For those who don’t know, how long have you been making music and how would you describe your style?
We always did music in our life and grew up with different backgrounds and cultures. The latest 3 years as Luman, I started to write my own lyrics drafting melody and waiting to find the Saints. I did it and started working with local artists singing Hip-Hop, afro, and reggae. The style became a mix of our styles and music genres.
Could you briefly describe your music making process?
I start by writing music and drafting melodies, The Saints make the magic happen for me. I mainly work with (St) Yannick Tiolo, a Mauritian-Italian artist which is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer. The process is to complete the album of all my drafts and his music concepts and singing.
What can you tell us about your latest single?
“Rintra” is a song about how sometimes music predicts what you expect.
When we recorded this song and video, pre-pandemic, all in one day, in a studio and in an empty theatre, I thought it was a weird choice. The song should have spoke about a long journey, missing someone, to be sure that who you miss and love is safe and inside your heart while you are out, giving you the strength.
So my life should have been like this: I had 12 tours scheduled for the year. Summer holidays, parties of course, night full of music, love and friendship.
All of that needs to wait… ‘rintra’ (sicilian dialect for ‘inside’) right now speaks exactly about empty theatre, without spectators but full of objects: some of them not useful now, part of a kind of shelter-museum that is our homes. The centre of the world, the theatre of your own life, or the temple of yourself.
Today theatres are empty because we just can’t. There are activities that can’t close to the public and others that just need to wait, they are not essential so they are the first to be empty when the pandemic advance again. So in the moment we, as artists but also as human beings, need to question ourselves, to be emotionally involved on our own and love ourselves. We will be back spreading art when the spreading of this disease will be over. Let’s stay ‘rintra’ to be able to restart outside!
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would you choose?
Well, a dream would be to meet the Blues Brothers ahahah I would love to have them mentoring us and try to learn every single thing on how to become icons. They show up in the video and take the whole scene teaching us how to do that nowadays. I just think that the emerging music scene needs that: icons mentoring and creating something incredible.
What track would you play for a new listener if they’ve never heard your music before?
I would play “Dove Andiamo”, a song written all in Italian. We did an unplugged version of it which is nice and clean, but also very deep and with a contemporary subject: systemic racism, prejudice and economical crisis.
Where would be your dream venue to perform at and why?
I love the Tiny Desk Concert series so much. To be their guest in the future would be like the final step before the “to be pro” mode on. I would love to dream of that tonight.
Which of your songs means the most to you?
Well, every song has so much emotions and memories attached to them but I would always chose “the song we are writing now” kind of thing. Present is the most important thing on the lire and creativity of the artists.
How has your city influenced your music?
A lot. It influenced me and the Saints in different ways. Consider that Yannick is from Mauritius, but it’s been 15 years that he lives in Palermo, so he is a palermitano as well. For myself, I am born here. I lived also in UK and worked with clients from US, Canada and Australia in tourism. So showing them my own city and the island of Sicily meant to look at it from several prospective to describe it the best I can. Palermo is such a strong city that for sure is in the blood of all the band.
What’s something most people don’t know about you?
I am perfectionist because I am really insecure. That makes me Luman: I am human. The Saints are humans too. Artists are fragile and that’s what make them so strong and powerful. Everybody can relate to that if it is well kept on the stage. We all hide that so the music connects what is hidden.
How you did you all meet and what prompted you to collaborate?
We met in the city of Palermo. Music was the bridge to our hidden truth we wanted to celebrate.
What do you have planned creatively for the upcoming year?
We are focusing on the album, we have 5 singles to share in multiple languages and iconic genres.
