Interview with Dario Margeli
What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today?
My living situation was not that great and the parents were not providing for me to do after-school activities like other kids. So, I would stay in my room and listen to music. This meant that I was not very aware of work-life aspects other than music. These days I cannot live from my music alone, so I have an office job.
What do you like to do when you are not playing music and how does that influence your creativity?
I am in a journey of spiritual improvement. This means I like meditating and practicing self-improvement exercises. Lately, I’ve been interested in trauma-releasing exercises. I make meditation videos trying to send my attention towards the positive. All this goes into my music. The lyrics are about self-improvement and the music is not too aggressive to accommodate that.
How long have you been making music?
I did it for some years in the 80s, but it stayed at the demo level back then. Then I started professionally in 2011 with my first release.
Where are you based and how did that influence your music?
I am in southern Europe. Unfortunately having to have a day job means that I don’t get out that much, so really I am not influenced by the city I live in.
Tell me about your most memorable shows, if you haven’t played live what is your vision for a live show?
I don’t pay live. Since I am not famous, I would have to pay to play live. One day I do want to make a show, but I would have to save money for that, then use the show to introduce my music to the media outlets. These are dreams I have.
What is some advice that you would give to someone who is just getting into making music and some advice that you would give to your younger self?
If you are a serious songwriter and musician, you know that good songwriting takes a long time. A good production also takes a long time. Then you have to do the video that takes a while to organize. This means that after you have gone through all that you feel like rush releasing the track. Please stop, and instead search internet for DIY musician advice and read them. Read from many sources. You may think you know enough, but if you are starting you don’t know many things. You get only one chance to make a first impression.
Of your songs which one means the most to you and why?
My most popular song is called “Suffering is Optional”, I wrote that after an office job had ended. It was like a lullaby to make me feel calm at a time when I would have panicked. When I look back I congratulate myself for having kept my calm that year with the layoff. Listen to the song here:
Which songs are your favorite to play and which get requested the most?
I have a song called “Sono quel bambino”, which I wrote to uplift my mood by thinking about how energetic I used to feel as a kid and surprisingly it works for me. Listen to it here
What is your creative process, and what inspires you to write your music?
As mentioned, I use the material I learn from spiritual leaders and self-improvement philosophers for the lyrics. As for the music, before I work the melody on the piano or guitar, I listen to Persian classical music improvisations.
Do you have messages that you like to get across in your music? if so please tell me about them.
Each of my songs is part of a self-improvement manual. One of them for example, is about the morning routine of shifting your mood to the right side of life.
Do you have any new singles, videos, or albums out that you would like to tell me and your fans about?
My new single is called Optimistic Once Again. You can listen to it on Spotify at this link
There is also a simple video, if you prefer listening to music on YouTube, the song has amazing guitar solos by Hugh Williams from Fernandina Beach in Florida.
What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that is coming up?
Where I live office jobs are difficult to land so my hopes are to get a steady job and then things will settle a bit and I can do some rock-n-roll on weekends.
How can your fans best keep up to date with you, any socials you want people to check out?