eduardo giusto & michael amadi

A few years ago, I had the pleasure to meet Eduardo. We worked together at a restaurant in South Kensington. Him being Italian and me being Greek, we bonded easily. Apart from colleagues, we became close enough to be invited to his barbecue nights and even closer when I introduced him to my best friend and soon after his girlfriend. Spending time with Eduardo made me realise how talented and how passionate about music he was/is.

One night, while invited to a Peruvian themed dinner at his house, I had the opportunity to meet Michael too. That night I was introduced to the magic of OneOrchestra. Talking to Michael made me realise how hard it can be for someone to do music professionally. Everyone thinks about fame and success, but not many realise the sacrifices one has to make to get there. On December the 4th, Eduardo and Michael released their first single featuring OneOrchestra, called "Overflowing with you". I instantly fell in love with it, not just because I personally know them, but because it made me feel like I was walking through a melancholic fairytale music forest... I couldn't help but request an interview from these two.

1. What is your favourite snack?

M: I love anything that has cheese in it.

E: Well… It depends if we are talking about salty or sweet and what time of the day. I love sweet stuff like KitKat or Mars bar in the middle of the morning. But probably my favourite are Pringles, the classic ones. Perfect saltiness and great every time of the day.

2. How did you meet and how did you decide to collaborate?

M: Eduardo and I met in London, we were in the same course at the Institute Of Contemporary Music Performance (ICMP, in short), where we studied Songwriting. It’s funny how in 5 years we actually never got to collaborate to the point of putting out a track together. Eduardo had the song and the idea of working on it with an orchestra. So when he asked I was really excited.

E: We were the only males in the class and both Italian... of course we ended up being very close 😊. We’ve talk about a collaboration for a long time and finally it happened!

3. How did One Orchestra start?

E: I think Michael can explain this one much better than me hahaha

M: OneOrchestra has been sitting in the back of my mind for years. I wanted to create something that would bring people together through music and that would use my love for composing, performing and producing. I have been moving towards this direction without completely realising what this idea would have shaped into. I have been doing working on so many charitable music projects all around the world for years (USA 2017, Canada 2018, Malawi 2019) and completed my master in composition for film and TV in the same year. The love for connecting with people combined with music, led me to create this project: a new ensemble of musicians coming from around the world to play as OneOrchestra. It wants to set an example of diversity and unity.

4. Was “Overflowing with you” always going to be produced with an orchestra?

E: No actually, and there is a video on YouTube of a performance of last year. The song, like most of mine, was born for guitar and voice. The collaboration started to amplify the meaning of the song. It’s been a very lonely period and the song talks about being alone and recalling good memories. What is the best way to arrange the song? Having an Orchestra playing it! You can feel from the song the power of people together.

M: The song uses an unusual tempo for a pop song and the challenge was to produce an orchestral arrangement that would go well with it and flow nicely with the melody. I like to think that we did a really good job to find the balance between the orchestra and Eduardo’s style.

5. If you had to choose between touring and playing the same songs forever or recording music and never performing live, what would you choose?

M: I would have to go with the first one, which is almost what touring means anyway. I wouldn’t be able to spend the rest of my life in a room creating music. The best part for me, comes from experiencing the music I create through live performances. Getting to travel, connect with people and share my story through the music I create, is one of the best feelings. I wouldn’t be able to give that up.

E: I love playing live, I believe it is the best part of being a musician and it’s also the way to show you’re good at it. But I do not think I’d be able to play the same song always, so I would rather not play live, be creative and write more and more and more....

6. Would you prefer your music to be played at birthday parties, weddings, first dates or break ups?

M: Weddings and Break-ups. I think that’s the vibe.

E: I kind of have the feeling my songs are better for break ups. Cause that's mostly the time I write my songs. It would be amazing to have songs at weddings, with all the people dancing and having fun. Let’s say I’ll try to write wedding songs, or at least happier songs.

7. What is the story behind the lyrics of your single?

E: As I mentioned before, the lyrics are melancholic. Not real sadness, but the understanding of being alone. It’s a general feeling for people, especially in the last year. The song started as a breakup song, but it turned out to be more than that. There is a "you" and an "I" as subjects of the song, but it speaks deeply inside people. We all feel lonely at some point in our life, but we are not alone.

8. Describe your music in 3 words

M: I always find it difficult to define the music I create in 3 or less words. There’s a whole world made of difference layers and colours. I think those 3 words would be easier to find for people who get to experience it, so I’ll leave it to them. But if I would have to answer for Eduardo’s music, I would say his music is MELODIES, STORYTELLING with a vibe of MELANCHOLY

E: I’d love my music to be inclusive, speaking to all different kinds of people. You can connect to the song wherever you are, no matter who you are. I always see the colour blue, with all the shades that come with it. And intimate, my personal life translated in stories.

9. Would you like to get signed by a major label?

M: I wouldn’t necessarily sign to a label. I think it’s all down to the game you’re playing as an artist. Signing to a label would mean the world if you’re looking to become the next worldwide superstar. I am personally happy to be in a place where I feel comfortable to create music, perform it live and get to collaborate on many projects. I always say that, as long as I get to live off of the music I do, I am happy.

E: Being an independent musician and having to think everything by yourself, is quite stressful. I would love to be signed and have a team to work with. It doesn’t have to be a major label, could be a small and independent label too. I wish I had a team of people that believe in my music and can help me get the best out of it. The production, artwork, promotions and everything behind a single song release. I would like to have someone that invests in myself and my vision.

10. Tell me something you always wanted to say to someone, but never got a chance to say.

M: Stop worrying about how many likes, comments, streams or views you get. Focus on establishing a really connection with your fanbase and the listeners. That is way more rewarding. Then the rest will come as a result.

E: Stop screaming about your life and try to understand other people problems. You are not the centre of the world and you going to lose everyone you have around if you continue this way.