The music of Tristano Pala from Cagliari to Berlin: «The talent? Overrated. The bands? Like wives, but I'm not getting married anymore"

"Am I an artist? But no, that's a somewhat romantic word, a title that others give you. I'm not a technician, creative yes, I invent music, I write lyrics, and I hope to always do it in a positive way». Tristano Pala, a 39-year-old from Cagliari, has lived in Berlin for years and in the German capital he has found a way to express himself from many points of view. The career of music is the one he has chosen to pursue even if, he underlines, «I don't believe in talent. It's overrated. Music is a very complete human activity and there is so much more».

Baptism name inspired by the literary world, «my father is a passionate reader of books», he also chose it for his career: «Basically it is rather singular, I don't say unique, and not easily confused».

Studies at the Cagliari Conservatory, he plays the flute, the guitar, and a keyboard base that he needs to compose. In the past he has collaborated with big names such as Alma Mediterranea and Balentia.

How would you describe your music?

«Very positive, it's one of the feelings I like the most. I recently received a compliment that made me very proud: a person facing a difficult moment told me that he had heard a piece of mine and felt strong emotions. Here, transmitting and awakening emotions is something important. It is not necessary to give yourself a role: for example "I must be happy", the music must express who you are and certain things you cannot decide at the table».

When did you start this journey?

“I have always dedicated myself to making my own music. And I produce myself. I had a group, Fun Key, we played together for a long time since 1999. We made a genre that combined funk and related, hip hop, rock, with lyrics in Italian».

Then he chose a solo career.

«Yes, but there was a transition in between: we all moved to Berlin, and we also achieved good results, but then we broke up and I founded another original music group in English, The Hoo. I sang and played the flute. We were more jazz, soul, less rock and with a mix of electronica. The band went on from 2011 to 2018».

And then?

«The pandemic finally stopped everything, it wasn't a great time for music. I was shut up at home and I said to myself: these two groups were a bit like family to me, like having had two wives and been divorced twice. So I decided: I'm not getting married anymore. And I recorded an album, "My 1st 3", with 9 tracks, as a genre always a little funk, which is in my DNA, but with something more modern, including electronic notes and R&B».

Now what is he doing in Berlin?  

  «I live on music, I give lessons, I follow projects, I work a lot with children, and I collaborate with a theatre, a small company, Zenobia Theatre. On stage there is the music that I compose, and in the meantime I play, while the actors play».

Don't you miss Cagliari?

«But here, apart from the cold, there are many stimuli on the art front. After the fall of the wall everything had to be rebuilt and the result was more than good».

Are there any messages you want to send with your music?

“I've tried to do that in the past with protest songs, love songs. Now I'm just myself, I don't carry messages: I'm not a politician and it's also dangerous to take sides because you exclude a certain part of the public. And I don't think music has that role. Open-mindedness yes, making people feel good too, the rest no».

Can you live on music?

«Yes and even more than before. This is an issue I've struggled with for years, the concern about the fact that it couldn't be done is present above all in Italy where you hear yourself say "but look for a serious job", and this takes you away from the goal. If you want to improve yourself by being a musician, you develop skills that you will then be able to exploit. Of course, at 18 you don't see all of this."

Today, as someone said, everyone can make music. It's really like this?

"Yes. I don't believe in talent. It's overrated: music is a very complete human activity and there's so much more. Let's take Fabrizio De Andrè for example, he created beautiful music, but is he a musical talent? Like Mozart? By Miles Davis? Or Jovanotti: he is anything but a talent. Yet he is a singer, but I know many people who are unable to express themselves. Talent helps but there must be much more».

And the "improvised" ones?

"Oh, there are many. Today it's so easy to create music that you can take loops and edit them all yourself. You really can't do anything. History proves that if you pick up a guitar and can play two chords, you can play. This is how young people appropriated music. Today's pop would like to be like this. Everyone can make music but there is a difference between those who have a message to give – even if they are not technically prepared – and those who improvise and don't have much to say».

The problem then is the business.

«Of course, the big industries make anyone believe they are a great musician and "sell" it to people. In short, there is money involved. The image of a person is exploited, perhaps attractive or with particular physical characteristics, they are placed alongside good musicians, and the phenomenon is born. If we add that social networks have a great deal of weight, the game is done. In two days you become famous, even though you have no value.'

How is your latest album, “My 1st 3”?

«Nine tracks, four are singles with as many Youtube videos. They are different pieces but linked by a link. For example, in all of them there are melodies poised between cheerfulness and strong melancholy. And then there is also the plan to redo the music of famous TV series, such as the one already published which follows the initials of Inspector Derrick».

Other ideas to implement?

«I am collaborating with Sacalabolseta: he is the director of these latest productions, a videomaker as well as a dear friend and he also acts as my image consultant. I think that collaborations lead to always having richer ideas, the best comes from the comparison. He's Sardinian but I'm lucky enough to have him often in Berlin because it's a city he likes».

There is a slightly “vintage” flavor to the videos. Or not?

«Very vintage but in the true sense of the term: Sacalabolseta really uses instruments that we consider vintage, super 8 and vhs from 1990 for example».

Ever thought of participating in a talent show?

«No, even if my father asks me at least once a week. I don't like them, I've never looked at one for more than a minute, I think if I went I wouldn't be comfortable. It wouldn't be me."