We caught up with Musician Pablo Iranzo following the release of his excellent single, ‘Overdose’. Read the full interview now!
Tell us about yourself?
I am half-Spanish, half-Norwegian, living and working in Germany. I run a company, and part of it is being a singer/songwriter. Writing my first album and finding the right producer took me about five years.
Tell us about your latest release ‘Overdose’?
‘Overdose’ was released in the summer. It shines a light on many selfish aspects of society and how these cross over to relationships and everyday life. It was one of my most ambitious tracks.
Your debut album ‘Blind Faith’ was released in 2017, is ‘Overdose’ a continuation from that or an entirely new sound?
Some tracks didn’t make it on Blind Faith because the songs weren’t ready yet. The initial idea was that my debut album would have 15 tracks, but as the world and politics were changing to a certain direction, I felt the need to split the album into two in order to release an album earlier, since the song ‘Blind Faith’ is about a dictator under the influence of a truth serum.
‘Overdose’ was indeed written back in 2015 and once again I felt pressured due to the year 2020 being as awful as it turned out to be, to release the single and gear up for the follow-up album. During the year and my time in lockdown, I was developing older songs for the new album, and as a story, it does feel like a continuation of my debut album, but this time around I’ve been working with my new producer to improve on most elements for the second record, giving it a more modern sound and even scrapping half of the songs and redoing them from scratch.
So generally, I would say the sound has evolved in a very exciting direction. Like my first album, I wanted to create a colourful set of songs with different styles and moods, and the second album will mirror the first in a way.
Lyrically, you are thought-provoking, what is your writing process?
It often starts with an idea in my head which can be best described like an “itch”, especially if it’s something that bothers me on a social level and I start writing the lyric and hope to reach a certain vibe or feeling that fits that vision in my head.
Sometimes, it’s the other way around: I start playing something on the guitar and find myself fleshing out the song, and other times I hit some keys on my V-Synth and go from there (that’s how Overdose was started).
What draws you to the pop-rock genre?
I remember listening to film scores at first, and then I started listening to pop artists like Michael Jackson, so that’s one of the reasons I like to make music accessible, which does not mean that I don’t see the accessibility in metal music or folk. I’m very drawn to be open to any genre really.
What message do you think your music conveys to your fans?
I think there’s a lot of material in my songs that is quite diverse. Overdose is a more serious track, and then I have love songs like “Oblivion Walk” which sets up the stage for something more romantic, but then I also do silly and fun songs like “Hooked” that takes a humorous look at some rock-attitude stereotypes and finally you have tracks like Devil’s Comeback (feat. Hex Poseur) that takes a look at post-relationship trauma. At the end of the day, I wish to connect with fans by talking about these emotions, moods and thoughts that are present in my songs.
Who are your musical influences?
I’ve been influenced by Depeche Mode, Marilyn Manson, Garbage, Michael Jackson, David Bowie and The Doors.
Who are your non-musical influences?
Anyone who is willing to speak up against bigotry or injustices. People who try to change things for the better and think of others, not just themselves.
What do you think are the biggest obstacles for bands/artists today?
It’s probably navigating through this rather new digital era. Weeding out the people who really got your back from the people who just want to take what they can from you for their personal gain. It’s a great time for artists because there are so many opportunities to learn and grow as a musician/producer and working/collaborating with people has probably never been so easy, which seems ironic since there are probably more artists now than ever before so that in itself is also difficult (being heard).
What are your hopes for the next two years?
I would like to release my second album in this upcoming year (2021) and start working on my third one rather sooner than later.
FV Music Blog December 2020
https://www.instagram.com/iranzo__music
Twitter: @IranzoMusic
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