Grammy award-winning composer and singer-songwriter Carla Patullo chatted about her new album “Nomadica,” which will be released on August 22nd.
How did you approach the song selection process for the new album?
I kind of just wrote it like a book or a script. Each song was a conversation with my mom, and they just poured out of me.
It started with the title track “Nomadica,” and kind of rippled out from there, albeit in different directions.
Some tracks get very meditative and introspective and others feel more celebratory, but when put all together, they tell my story of traveling to this imaginary place, Nomadica.
What’s your personal favorite song on there?
I would say Fly Under, which I co-wrote with Martha Wainwright. It’s the most harmonious song on the album, and I was able to add a snip of an old recording I found of my mom in the beginning.
Hearing her voice hits me every time. And then Martha’s voice comes in and hits me like a bag of bricks because there is so much emotion and power behind her performance. She’s amazing!
What inspires your music and songwriting?
Life, healing from life, and the discoveries I make along the way are the force behind my music.
Recently, I’ve been grappling with my own mortality and also accepting the passing of loved ones. These are hard emotions and I’m only fully able to experience them and come to terms with them through music.
I’m also inspired to go see and listen to other musicians I know who pour their hearts into their work.
What do your plans for the future include?
I want to keep collaborating with other musicians and with film directors. Right now, I am actually on set in Michigan for a new film that takes place on a farm.
I’m here gathering field recordings to incorporate into the score, and the director and producers are super musical people, so I’m really excited to start composing!
I’m also collaborating with Martha Mooke on a new composition, which we’re hoping to release soon!
Were there any moments in your career that have helped define you?
I began writing cinematic music for films, which led to working with orchestras.
Opening myself up to all of those instruments really became part of my sound and also opened my mind. Borders started melting away.
I could blend genres, blend electronic and acoustic, blend song and score, and that allowed me to get more expressive and find my voice in new ways.
How does it feel to be an artist in the digital age?
It’s a balance of embracing the new technology and sticking to your guns! It’s cool to have new approaches to making art, but it’s also important not to lose the rawness and the human connection.
Despite our collective short attention spans, I still love the art form of a full-length album.
Everyone tells me that short-form releases are thriving and I should be releasing more singles, but I can’t help myself – albums just speak to me.
What is your advice for young and emerging artists?
Be open to learning and growing as an artist for your entire career. A new transformation could be just around the corner if you stay open to it.
What does the word success mean to you? (My favorite question)
Success means being happy, so I try to keep love, my passions, and joy at the center of my attention.
Album review
Carla Patullo has released an exceptional new album “Nomadica.” The music is raw, honest, poignant, soothing, and vulnerable, and each song has its own identity. The songs on this musical effort deserve to be played in the ending credits and soundtracks of major motion pictures.
Her album “Nomadica” is available for pre-order on digital service providers by clicking here.
To learn more about singer-songwriter and composer Carla Patullo, check out her official homepage and follow her on Instagram.
