As part of our Music Made Us campaign, Noelle Vanyi from BIMM Institute London, explores her musical childhood. She also explains why having your own identity as a musician is so important.
My journey began in Barcelona, Spain, the city I grew up in. I was part of the Catalan choir, Orfeó Català, and we performed regularly at the Palau de la Música Catalana, a reputed concert hall in the heart of Barcelona’s emblematic El Gòtic neighbourhood.
After performing around Catalonia with the choir from seven until twelve, I joined another music school to attend weekly private lessons. I was introduced to classical music at an early age and taught classical singing techniques. It did not take long for me to be mesmerised by the different sounds my voice could make; I wanted to keep exploring and learning from different vocalists and absorbing information about their views on contemporary music and their own approach to it.
“I have always been on a musical journey of self-discovery and growth.”
By the time I turned 18, I had started to dive into the world of songwriting. I won my first songwriting competition in Spain called Musicaula with an original song in Spanish called ‘Una Vez Más’. After that, I wrote my first song ever to be released in English called ‘My Downfall’, and I have enjoyed songwriting ever since. From Paul Simon, Enya, and ABBA to The Weekend, Miley Cyrus, and Andrea Bocelli, I have always been on a musical journey of self-discovery and growth.
Finding inspiration near and far
Many artists have influenced my sound, but there is one in particular that I highly admire: Laura Pergolizzi. She is, to me, a perfect example of perseverance. Despite being dropped by her label several times, she is an outstanding songwriter. She has managed to keep writing for other artists such as Rihanna and Christina Aguilera whilst getting back on her feet as an artist. Nowadays, she is known across the globe for her release, Lost On You, and talks openly about all the struggles she had to face throughout her musical career.
In my personal life, my father has always been an inspiration to me. He taught me to keep working hard to achieve my goals in life no matter how bumpy the road might get.
Consistency and perseverance are two values that I hold close to my heart, as where I am today will always be different from where I will be tomorrow. That is what I want my musical career to be about.
Accessibility in today’s industry
London has opened so many doors for me so far. I am constantly surrounded by creative people who are willing to collaborate and partake in music-related projects. Seeing so many open mic events, jam sessions, and gig opportunities around me makes me feel very optimistic about my career. I am in the right place to take a step forward in my musical journey.
I believe the UK music industry to be reasonably accessible for upcoming artists. There are many opportunities to showcase new materials and engage in songwriting competitions. Some songwriting competitions can potentially lead to expanding your network and getting to know other songwriters/musicians to work with and learn from.
One of the things I would love from younger generations is to keep discovering different music genres. After listening to similar songs daily, I intend to incorporate classical elements into contemporary music by blending old country storytelling lyrics with operatic vocals.
“We have to remember that everyone has their own story to tell.”
In the future, I would enjoy listening to ‘pop songs’ on the radio that have their own identity and inspire younger musicians to pursue their own sound rather than imitating already established artists. We have to remember that everyone has their own story to tell, which is – in my opinion – what constitutes the beauty in music. This should never be forgotten.
Our Music Made Us campaign is told through the students, graduates, journalists, experts and passionate people who have been shaped by music. Discover their stories here.
