Andreya Triana Gets 'Lost' in Soul Music -- Top 100 Acts at SXSW 2011

Posted on Feb 28th 2011 3:00PM by Emily Tan
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Courtesy Andreya Triana

London songstress Andreya Triana isn't yet a household name, but with her mix of jazz, R&B and old soul, she's well on the way. On her debut album, 'Lost Where I Belong,' recorded with famed UK producer Bonobo, Triana pairs buttery vocals with honest lyrics, making listeners feel exactly what she is. Before heading to Austin for her first SXSW appearance, Triana spoke to Spinner about her musical journey, the difference between being in a band and going solo and why she never reveals her age.

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Download Andreya Triana's 'Lost Where I Belong (Flying Lotus Remix)' (MP3) off 'Lost Where I Belong' Free

Your music has a very mature sound to it, but you look pretty young. How old are you?

Ah, that's something I don't reveal. It just really nice to make music, and people listen to it and form their own opinions with predetermined things like, "Oh she's 18. She sounds great," or, "Oh, she's 38?" So I just never say and let the music be out there and do what it's going to do.

When did you discover your voice?

I've always sung, really. I think I was naturally born to perform and sing and learn. I was just really passionate about music, but it's an ever-growing thing. I feel like I'm still discovering my voice.

You may have been singing for years, but what inspired you to make music your career?

It's just something I love so much. I had a really strong feeling that it's really what I wanted to do. It's something I really enjoyed, and I get a great feeling every time I sing.

When it comes to your singing and songwriting, you're pretty much self-taught. How did you hone your craft?

It's just been through practice, spending hours learning things, just trying to improve, but I also worked with fantastic producers and fantastic musicians and other songwriters. I've learned from a lot of different people and have a ton of talented friends who have helped me along the way.

You did study music technology at the University of Leeds and also went to the Red Bull Music Academy in Australia. How was that experience?

At uni, it was good to get my degree, but it was more about being in bands and singing a lot and working with a record label and making friends with people, and that really set me in my ways. Getting into the Red Bull Academy was a massive, massive opportunity, and it really changed everything for me.

You've worked with Flying Lotus, Theo Parrish and Bonobo. What was it like working with them?

It wasn't like, "Oh, I'm working with Bonobo," or something like that. I was working with friends. It was like, "Oh, let's just hang out and make some music and see how it goes." The main thing I've taken from working with them is that they're musicians, and they're artists who would never compromise. They always shoot for that creatively, so they really just push me to do the same.

As a teenager, you were in a group called Bootis before going solo. Were you nervous to go off and do your own thing?

Definitely. When you're doing your solo stuff, you're out there, and you have take the brunt of everything, good or bad. When it's bad, you just have to fill yourself with positive energy. But it's also a lot more rewarding, doing your own thing. You can do what you want and not have to compromise in any way. The group is great but I think solo was my calling really.

How did your childhood influence your musical style?

I grew up in a really multicultural area. I was always surrounded by soul music, and I think soul music is the biggest influence without a doubt. That's something that's sort of stayed with me to this day, and I think it always will, really.

What artists do you admire in particular?

There's really no one who I would say "I really want to be like them" because I want to do what I do to the best of my ability. But the people that I really like are Bjork and Jamie Lidell. I just really like artists that have a really strong creative identity and really follow through on what they want to do. And people who have long careers, and not people who have one album and that's it.

What's 'Lost Where I Belong' about, and why did you go with that as the title of your album?

It talks about the whole journey of the album. Basically, it was written a few years back, when I was struggling financially and creatively and wondering if this was going to be my career and if so, how am I going to pay my rent? I was wondering about all these things. Then creatively, I would think that my songwriting wasn't working and wondered it it's the right thing for me. And it's about how I'm meant to do this, even though I can get lost along the way. And that just talks about the whole of the album and that time in my life.

When you were debating if music was the path for you, was there another dream career or goal you had in mind?

This is it. There's absolutely nothing else. I knew years and years ago what I wanted to be so. It's definitely what I wanted to do, but it wasn't easy getting here.

There are a good amount of female singers who sing soul music coming out of the UK. What sets you apart from them?

I just do my thing. I don't really compare myself to these people and think, "How am I different, or how am I similar to them?" I just play my music and do my thing the best I can. And I think we're all very, very different.

Catch Andreya Triana's SXSW Set on Thursday, March 17 at Latitude 30 (512 San Jacinto St.) 10PM. Watch Andreya Triana's Video for 'A Town Called Obsolete'