The latest release from Vanessa Lio brings out heavily cinematic and alternative rock backed Banger that is packed with emotional drive and a performance that lets her wear her heart on her sleeves.
"All In Vain" ends up being endlessly catchy as you get that hook caught up in your brain and it keeps bouncing around in there hours after the song is ended.
You do get that almost theatrical impact and the song portrays such a passionate and heartfelt approach that kind of gives you the idea that this came from something real.
This is the importance of songs like this one. The performance is a key factor in letting you know that this is a topic that was brought on from life experience and that's why it's so intense.
You can feel that intensity in the performance and with a song like this you're supposed to.
This track could definitely cause memories of your own to pop into your head and random and it definitely portrays a powerful and impactful perspective of the artist and what she puts into her music.
This track is actually alternative or pop rock if you would, but it's got that edginess that becomes part of why you get so attached to it.
The way the song is introduced you're really not sure where it's going to go but once those guitars come in you end up getting locked right into everything.
This track reaches out and grabs you and has a way of keeping you right where it wants you.
The entire thing comes through Anthony and vast which is why it keeps to that cinematic undertone and Vanessa does her thing with a certain gracefulness, so everything is just packed with character.
This was both beautiful and massive at the same time which is something you don't get often so this is especially for anyone that's into female fronted alt rock.
Cranking this single also makes you want to see her perform this live without question. You want to see if that intensity is still there in the live setting because it's so present on the recording.
But this was an outstanding single and with its release we wanted to touch base with Vanessa Lio to see where it actually came from and what really drove it.
We also wanted to see what might be coming up next for the artist.
Here's what went down.
RAG: Let's kick things off with "All in Vain". This single came through anthemic and fiery as well! Where did this track come from? I would say that 90% of the time, my songs start with lyrics and a random melody that pops into my head. All in Vain began after I had been battling really conflicting thoughts about certain relationships in my life that were hurting me. I realized that I was putting in all the effort and that I had clearly been sidelined - for whatever reason. RAG: When did this all start for you musically? Music has always been a part of my life. I was practically born singing. When I was younger, I loved writing. I used to write stories and recite them to my family. As I got older and became a teenager, I began writing lyrics. I sang in a choir and when I was in High School I joined the school choir and we had several performances. To this day, I am a lyricist first and a melody eventually finds its way to join the lyrics. Professionally, I have been performing, mostly around Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area, since 2012. RAG: These songs have some great styles! Can you give us some of your top musical influences? I have a difficult time describing what my musical style is, though I am deeply rooted in Rock music, because I have a variety of musical influences spanning several genres. Some of my top musical influences would be Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse, Led Zeppelin, Dolly parton, Celine Dion, Pink, The Beatles, Creedence Clearwater Revival....the list honestly goes on for days. RAG: What are you doing when you're NOT working on music? When I am not working on music, you will find me at a local history museum that I work at. I research old properties and artifacts and help to tell their stories. I also hang with my dog, like to do many outdoorsy things like hiking, and I just love being and hanging with friends and family. RAG: Who's in your headphones right now? I listen to a lot of different artists daily, but I am on a Danielle Ponder kick right now, as well as Alexisonfire, Slipknot and Allen Stone. I also listen to a lot of true crime Podcasts, like Sword and Scale and I love the Armchair Experts Podcast. RAG: Are you doing any live performances right now? Yes, I am! I am throwing a big birthday rock show on February 24 in Toronto. I will also be performing at various gigs throughout 2023. The best thing to do is visit my website, www.vanessalio.ca, to see updated show info. RAG: This single feels like a big undertaking, is there any advice you'd give to other up and coming artists out there? My advice is to plan. Give yourself enough time for marketing and promotion. You want to make sure that all your socials are updated with recent imaging and you just need to be consistent. Try to look out for grants that may be available to you to aid with the process. But the key is consistency, persistence and passion. Have fun and keep going. RAG: What can your fans expect from you in the near future? I plan to be releasing a couple more songs in the next few months, which I am so excited about! There is also going to be a music video coming out for the new single, "All in Vain". RAG: Before we go, what would you like to say to fans of the music?
Thank you! I am blown away by the love and support I have been receiving and I hope that you will continue to join me on this journey. I promise to release music that continues to come straight from the heart.