different genres, which is very liberating as an artist. This allows me to have different EPs with different collaborators for the given album cycle, which keeps me motivated as an artist. I can describe my music as Snow Villain in two ways. First, the songs are my stories and experiences told in a universal way. I hope that people will always be able to relate to the work because I try to be honest, organic and fun. Snow Villain tries to be thought-provoking and push the limits of what I can get away with. One of my biggest fascinations in the world are social dynamics, so as far as lyrical content and song themes, they are often satirical in nature as a response to the event/theme that I’m talking about. Second, if we talk about the music element, you’ll find guitar-based melodic rock, with an emphasis on vocal harmonies and lyrics with pop structure and sensibility to the song writing. Snow Villain will fall into alternative.
What led you down this path of music and what motivates you to stay the course?
I fell in love with music at a time when the type of music I make was the only thing there was in rock. I want to continue to make music that means something to fans and to me.
How is your new release different than previous ones? Did you set out to accomplish anything specific?
This is our debut EP. We set out to make melodic rock with good lyrics and good vocal harmonies, and I believe we did accomplished that.
Do you face any challenges as an indie musician in a digital age? On the flip side, how has technology helped you (if it has)?
Of course. Musicians always face challenges in recording and in the aggregate music industry. One advantage of today is that it allows us to reach a broader audience through social media.
Where can we follow you online and hear more music?
You can follow Snow Villain through all social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) for updates and news! There’s a lot coming soon for Snow Villain fans. You can also stream our music through all music platforms like Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music, SoundCloud.
Anything else before we sign off?
Yes! We are very excited to release the first two EPs of Snow Villain this year (Summer and Fall 2018). Also, we are in the middle of producing two more official videos to share with all of you. And, we’ll be performing in Pennsylvania, New York, Washington DC and many more places.
