Candian-Peruvian singer and songwriter Quilla has been gaining a reputation as one of the most respected and stellar recording artists in the industry, thanks to her unique writing talents and blissful voice.
She is responsible for some of the scene’s most successful vocal tracks in the past few years, having collaborated with heavyweight artists like: Tiesto, Sultan + Shepard, Jewelz & Sparks and Heartbeat – it’s no surprise that she has released on renowned labels such as: Armada Music, Revealed Recordings, Ministry of Sound and Musical Freedom. We sat down with the multi-talented artist to chat about her flourishing career to date.
Hi Quilla, how are you and what’s going on in your world at the moment?
Good, thanks! I am really excited about my upcoming releases, including “Get it Right” with Eagle I Stallian. Right now, I am also getting ready to release several new solo electronic tracks that I produced over the past year. I am also filming music videos for these tracks, and I have an ongoing collaboration with Americana artist Molly McGinn; we are booked to play at various music festivals around North Carolina this summer.
Where are you currently based?
Greensboro, North Carolina, USA. I am originally from Montreal, Canada. I have also lived in Lima, Peru, and in the Bay Area, California.
How would you describe your sound?
Indie Electronic Pop
Has your style gone through any changes along the years?
Yes, absolutely! As a teen, I started out as a keyboardist and bassist in Indie bands. I was in a Punk band, and several Rock projects. In college, I joined an Afro-beat ensemble as a keyboardist. I later formed a circus Jazz improvisation duo with a drummer, and we toured together. Around that time, I began singing and performing solo as well, and also collaborating on experimental Electronic projects with some producers in Montreal.
When I moved to the US, I performed as a solo artist in the Bay Area, and studied North Indian Classical music there. I moved across the country with my husband to North Carolina (where he is from, originally) and I eventually formed an Indie Pop band here, for several years. I began to get more and more electronic over time.
In recent years, since I began to focus on being a Dance music vocalist. I also became very interested in electronic production, and especially how vocals contribute to the Dance music experience. Now most of the music I write and produce is influenced by the various genres House music, but piano composition is still at the core. As for my vocals, I like to explore my own style and I am interested in creating mystical, uplifting experiences for people on the dance floor. I try to keep it accessible yet introspective for people who are going through emotional journeys while they dance.
Who were your influences growing up?
Tori Amos, Bjork, Radiohead, Lhasa de Sela, Ravel, Debussy, Cesaria Evora.
How did you get involved in the Dance music business?
My friend Ned Shepard (of Sultan + Shepard) and I worked together in Montreal, at a humanitarian fundraising company. He saw me perform with my Circus Jazz duo and asked me to come hang out in his studio and write some songs with him and his production partner, Sultan. We had a few recording sessions, and on one occasion, we wrote “Walls”, which later became a dance floor hit when it was released on Tiesto’s Club Life Miami, Vol. 2 (2012).
I began to receive requests from producers to collaborate as a vocalist, and so I had the opportunity to write and release another fifteen tracks, mainly in Progressive House, as well as some Trance, Techno, Breaks and Deep House. I am fascinated by all the genres in Dance music and do not feel personally tied to any one in particular, because they all continue evolving as people’s tastes change over time. This year, I am mainly focused on my own productions, but I still do occasional collaborations, especially with dance music producers from my hometown, Montreal.
You’ve collaborated with star-studded names like Tiesto, Sultan + Shepard, Feenixpawl and Heatbeat. What is it like to work with huge artists like these?
Great experiences! Each of the people you mentioned is unique in how they collaborate, but what they have in common is their diligent work ethic and keen sense of how to layer different elements of a song together. Their enthusiasm for music production is what inspired me to go beyond being a vocalist and dig into becoming a producer as well.
Where would you like to see yourself in the months ahead?
I see myself releasing many solo Electronic tracks, as well as producing and collaborating with other artists, particularly with women. There is certainly plenty of room to grow and keep learning on a personal level, and music is one way to pursue that.
Which is your ultimate career dream?
My dream is to hear my music in soundtracks for films and on TV shows. I would also like to contribute vocals, songwriting and production to epic movie scores, and museum sound art installations. I would like to write songs for well-known pop artists such as Lana del Rey and Beyoncé. I look up to artists like Sia a lot; what she has accomplished in her own career as a songwriter and singer inspires me a lot.
Your next release is a collaboration with production duo Eagle I Stallian. Can you tell us a bit more about the release?
Yes, I met them at Miami Music week two years ago, and we struck up a nice friendship. They are talented composers who forge their own path and don’t release formulaic music. I feel that their musical approach is very original and that their Trance-infused sound makes them stand out. They remixed one of my tracks “Biological Clock” (from my first album, Beautiful Hybrid) and I loved how it turned out. We launched into writing a new song “Get it Right” and I enjoyed the experience of being included as a collaborator throughout the production process, not just a vocalist providing vocal samples. Working with Varti and Rafi has been a great experience because we all come from the same city, and have similar personality traits and backgrounds exploring various genres. I feel that this song helps advance the Trance genre, and that it is also radio-friendly and bubbly in its own way.
Who’s inspiring you this year?
Sia, Grimes, Bjork, Tune-yards, Tokimonsta, Anna Lunoe, Disclosure, Sylvan Esso.
If you could choose, who would you like to collaborate with?
All of the above!
Tell us something not many people know about Quilla?
My background is in anthropology and linguistics. I have spent time documenting endangered languages in the Amazon, the South Pacific, and other places. Hearing the music from the communities where I worked has been transformative, and helped me hear sounds, melodies and rhythms in new ways. Supporting indigenous language and music conservation is one of the most crucial issues of our time, and it is closest to my heart.
Anything to add/shout outs?
Here is a funny coincidence: Eagle I Stallian happen to live next door to the same place where Sultan + Shepard used to have their studio in Montreal, located in the Plateau neighborhood. I wrote the lyrics for “Get it Right” right next door to where I wrote the words for “Walls” years ago. The universe seems to be a synchronistic place!
Quilla Online
https://www.quillamusic.com
https://www.facebook.com/quilla.music
https://twitter.com/Quilla
https://soundcloud.com/quillamusic
https://www.instagram.com/quillamusic
https://www.youtube.com/user/QuillaVideos
