“NOW IT IS ME”
The Album
Article/Review by Adriana Rubio
Photos: Courtesy of Graciela Rodriguez
The Album
Article/Review by Adriana Rubio
Photos: Courtesy of Graciela Rodriguez
“Each song in the album has a story, because each one has its own identity and it has gone through many shapes and forms. You never know where a song might take you…”
Singer Graciela Rodriguez was born in Galicia, Spain and currently resides in London. She is without a doubt, an artist-performer by nature. Her passion and love for music are inimitable. At the early age of 2, Graciela started her non-stop walk into the performing arts world.
Graciela Rodriguez studied classical singing and finished a PGDip in Vocal Jazz at the Royal Academy of Music in London. She is very much acclaimed in England and is now increasing a fan-base around the globe. Graciela has also been the winner of a government funded competition called “I Festival Pop-Rock Xunta de Galicia” and recently winner of the GSD Latin Music Awards in London, in the “Best Female Singer”, “Best Single”, “Best Album” categories, amongst other relevant recognitions over the years.
Musically, she has the innate ability of mixing different genres to create dancing tunes from pop, disco and funk melodies, giving the listener an intense and vivid picture of what music means to her: “Freedom”.
“Now it is me” is the kind of album that proves Graciela is not just an entertainer but a very talented artist who gives her own “get-up and go” in each song and pleases the listener with well done musical variations and arrangements. Even though Graciela has a classical singing background, she does not use it much, and really surprises you when vocalizing high notes so delicately.
“It's a natural response of the way the music flows. The music itself dictates me to sing it in this way or the other, and I do not think about it. This way of singing, mixing registers, allows me to express the songs more freely and I would say, with more expressive accuracy. My voice is there to express myself freely, so why not use it when it comes naturally in certain places?”
Graciela produces her own musical compositions creatively. “Now it is me” certainly is a delightful album with not only great dancing tunes but remarkable lyrics.
“Each song in the album has a story, because each one has its own identity and it has gone through many shapes and forms. For example, when I wrote "Just another night", the idea was to make a song with no substance, with simple chords and with no deep meaning. But, as it grew, I was able to relate it to an experience I had (lyrically), and the basic harmony managed to create a nice bond with the melody and the rhythm”.
“It's a natural response of the way the music flows. The music itself dictates me to sing it in this way or the other, and I do not think about it. This way of singing, mixing registers, allows me to express the songs more freely and I would say, with more expressive accuracy. My voice is there to express myself freely, so why not use it when it comes naturally in certain places?”
Graciela produces her own musical compositions creatively. “Now it is me” certainly is a delightful album with not only great dancing tunes but remarkable lyrics.
“Each song in the album has a story, because each one has its own identity and it has gone through many shapes and forms. For example, when I wrote "Just another night", the idea was to make a song with no substance, with simple chords and with no deep meaning. But, as it grew, I was able to relate it to an experience I had (lyrically), and the basic harmony managed to create a nice bond with the melody and the rhythm”.
Oscar Lo Bruto is one of the producers and music mixers who worked hand in hand with Graciela for the “Now it is me” album. However, there were other well known producers such as Paul Carmichael and George Christie working on the album. And this is what she says about a particular experience she had while working on the song “Just Another Night”.
“When I was about to give it to Oscar Lo Brutto, the producer who mixed it and put it nicely, I thought: "hold on a minute, this should have a Bollywood touch", I just heard it in the song! I could hear the strings and the beat. So I added them. And then Oscar added-suggested a tabla pattern in one of the middle sections, and also enhanced the beat with his magical touches, to make it sound a bit more Bollywood-ish. The result is a happy song that makes you dance. You never know where a song might take you; it has a life of its own!
“Now it is me” is filled with outstanding tracks such as “Just Another Night”, “It Will Rain”, “Not With Me”, “Everything” and the number one hit “Way of Life” which is to me the most accurate example of what Graciela says: “You never know where a song might take you…”. “Way Of Life” is musically the richest track from the album. The combination of fine Flamenco, Pop, Latin and a bit of Hip-Hop rhythms make this song a brilliant one. It also includes a well performed guitar solo in the style of rocker Eddie Van Halen. Graciela works with prestigious musicians such as Dave Kilminster internationally known as the touring guitarist of Roger Waters’ “The Wall”, and Xantoné Blacq the keyboardist of the late Amy Winehouse.
Graciela Rodriguez also has credits on Imdb as an actress. She acted in the Spanish film “Relatos” directed by Mario Iglesias. “Relatos” was shown at the International Film Festival in Tokyo in 2010, and also in the San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain. She then worked as a background artist/stand-in for many other films such as "Gambit", with Cameron Diaz, a film that hasn't been released yet, and in “John Carter of Mars", the next big Disney feature film.
“I find it very amusing and I love to perform in character mode. There are so many things you can do!”
For more information on Graciela Rodriguez, tour dates or to purchase “Now it is me”, feel free to visit her official website at:
