The Italian-born recording artist Fabio Cicala has always found fascination with how music delivers moving personal anecdotes. He crafted his musical style in London starting from 2014 using emotional depth to merge multiple music genres including progressive rock and soul and global music. The Words I Didn’t Say showcases reflective songwriting by Fabio Cicala since this song came from a brief yet meaningful encounter that tested his ideas about romantic relationships and self-knowledge.
The recordings took place at beloved music facilities Abbey Road and Soho Sonic for his song which appears in his new project Rude Awakening. The independent artist path from street busking in London’s crowded districts led him to successful venues thus shaping his musical direction as well as shaping his artistic development. The interview explores how The Words I Didn’t Say came into existence that Cicala uses for his song creation and his enduring London experiences which shape his music.
Congratulations on your new single, “The Words I Didn’t Say,”.What inspired this song, and what message do you hope listeners take from it?
This song was born because of a love at first sight for a girl I met on a film set, whose aura almost struck me instantly! There was a mutual fascination between us, but at the time, I didn’t allow myself to pursue the promising idyll, because I was already in a relationship. Furthermore, I even did my best to sabotage the interactions! This novelty seemed to undermine my emotional certainties, but I wanted to stand against the watering down of relationships. I remember once I was rehearsing for a gig and thought to practice George Michael’s “Careless Whispers”.
But to my surprise, my fingers and my mind went somewhere else a few seconds into the song… I was thinking of that girl, so I decided to write a song about that topic, keeping the A minor tonality of the song I was practicing. “The Words I Didn’t Say”, suggests the idea of a love at first sight as a guide to the elements and attitudes missing from our lives at that moment, recognized in the other person, or triggered by them. Whether we talk about relationships or experiences, I don’t believe the train only passes once, but that we attract a suitable one, as we progress on our journey of personal and spiritual growth. Once we realize who we are and who we want to walk through life with, we should avoid external distractions.
This track is part of a larger project featuring nine songs that reflect your journey since moving to the UK in 2014. How has your experience in London shaped your music and artistic growth?
London is a vibrant, multicultural megalopolis that gives everyone the chance to express themselves. No matter the type of talent you want to hone, or in my case, the musical genre you want to propose, there is always a part of the audience ready to welcome it and recognize itself in your work. The only requirement that is asked of you is the desire to get involved, to take risks for your ideas… Busking in the streets of a city like London that moves very fast, has taught me to continually outdo myself with more and more intense songs and a strong scenic presence.
I learned to grab the attention of passers-by in a few seconds, how to find the right way to look them in the eye, in a country where this type of contact doesn’t come as easy as in southern Italy… It goes without saying, when you play in a venue who has advertised your show, you have to give 100% as a performer and as a persona. In terms of sound and composition, performing in The City, both in the streets and in venues, has increased my curiosity toward unfamiliar musical genres and traditions, to be able to relate to people coming from different cultural backgrounds.
You recorded “The Words I Didn’t Say” at iconic studios like Abbey Road and Soho Sonic. What was that experience like, and how did it influence the final sound of the track?
It’s actually a blessing that I have started my recording career in such legendary studios. It was a real blast to see the crowd of tourists from all over the world at the entrance of the Abbey Road Studios taking photos and videos of anyone walking in and out. Working in these prestigious environments boosted my self-confidence and the desire to give life to something unique. The vibes also inspired me several improvisations, some of which I left in the final recordings.
As both the composer and performer of this song, how do you approach the creative process? Do you start with lyrics, melody, or something else entirely?
The creative process is different from song to song, but what all compositions have in common, is the fact they were born by coincidence, by mistake, or by synchronicity, if you prefer! So a song may be born while practicing my repertoire, another while listening to a sound, another one may be conceived from a couple of sentences obsessing my mind for a few days…
Music is often a universal language. What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take away from your work?
I hope my work may be able to lead listeners feeling more relaxed, that they can become confident in seeking for inspiration within themselves, facing their everyday challenges and decisions with courage. I wish to inspire them not to pursue careers or relationships chosen for them by others, or just for material benefits, but to find their own authentic self, even if is going to be less comfortable and with greater obstacles.
Many artists find inspiration in personal and spiritual growth. How has your journey influenced the themes and emotions in this new single and your upcoming project?
I always try to see life challenges as a way to test and teach me something. In fact, this new single, was born because of the “challenge” of having to deal with a love at first sight, while I was already in a committed relationship, that I described before. The first songs I wrote are about the challenges I had to face as an emigrant in the UK, the fact I had to adapt to a different environment, a different way to relate to people, and even a different climate.
I called the music project “Rude Awakening”, an experience we all go through at least once in our lifetime, when our lives are going to change because of a bereavement, the loss of a job, moving abroad, etc. Such an experience is spiritually a “rude awakening”, but within the challenges, also come great opportunities, because we are pushed out of our comfort zone, and discover new skills and passions we didn’t know we had. For example, since emigrating, I started to take music seriously, it has become my way to heal and to share my journey with the people around me, but I don’t know whether I would have done so, if I had stayed in Italy!
Your music is described as an invitation to relax and meditate. Is there a specific mood or experience you hope listeners will have when they engage with your work?
My music can be listened to both as a background track while performing everyday tasks and chores, and as a time off from the chaos of the world, to connect to our inner self. I hope it may be able to reassure and nourish their minds and souls in both cases!
Progressive rock of the ’70s has played a role in shaping your sound. Are there any specific artists or albums from that era that have had a significant influence on you?
There are a several actually, because I’ve always liked listening to well structured music. Demetrio Stratos with his unbelievable vocal skills and his band AREA, Emerson Lake & Palmer, to name just a few. The music from this era, has inspired me to light up the dramatic tones of my new release.
What challenges have you faced as a solo artist, and how have they contributed to your evolution as a musician?
Two of the main challenges are having to wear multiple hats, and having to be extremely careful in managing your own budget. But the obstacles are the way, as someone would say! Having to wear multiple hats, brings you an overall control of the whole process, from composing, to performing, recording, and then promoting your image and your music, creating a real connection with fans and other independent artists. Of course, all of that jazz is time consuming, and you need to master several skills. Managing money can be a challenge, but there are more and more services both online and in the real world, which you can use at your own advantage, and without becoming a bank broke. It goes without saying you need to perform a deep research to find the best fits for you.
With “The Words I Didn’t Say” being part of a larger project, can you share any details about what’s next? Will the full collection of songs be released as an album?
Last year I released the song who gives the name to the homonym project, “Rude Awakening”, and since I’m a self released artist, my strategy is to release one song at a time, to be able to continue building a consistent fan base. Maybe in the future I could release the whole collection of songs in an album.