Soaring In Awe w/ Lara di Lara
It’s as if some melodies are penetrating you, possessing you, and taking over the universe… Dilara’s music is like seeing an old friend you haven’t seen for many years, each time facing those familiar feelings that emerge from the depths of your soul… Adjectives can change over time, just like our endless journey within… But for now, with Dilara, we dream about a concert at an ancient theatre, soaring in awe of nature!
How can you describe “Lara Di Lara” to someone who has never heard your music before?
Strangely, as a human being, I often find it difficult to categorize things, even though I think we need certain boundaries. I think everything in life is very unstable. Tastes, colors, experiences, dreams, desires can change over time. They can reshape according to what we see and hear. I mean, at least, that’s how I experience my life day by day. I can’t quite put my music into a box, as it also transforms with me over time, but I think in its essence there is storytelling. My music usually reflects something I want to talk about. The melodies of the songs are also shaped based on these issues. I build these songs’ instrumental and emotional aspects around this specific story. Sometimes the words come first, sometimes the melodies… I’ve seen my songs being categorized such as pop, alternative-pop, indie, drum n bass, synth-pop, rock. But I usually prefer to describe my music, like, “from my eyes, from my being, from my mind, from my voice; about the earth, the air, and the water.”
When did you realize that music would be at the center of your life?
I think music has always existed in my subconscious and in my heart. Surely, growing up in a family full of musicians and music must have had an impact, but I didn’t know that I would choose music professionally until college, and I didn’t really think about it. When I got admitted to an art school I had applied as a last- minute decision, just as I was starting to do completely different things, I took a different path. So, I realized that music would be the center of my life in every sense.
How was your process of finding your own voice?
I’ve always had a thing for music, singing, and writing. I’ve always listened to a lot, a variety of music, and I’ve loved analyzing it. Questioning who played which melody and how, what did they write, how did they sing, has always ignited my curiosity and made me very excited. It still is! I think with that curiosity, I started asking questions like, “What can I do? Which sounds come out of my body? What is the tone of my voice? How do I capture the feeling I want to emit? How do I write down my thoughts? How do I play an instrument? What are the differences between the sounds of instruments?” As soon as I started asking myself these questions, I entered the path of finding my own voice. It actually started when I was 5-6 years old… Of course, as I grew older, as I became more aware, the process became more detailed and comprehensive. And the process still continues. I don’t think it’s something you’ll find once and stop.
What does inspiration mean to you?
Anything that triggers, activates what is inside me and what is in my mind is an inspiration to me.
How do you define creativity?
Creativity is both an impulse and a tool, and I believe everyone has it. But I think that it should be found and should be further explored when found. It’s actually not something that happens out of the blue. You must open the creativity radar. I think the key is to believe in yourself, to be confident, to be brave and open. Not suppressing yourself or letting yourself be suppressed by others. Those who are aware of this, become creative. Those who are not, cannot realize their creative energy and thus cannot use it. No matter what the subject is, knowing that you are creative not only in art but also in life will keep your creative side alive and it will make life more colorful and open a lot of new possibilities.
What kind of an environment do you set up for yourself when you create?
Because I create in different fields, the environment can also be different. For example, when I write, I can be anywhere. I don’t particularly need to be in my room or at a desk and I’m also not writing in a special time period. I can be on a ferry, on the road, on a bus, in the kitchen, at the club, in a classroom…When I am writing music, I prefer to be in a quiet place which mostly is my little studio at home. But if I’m away from home, or an idea pops into my head, I immediately record it on my phone, and then when I come back to my room, I start exploring that idea.
Something you’d never do in terms of your music?
‘Never’ is not a word I use often. Although we can predict what will happen or when it will not happen, we cannot really know for sure. That’s what I think about my music. Anything can happen at any given moment!
How does digitalization affect the production and distribution process in the global music market?
I think production is increasing parallel to consumption. But since I think that they are completely focused on money and fame, I believe that most of these productions are not healthy, natural, and positive. The fact that the speed of distribution is much faster and “easier” than before also gradually shallows and simplifies these exsufflicate productions, or “content” as the contemporary world calls it. The issues of ‘knowledge’, ‘curiosity’, and ‘equipment’ needed by a production process are becoming weaker every day, and therefore the concepts of diversity, virtuosity, and knowledge are beginning to disappear. It is very scary and upsetting. As processes become shorter, concepts begin to lose their meaning and they become prisoners of forms that are more and more similar to each other, fabricated, and actually unwittingly imposed. Essence and soul disappear, replaced by the “rules” of the “music market or industry”. I think it’s too dangerous for artistic production, and it’s nothing more than brainwashing for the listener.
What’s your dream concert at a time when concerts are nothing but a mere dream?
This period is going on for so long that now my dreams have multiplied. I want to perform outdoors, at a festival where there are so many people. Everyone singing and dancing as they wish, enjoying the company of each other! I also dream of a concert in a small space, where we sweat from the heat and the light, music filling the room…Or an ancient theatre on a summer night, soaring in awe of nature.