Who is Ariana and the rose?
Ariana DiLorenzo (better known as Ariana and the Rose) is an Italian American singer from New York.
Previous tracks
Her first single ‘When You Know, You Know’ from her debut EP ‘Love Me, Love Me Not’ was released back in 2013. A few tracks followed, titled ‘Heartbeat’ and ‘In Your Bed’. After having a year out from the music scene, Ariana returned in 2015 with ‘Give Up The Ghost’, which showed a completely different side to her music style.
2016
Releasing another two singles this year, Ariana and the Rose is back with a brand new track ‘Supercool’.
We caught up with her and had a chat about her new track and what she’s been up to.
Your new single is called ‘Supercool’. Tell us what you think defines someone as being supercool.
I think what universally makes someone cool is confidence and being comfortable in your own skin. The people who just seem effortless, regardless of what they’re wearing or who they’re with, that to me is being super cool. Your eye always goes to a person in a room who just exudes self-assurance, someone who isn’t afraid to laugh loudly when they think something is funny or have a huge smile in a room full of people they don’t know. For me, it comes down to completely being yourself no matter where you are or who you’re with.
I saw that the single was produced by Tom Fuller. How did that come about?
I had been writing with several different people in the UK, just doing writing sessions for what felt like ages. Toward the end of a writing trip I had a session with Tom and a writing duo called The Nexus, which is made up of David Sneddon and Jay Bauer. From the first day we all worked together I thought “this is how you make a record.” I loved working with them, it felt like I was finally making music that sounded like myself. After that, Tom and I continued to work together and ultimately he produced a collection of songs for me, which I’ve been releasing over the past few months.
Toyboy and Robin have done a pretty awesome remix of the track. If you could remix any song, what would it be and why?
Thank you! Their take on the song is so amazing, I love how they really pulled in some dark house undertones for the remix! There are so many tracks I’d love to remix. I’ve recently been revisiting a lot of Kate Bush records, I’d love to do a remix of Running Up That Hill, it’s just such an amazing song and she has been a really big influence on me.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BLovy4lDaS5/?taken-by=arianaandtherose
Tell us a bit about how you came up with the concept of the music video for ‘Supercool’.
I am so proud of this music video! I saw a video of the Moxi Girls online actually and just immediately became obsessed with them. I checked out all of their videos online and saw one of them street skating in Barcelona and I knew we could do something really special for the Supercool video. It was important for me that we represented women doing something unique but so specific that an audience couldn’t put preconceived notions on the kind of girl they were watching or who I was singing about. I just wanted completely bad ass women, living in their skin and the Moxi Girls are the absolute embodiment of that. I’m from New York, so it felt right to have NYC as a kind of secondary character to them. I wanted the video to represent things I identify with as being “supercool,” so the insanely talented Moxi Girls and my favorite city in the world, my home, New York, felt like the perfect combo.
You’ve supported huge acts – Jack Garratt, Wolf Gang and Foxes to name a few. Are there any other acts that you just think ‘I NEED to tour with these guys’? And if so, who would be top of the list?
Top of my list is without a doubt Christine and the Queens. She just finished a tour, so I’ll have to wait until her next album but I’m just in awe of her live show. I watch all the video clips from fans on Instagram! Her energy and showmanship is just so unique and filled with heart. It’s really exciting to watch someone else perform and be inspired. There are so many acts doing such cool things with their live shows right now. Years & Years, FKA Twigs, Blood Orange, all of them are creating such specific and invigorating live experiences for their audiences, which is something I strive to do as well.
https://twitter.com/arianatherose/status/785266889362513924
We loved your acoustic snippet of ‘Dirty Dancing’ the other week, will you be treating us to an acoustic version of ‘Supercool’ too?
Thank you! I was in my house on a Sunday and just sat at my piano, played around and decided to film it. Everyone has had such kind words about it, so I’ll definitely be doing more acoustic versions! The melody of Supercool is actually pretty melancholy so it takes on such a different mood acoustically, which I’m very excited to share with everyone.
Living between New York and London is a hell of a commute. You must rack up the air miles! How do you split your time between the two places?
I have so many air miles! I’m amazing at sleeping on planes now also, even in the middle seat, which feels like a huge achievement! I’ve spent the majority of the last two years in London and have really just started to commute as often as I am between the two cities. I’m averaging about every other month in each city, which sounds crazy when I write it down but it doesn’t feel that way on the day to day. I’m so lucky to have a network and community in both cities, so no matter where I’m landing I feel like I’m coming home.
Growing up as an Italian American in New York do people try and make comparisons with you and Lady Gaga? And if so, how does it make you feel?
I used to get the Lady Gaga comparison a bit more than I do now for some reason. I think because I’ve released more music and played a bit more that maybe there’s a better understanding of what my project is about? I think Lady Gaga is a true artist, she has taken her platform as a pop star and parlayed that into acting and played with several genres, musically. I would only be so lucky to cultivate a career like she as. I think any comparison to an uber talented star is a compliment, so I’ll take it.
You’ve performed at various LGBT events in the past. What does the LGBT community mean to you?
My best friends in the world are apart of the LGBT community and I’m grateful to have grown up in a city where the lines between being apart of any community are blurred, we’re just humans who are loving and supporting each other. Playing pride and LGBT events first of all, are the most fun shows I’ve ever played because it’s just an absolute party but more importantly, to be involved in those celebrations and lending a voice is something I take really seriously and am honored to be apart of.
You used to be an actress and a dancer. How does this compare to what you have previously achieved and experienced?
I don’t really separate any of it. All of my experiences as an actor and dancer feed into the decisions I make with my music both sonically and visually. I kind of just look at it as one long creative road that I’m lucky enough to be on. I was really young when I started acting in New York and transitioning into music was pretty organic, so it has always just felt like a continuation of pursuing a life in the arts. I’ve been on film sets, in theaters and in music venues, so the fact that I get to live my life hanging out in those places just makes me feel grateful that I’ve gotten to pursue the kind of work that makes me really excited and fulfilled.
Download ‘Supercool’ on iTunes now
