The voice and emotions of the stage — Interview with Barbara Cola

How did you get into music? What were the pop music and the musical for you?

Cola: I have come to the world of music by chance and in a completely spontaneous way, thanks to the folklore for an artist who in 1982 went out all over the world with a historical album: “Thriller”. The artist was Michael Jackson. From that far 1982 I began to dream of making the singer as all the boys who discovered the incredible world of the POP King not only singing but dancing and looking in all ways to imitate his memorable dance steps (for example the famous “Moonwalk”).

From there to 16 years I started studying music and singing to find out what repertoire was what I looked like most and experimenting with the potential of my Voice. Michael was a real “perforating” because he danced, sang and even recited; so without realizing myself I was attracted by a complete artist, requirements that are required by the Modern/ Musical Popular Opera, world of which I am now part

You participated in the Sanremo Festival in 1995, reaching the highest step with the song “In love” with Gianni Morandi. What is it? “In love” of your professional personal journey?

Cola: “My “In Love” is having in almost thirty years of time to make my voice listen joyfully and with a little sacrifice that never weighed me except when I realize that for love of music, I don’t have a private/ sentimental life like all other women even a family of mine but I repeat, it is a destiny and there is no need to force events to get what seems to be “normal” for a woman. I have had much more from the life of what I would have imagined.”

In Sanremo we saw young people coming from the various talent shows. Are these talent shows a box of conformity or are they a path to help young people reach the peak of success? What is talent for Barbara Cola?

Cola: “The talents exist, let them live as an opportunity to listen to what is stirring in the inner world of these guys what is missing to them, what they have and what they would like, because in fact the generations that now participate to the talents are surrounded by a fast Web/Social communication, as well as the consumption of music and therefore must be very prepared in everything, skillful with the Web, intelligent and not too naive, gritty, strong, in short, in short, so worth living talents if well lived gymnastic”

In the talent “The Voice” we witnessed the extravagant victory of Sister Cristina. With the victory of Sister Cristina, can music join a fideistic attitude and at the same time can it transmit Gospel messages?

Cola: The song is universal, but it takes truth. Taking advantage of a “personality” is an account, giving truth to people, content, is another story. Luckily, Sior Cristina met the theatre successfully participating in the Italian Musical Sister Act. I think he was in the only place possible to express his “glory of singing to God”. Lucky for you.

You have duet with great artists, remember first with Gianni Morandi and others. These duets, Boy Band, how much did they influence in the past and also today the youth world also the adult? What can they teach so much in music?

Cola: Music is to share their own feeling, share the beauty, the form of art of voice use with others, whether public or artists encountered along their way and I know something about it since a “dome” beside an excellence of Italian music like Gianni I have made my bones for many years to honor the fact that I was chosen by him in 1992 before as soloist and vocalist on the bus tour and then and then to participate in Sanremo.

There is no Music if you think about it as individualists. There is no true music without generosity on stage and gratitude of the talent of others. At least for me.

What was it for you Sanremo?

Cola: Sanremo was the stage that made me know to the television audience and the music. My moment of notoriety stronger given the young age. A start “with a bang”. The rest was trying to honor that opportunity by becoming later an artist with the firmest shoulders that now works at high levels

Are you a great singer-songwriter, when you write your songs, you write them at a particular time or write them thinking about something that has happened in the world, like the fight against violence on women, children and people of a certain age or the fight against war or more?

Cola: More than singing, I am author of texts thanks to the incredible influence he had on me. The meeting in 1993 with Pasquale Panella, author of “In love” that still encourages me to write. I write in a rarefied, metaphorical way, but there is always love within my texts. No social or political source, it's the life that flows my source of inspiration.

Other times I work with four hands when I want to translate more challenging themes, because my vision of society and events that twist it and hurt each time need to be supported by more points of view.

Do you feel like a pop singer or a musical singer?

Cola: I feel like a singer but above all interpreter with her actress and, when asked, I pull out my body movement that accompanies all my performances. Let's just say I'm hanging out with my voice.

Last questions. What are the models you have inspired to become a great artist? What is the soundtrack of your professional personal journey?

Cola: The models were first all singers and bands from the 1980s and then more cultured music, such as Jazz and finally the repertoires of Musical Theatre Opera Popular Moderna (the latter was born thanks to the intuition of David Zard (who died in February this year) who first brought Notre Dame de Paris of Cocciante in Italy). My soundtrack is me.

Who would you like to thank for your professional personal journey? What will your future projects be?

Cola: I thank my family first of all because it has always supported me so much. Finally Gianni Morandi, Mauro Malavasi (producer), Michele Mondella (Midas) with Silvana Casato, and many others.

Finally a thanks to my author and friend Pasquale Panella and the immense David Zard (now represented by his son Clemente) and Giuliano Peparini (former artistic director of “Amici”, brother of the dance teacher of the talent of Maria De Filippi, Veronica Peparini and also director and producer of the musical “Romeo and Juliet- Loves and changes the world”, which is a popular work of the records I have been part of for 5 years in the role of Lady Capuleti).

In my future there are many ideas but for now I am on tour with the work and we will soon be at the Teatro Verdi Firenze, then in June at the Palattomatica in Rome and finally at the San Vito di Cosenza Stadium and then continue in mid-October 2018 with another stage, the third, in the city of Milan at the theater of the Arcimboldi. I also thank you Mariateresa who has been following me for so many years and wishes for your future and congratulations for your blog never quit!