We kick off our 2018 with an interview we conducted at the tail end of last year with the fabulous PAVVLA. The Barcelona based rising star first left an impression on us with the track “Skin“ before wowing us at SXSW. We were glad to dig deeper and also feature her recent single/video “This Is Not A Movie“:
Cougar Microbes: What time did you wake up today? Was it out of choice or necessity?
PAVVLA: I woke up at 8 am. Clearly necessity, I would never wake up at 8 because I fancy it!
CM: Describe your sound to the uninitiated?
P: Dark and floaty…. If that’s a thing.
CM: What were the highlights of 2017 for you?
P: Playing Primavera Sound and SXSW, by far.
CM: How do you kill time on the road when on the road? hobbies/games?
P: When I’m on the road I’m really lucky to be joined by three lovely people. Two of them are musicians and they play with me and the other one is my manager. We just happen to be friends and we’re always laughing and making stupid jokes. We’re kings of puns, so you’d hear a lot of (bad) puns if you were to go on the road with us.
CM: What have been your favourite venues to play? Any venues you hated?
P:I played an acoustic gig at a cave once!! It was so pretty and special. I don’t think I’ve particularly hated any venue yet…
CM: Are you able to write on the road or do you do this in your off time?
P:I’m more likely to write lyrics on the road, on my phone or anywhere I can write down my thoughts. However I can only produce and come up with melodies when I’m on my own in my off time
CM: Is there a song you are simply sick of playing live?
P:I thought by now, after a year of touring, I would be sick of playing some songs but it’s not the case. I still try to play them like they were brand new. It’s more fun that way!
CM: What is the songwriting process like for you?
P: I usually write about really specific things that have happened to me, or specific thoughts and feelings I feel at the time. I don’t know how to express them as well as I¡d like to so I go to my imaginary laboratory in my mind and I write melodies and stories that make me feel like I’ve explained what’s happened to me properly.
CM: Do your songs go through many revisions and demos before recordings?
P:Yes! Some of them need to be another song before they become the actual song that I’m happy with and others are born exactly the way they will be when the song comes out.
CM: What came first, the lyrics or the melody?
P: Usually lyrics
CM: What is your favourite track of yours?
P: It depends, I have the most fun playing live “Guns“. But I’m really proud of how we produced “Planets and Stars“, “Young” or “For A Long Time“!
CM: If you could record any cover in the world what would it be?
P: On the show I always play “Can’t take my eyes off of you“, so I guess that one!
CM: Any other artists/bands from your local scene we really should know about?
P: Nuria Graham
CM: What is the most flattering thing you’ve read about yourselves?
P: Whenever I read tweets or messages from people that like ‘Creatures‘ and enjoy the songs, that’s the most flattering thing someone could say to me.
CM: What was the first record/tape/cd you ever bought?
P: “Songs about Jane” – Maroon 5
CM: What was the last song that got stuck in your head?
P: “New York” , St. Vicent!
CM: -What was the last show you paid and queued up for?
P: Oh my days, LORDE. I’m still shaking.
CM: If you had to bring on artist back from the dead in exchange for sending a living artist down, which artists would it be and why??
P: I don’t think I would want to send any living artists down!! haha If I could I’d bring back Jeff Buckley.
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