Today we’d like to introduce you to Vienna Notarianni.
Hi Vienna, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I began gigging as a solo artist when I was fifteen years old. At the time, I was a freshman in the musical theatre program at Barbara Ingram School for the Arts. I’ve always known I had a passion for songwriting, but it started off as more of a personal coping mechanism than something I meant for other people to hear.
At home, we have a piano on our front porch where I would sit outside and play for hours after school every day. The owner of a winery in town was booking live acts and asked if I’d be interested in playing. That was how I booked my first gig. Throughout high school, I developed my craft, solo performing chops, and wrote my debut EP.
Freshman year of college, I hit the ground running. I moved to New Orleans to study Popular & Commercial music at Loyola University, forming a band within a month, and recording my debut single before the fall semester wrapped up.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
There have definitely been some bumps along the road with learning how to draw boundaries, navigate professional relationships, protect my art, and protect my mental health. I’ve learned not to trust too easily, not to say yes to everything, and how to navigate misogyny in studio or live event settings. Being an independent musician is not easy, especially as a woman.
I try my best to combat this by uplifting the female musicians around me. During my freshman year, I initially got momentum in the New Orleans scene by opening for a bigger band, and I aim to pass the torch. I hope to spread peace, support, and positivity with the girls in the scene. I love building lineups with my younger songwriter friends whose music inspires me.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I write feminine rage blues/rock music. My sound is piano-based, and I am heavily influenced by the styles of Fiona Apple, Amy Winehouse, and Alanis Morissette. I write all of my songs alone, chart them out, and bring them to my band. I am a bandleader for my own project, and I have recently started working as a booking agent/manager for some other indie bands.
In general, I specialize in writing in angry, dramatic, bluesy tunes that make somebody feel like they’re hanging out in a 1920s speakeasy. All of my songs are very lyrically specific and blunt, with a theatrical element to them. I am most proud of one of my newest originals, a tune called “Good Guy” that walks you through an entire story, and has a killin’ piano solo. I cannot wait to record and release my debut album to show everyone how hard I’ve been working and how much I’ve grown since the last project.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/vienna.notarianni
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vienna.notarianni/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/viennanotarianni711/
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0UvfsjkXDGX7nrvkblvmry
