Project Description

Interview with

CYNTHIA CATANIA

Interviewer – Dave Bruce

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Let’s start with a few discovery questions. Have you always wanted to be a musician? When did you start playing music? When did you start writing music?
I’ve been playing music since i was 13 years old.  decades later – here i am!  it’s never been a sprint for me, it’s a marathon. I wrote my first song when i was 16 years old.

How would you describe your style today and how it has changed over the years? What makes it unique, and why do you think people (like me) resonate with your music? What live music events, or artists, in your past inspired you and originally drove you to feel the calling to stand in front of an audience and perform?
When i lived in the NY area, i was influenced by R&B.  When I was a kid – we used to play classic rock, art rock, prog rock.  It was all the rage in NJ where i grew up.  When I moved to California, I tapped into artists who were singing rock n roll, like the Alanis Morrisette’s and Lilith Fair Alumni. Then I personally discovered indie music.  I was taken aback by Ani DiFranco and her DIY spirit.  That’s when my songwriting took a turn.  In LA I’ve been indie, indie pop, indie rock, rock n roll with a more Pacific NW grunge influence like Nirvana meets LA flavors ala Jane’s Addiction and the RH Chili Peppers; and now – my new solo stuff is modern singer-songwriter.  So I’ve reinvented myself quite a few times!!

Now a couple of questions on the present. You have launched a fundraising campaign. Can you describe the origin and intention of that campaign, and also share how fans like us can all get involved with it?  
I’ve watched friends of mine raise thousands into double digits.  Using the fan base as the record company model is something I’d never really tapped into.  I was so DIY that I didn’t NEED to hire producers to work up my tracks.  I produced most of my band projects material myself – and worked for the love of the music, my bandmates, and saved everyone tons of money!  With this new solo endeavor, I really want to explore turning over the reigns.  I’m still searching for the right combination, the right “collaboration” as I’ve discovered the artist (me) needs to be an integral part of the music-making.  It can go off the rails quite easily and not represent.  But having foundationally input – holy cow, it’s amazing!

Ireland and a run of shows to Irish fans is approaching. Why Ireland, and what can the fans expect when they attend your shows there? 
I had the most incredible time in Ireland this time out.  It’s the first time I’ve presented as a solo artist!  I put together a very interesting show with samplers and sound FX and delays – to reinvent the classic troubadour and elaborate on my sound.  It went over really well – and in LA too!  I had an amazing ‘warm-up’ at the prestigious Hotel Cafe.  It was a wonderful way to share with my local friends and fans. Ireland is a magical place.  She has always opened her arms to me – and I was shocked to discover those doors were still open!  Saucy Monky had a thriving career in the mid-2000s, and I’ve just been working in the US and making occasional trips abroad to play, or tour in places like Australia – but not really concentrating on Ireland as a target.  That’s all changed now.  It’s my new professional destination!

What is your latest music release, and what other shows/tours/events are in your immediate future?
My recent single PHONES was released in late July, and really picked up speed on Irish radio through the fall!  I’m working on my follow up single SIDELINES, which I hope to put out before the end of the year.  I’m flying to Brooklyn NY in November for a show, and then The Secret Things are playing in Hollywood on NOV 22.  I also have another solo show in Orange County, December 12th with an artist from Omaha NE.  I’ll be putting together the next Irish tour for the Spring of 2020.

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Now a few questions about you as an influencer. I am sure many of your fans love your music, but many are also interested in you and your values. I am interested to hear about your journey from “there” to “here”. What has it been like in reality?
Well, I think perhaps one thing that will come to pass in my lifetime, is an attempt to create a music union along the lines of SAG/AFTRA.
It’s easy to be discouraged in the States.  I have to travel abroad to have a thriving music career!  It’s nearly impossible in the US.  Even though streaming companies are also international – the lack of compensation for content is astounding, and disgusting.  It’s representative of the capitalistic (more oligarchy) model of sociopathic economics.  How is it that songwriters and performers make little to no money for their works online?  That the streaming economy has devalued content to a point where American companies don’t even have to report on wages (even when those wages are less than a penny per stream).  Shocking, and reprehensible.  The only fix for this lack of representation is a strong union.  The AFM blows – they’re lame, corrupt and self-centered to core members only – plus it’s only for side persons.  Singers are represented by SAG when they work in TV and film – but not as songwriters.  So if you’re in a TV show, and your song is playing – it’s a different pay structure unprotected by SAG. It’s cheesecloth.  I think all this occurs because of the musician’s paradigm.  We have forever been taken advantage of, have low self-worth, and are extremely competitive with one another, in a “scarcity mentality” sort of way.  This has to shift before anything changes.  In some ways I’ve been sitting on this for a long time – waiting for my career to blossom into a more powerful position, but, it could be that i have to simultaneously raise awareness and attract those superpowers in music to WANT to represent the whole. and TBH I’m working on re-framing my own paradigm!
The elite and successful need to band together to protect professional musicians across all platforms (singers, songwriters, sidemen, bands, etc).  Then this BS will start to shift!  I haven’t found ASCAP or SESAC or BMI to be all that powerful or motivated –  I could be wrong… the bureaucracy is just very thick.  The system in the US is broken and corrupt.  Like SAG, the new music union members will need to be of a professional standard, pay dues, band together in solidarity – and say no to gigs and jobs till each professional members rights are acknowledged, respected – and such rules and guidelines are followed to the T.  It’s the only way.  As long as bands are scrambling for the next pay to play show – or backstabbing an established sideman for her gig – or undercutting another singer – it won’t work.  We need some honor and self-respect to be restored to this profession.  Making music is important work!

Being a male, I cannot understand what being a woman is like in any experience. How has being a female in the music world you have navigated affected you personally? Do you think the opportunities are the same for both sexes?
Of course, opportunities are very different for men and women in music – but changing.  There’s a brand new organization in Ireland called KEYCHANGE.  They’re making waves to make the festival circuit in Europe more equal and inclusive.  As of now, American’s are blocked – I don’t know why. /:  But I’m inquiring for a special membership, be it that I’ve been a part of the Irish music scene for years. In my younger days, men did things for me because I was hot – but i never indulged in the “sleep your way to the bottom” mindset. :) I’d scurry away from those people, and those opportunities.  Others did not.

We live in a number dominated world. So many likes, albums going platinum, millions of streams. With that in mind, how do you feel when you see so many small investors with your crowdsourcing campaign. People who may not be able to afford much, but they share $10 to feel like they are connected in some way to your “being” and future?
Absolutely, 10 dollars from 1000 sources is 10k!!  5000, 50k!!  That’s the true definition of crowdsourcing.  Small amounts of money by large groups of individuals.  There’s a theory that if you had 100 super fans, who spent 100 per year on your music, shows, merchandise, you’d have a bonafide music business!! 10$ means a lot to me, personally.  And such contributors are a big part of the bigger picture of my music-making capabilities.  I also believe in the ecosystem of making music.  I used to go it alone – and I now realize, ya just can’t.

It’s going to be a great next period as you warm up Ireland and continue to push your campaign and deliver more outcomes for your followers. I am enjoying the Newsletter and I am wondering as a closer, what’s the timeline for the next period in brief and what should I look out for specifically?
In addition to the above-mentioned shows and solo recording projects and corresponding videos I hope to make with Sue Ann Pien, I have a few TST tracks on the back burner I’d like to finish and release. I’ve been acting this the past year – so i’ll be doing some of that professionally in the coming months. I’d like to start blogging a bit more.  I haven’t published much since my guest Hot Press Magazine column wrapped.

Finally, a few questions for some quick answers –
FAVOURITE:
Album – Tibetan Bowls Playlist on Spotify.
Artist – Lana Del Rey, The National, Jeff Buckley, Sigur Ros, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Loma
Movie – Joker (2019 film)
Place to visit – Ireland
Venue to play – Connolly’s of Leap (in West Cork), The Hotel Cafe (Hollywood)
Food – Asian
Drink – bottled Mocha or Vanilla Frappucino
Person in History – Tesla
Tattoo – (If you don’t have one, what would you get?) Perfect Tattoo (something to acknowledge my happy marriage)

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Check out CYNTHIA CATANIA below
Website | Facebook  | Instagram  | Twitter 

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AMNPLIFY – DB