5 Q&A With Lyra Caltabiano
Credit: © Lyra Caltabiano 2024
Is there a person/event that stimulated the creation of this track?
I started working on this album and realised I was writing about the period of my life when I was first coming out as transgender, and navigating that. I didn't have a huge number of queer people around me and this maybe 6-7 years ago, so even then, there wasn't the same amount of information and resources and general knowledge in the population. This track in particular is about like, finding little pockets or communities at parties or clubs or bars, and whilst it was still all new and a bit overwhelming, they were full of color and excitement and people with a vast range of experiences and love and acceptance, so this track is about that, and the hope that that brings.
Were there any challenges or breakthrough moments during the songwriting process for "Night Creatures?"
Previously I had done a lot of, writing a song mostly lyrics first, and some guitar chords, and then finding ways to arrange it for instruments, but for this track, and the other tracks from the album, I tried to kind of do the opposite. I'd spend some time building a groove or something, and then singing little melody ideas. Then I'd start writing words that kind of fit, until i got to like, what I was really feeling and trying to say, and then expanded and adapted everything to that idea.
Can you talk about the recording and production process for this song?
I tried a lot of new things, at least new for me, on this track that I hadn't before, like the drums, and synths and such. Electronic music was a place that I hadn't really explored and I really wanted to so I kind of threw myself into it and spent a while trying to replicate sounds I’d heard before and work out how it all fit together, especially with like a more traditional songwriter-y, I guess style of lyric writing. Mixing and mastering it myself was a big learning curve too, and I've learnt so much from this, and all its imperfections.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got started in music?
I'm a transgender woman from Naarm (Melbourne), Australia. I started playing piano when I was 5 or 6 and the double bass when I started high school. I started writing songs and singing them when I was about 16. Since then, I went and studied at university and played in a bunch of bands, mostly pop and rock groups and for a little while a Latin/Hip-Hop project. I got quite burnt out and quite depressed though as I started to struggle with my gender identity, amongst other things, and sort of fell out of love with music cos I didn't really feel like there was a place for me. As I started transitioning and connecting with queer people more, I started to feel my passion return and like, yeah now there are so many openly queer artists and acts who are huge and creative and it’s really inspiring and wonderful.
What role do you feel emotions play in your music, and how do you channel them into your performances?
Emotions are such a big part of my music I think, or at least that's what I'm aiming for! It's wonderful to be able to explore your own emotions and reflections and that's marvelously therapeutic. And at the same time, it's also nice to play with fiction and the emotions that come from that, but yeah, I also try and hopefully, write things that invite the audience to experience their emotions as well. In regards to performance, I still get so nervous and I've been performing for most of my life now in some way or another, but it's always a wonderful experience for me, and a truly joyful one, to get lost in the emotions and sound of the performance. I'm not sure that makes sense, but yeah. A good performance is a really amazing experience, whether it's to 5 people or a packed room.
