She was born in Barcelona, studied at the conservatory there and has been living and making music in Vienna for six years: the pianist and singer MIRIAM LUNA. Already with their 2019 debut “Piano & Soul” was able to attract a lot of attention. How musical her last single “You Thrill Me” showed in an impressive way how diverse she is able to act. In an interview with Michael Ternai, MIRIAM LUNA explained why she turned from classical to modern forms of music, and she talked about her musical socialization and how she ended up in Vienna.
With “Piano & Soul” you released a highly acclaimed debut in 2019, with which you moved very far away from your musical roots, classical music.
Miriam Luna: I first studied classical piano at the Barcelona Conservatory. Classical singing was added later. After completing my studies, however, I realized that I was actually more enthusiastic about modern music. So I started singing in different projects that were musically very different. Later I formed my own band and started to compose my own stuff. But first I had to learn the modern style of playing the piano. The chords and chord progressions in classical music are different from those in modern forms of music. I taught myself all that.
But at first I only wanted to sing live and not play the piano. That actually happened more or less by accident after a band colleague of mine couldn’t play at a concert and I had to take his part. Although I was skeptical at first, I found it cool to do both. That made me more flexible and enabled me to act more freely and make my own decisions. I could play in bands and also solo, go in one direction and another. I found that very exciting. That’s when I started thinking about an album. Ultimately, it was my audience that encouraged me to record one. People kept coming up to me and saying that it would be great not only to hear my music at concerts, but also at home. This is how “Piano & Soul” came about.
What distinguished your debut was this calm and very intimate tone, which created an incredible atmosphere.
Miriam Luna: That’s the special appeal of the combination of piano and voice, it’s full of emotion and energy, it touches people. My music is very personal, it shows who I am. And even if the setting with the piano and my voice is very reduced, many influences from a wide variety of musical directions and cultures ring through in the songs: Spanish bolero, chanson, jazz, pop and much more. I think my songs have something to offer everyone.
As already mentioned, you were trained in classical music. When did you actually develop your enthusiasm for other music?
Miriam Luna: It actually started very early. My father always listened to music from all possible genres. And of course that rubs off. Somehow, over time, I developed an interest in really immersing myself in every genre. I really wanted to get to know the music. And it has not changed until today. Before I came to Austria I played a lot of soul, pop and funk stuff in Spain. Here in Vienna I suddenly came into contact with jazz musicians a lot, which I found very enriching, also because I got the impression that my voice actually goes well with this style of music. That kind of scat singing, the improvising, those are things that I really enjoy. I also keep playing with Brazilian musicians, with whom I find myself in the world of bossa nova and samba. You can say that all these influences are reflected in my music in one form or another.
A very nice example of your very open approach is the 2022 single “You Thrill Me”. In this song, all your musical preferences are combined in a really beautiful and, above all, catchy way. And then there’s the feature of Jahson The Scientist, which also gives the whole thing a cool touch. Does the song reflect your sound now?
Miriam Luna: The song definitely shows where I want to go. For me, music is a journey. You always discover something new and reinvent yourself as an artist. I myself find it difficult to stay in one and the same box all the time. Some do and are happy with it. But I am a creative person and I want to develop further. I’m constantly looking for something new. I am currently working on a project in which I combine music, dance and movement. Seen in this way, my sound is also constantly evolving. And in a very natural way.
“You can draw so much positive energy for life from nature.”
What things inspire you when making music and composing?
Miriam Luna: It is very often my own experiences or things that I observe. I am a very nature-loving person and therefore nature and the environment also play a major role. You can draw so much positive energy for life from nature. My goal is to bring out the best in people and make them feel good with my music. When I’m on stage, I notice that I succeed and that this positive energy is also transferred to the audience. For this hour we become a family.
Your music has very positive vibes. Can you even write a dark, sad song?
Miriam Luna: That’s funny. I just produced a song with someone else writing the music. I was only responsible for the text. The only thing missing is the video that is currently being completed. The song is a very deep and sad song. It is about grief and the loss of loved ones. For me this song was a very hard experience because before that my grandparents had died within a short time. It took almost a year before I was actually able to sing the song. Before that, I cried every time I tried it. I’m a very emotional, sensitive and empathetic person, so it was a big challenge for me. The song definitely shows a different side of me.
You are from Barcelona. You were born there and studied there. How and why did you end up in Austria?
Miriam Luna: That’s a question everyone asks me. I’ve always been fascinated by Vienna because the city is considered the capital of classical music. It just never came about before. It was actually a concert by me and my band in Barcelona, where it all started. From there I was booked for a concert in Vienna. After the concert I got to know a few Austrian musicians. We decided to start a joint project. So I kept coming to Vienna for recordings and later also for concerts, which kept increasing. At some point I played a concert in Austria almost every week. At the same time concerts in Barcelona on the weekends. I traveled back and forth twice a week for four months. At some point I had to make a decision, because such a life was very exhausting in the long run. After weighing the pros and cons of both cities, I decided to move to Vienna. That was in 2016. Since then I have lived here and travel from here to concerts in Europe. Ultimately, it was the music that brought me here. Somehow it should be like this.
Did you have any idea about the Austrian music scene back then?
Miriam Luna: No not at all. I didn’t have any connections either. I only knew the people who approached me at the concert in Barcelona. It wasn’t until I started playing concerts here that people started talking to me. A lot of people liked what I do, and I think that has something to do with the fact that I’m maybe a bit exotic for them and I exude this positive energy. For them it’s probably like I’m bringing the sun from Barcelona to Vienna. Vienna is such a beautiful city and I love living here. I meet so many amazing musicians to work with and develop new projects with. I’m really blessed there.
What can we expect from you in the near future?
Miriam Luna: At the moment I’m working on a new song that I’m going to sing in Spanish. It is entitled “Puro Sentimiento”, which means “pure feeling”. The song is about starting the day happily, appreciating yourself, taking care of yourself and just enjoying the things that are happening. In addition, I will certainly release one or the other single. I will also play a number of concerts. The dates can be found at www.miriamluna.com/live.
Thank you very much for the conversation.
Michael Ternai
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Miriam Luna live
15.04.2023 BABÜ Wolkersdorf
Herbst METROPOLDI (date to be confirmed)
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Links:
Miriam Moon
Miriam Luna (Facebook)
Miriam Luna (Instagram)