Artist Bio
SONJA PERNEDA comes from Austria and has a totally awesome vocal range that is somewhere in the style of Tarja Turunen crossed with Sheena Easton and Sabine Edelsbache from Edenbridge. The music she has created is operatic with a folky, new age mystical, Egyptian edge. Sonja is also a very beautiful woman and I caught up with her to find out more about her superb music.
Music has always been a huge part of Sonja’s life. ‘There is nothing like an amazing tune that touches your soul’ she says to me. It all started when she was about eleven years old. ‘I discovered that I had a vocal ability distinguishing from other singers around me and I started to train my voice classically.' Later in her teens she performed her first gig. The audience loved what they heard which surprised her family and this was the start of our family business in music!
Sonja is inspired from all parts of life, ‘From people I meet, from stories I hear, from news I read. The nature in all its fascination and beauty never stops to give me stunning impressions for my song lyrics. It’s similar with my musical inspiration – I’m very open to any kind of music, from all parts of the world. Turkish folklore can be found in my songs as well as Spanish guitars or Classic Rock elements. Every song of mine is kind of a unique piece of art, and I try to give it what it needs to carry emotions and tell a story.’
She is finally happy to deliver her songs out to the public via the my space medium, even though the album is not yet fully complete. ‘After all the time and hard work constructing them I wanted my fans to hear something. Yes, I’m a perfectionist,’ she smiles. ‘My new songs cover quite a variety of styles. ‘Silent Screams’ for example is very rock-driven and melodic, with rather operatic vocals. The story behind is a feeling of great loss but still you are pretending to be alright in public, not allowing anyone to take a look behind the mask. But in the darkness of the lonely night you cannot deny the Silent Screams of your heart anymore…’
‘Angel of Turkey (Türk melegi)’ is a fusion of oriental and occidental music and language. It’s my personal love song to the country and people of Turkey. I have fallen in love with this land many years ago, with its cultural richness, natural beauty and warm-hearted people. ‘Voice of Peace’ is kind of an Orchestral Ballad, dedicated to PEACE. I believe that there is nothing like music when you want to tear down walls between people of different nations and cultures. When we take a look at the world nowadays, PEACE is what it needs the most, through mutual respect and tolerance instead of prejudices and blind hate. That’s what Voice of Peace is calling for. It’s also the official song and maxim of the Non-Profit-Organisation ‘Voice of Peace’ that I am honoured to represent. ‘Time has come’ is again very rock-influenced. The lyrics reflect my school time and the long way from being an outsider, mobbed by the majority, to a self-confident person who doesn’t depend on other peoples’ approval anymore.
Sonja is humbled by the response especially in Austria.’ As an artist, you are always worried whether your audience digs your songs as much as you do. In that case, there was no reason to worry. People from all parts of the world gave me positive reaction, stating that my sound is unique.’
Sonja is currently recording her CD. ‘I prefer to take my time to collect great song material, to write meaningful lyrics on the songs and record them properly. Since I’m also in the final of my University studies – I study Law in Vienna – I have to split myself constantly between learning, recording and performing. Oh well, who needs sleep at all!? The album ‘Voice of Peace’ should be out in the winter 2008. I’m primarily a vocalist and lyricist, occasionally dropping a good tune. So I usually work like that: I receive the final backing track from the composer and then do the voice and chorus recordings in my own studio, finally do a nice mix and that’s it. All the recordings have been done in 2007 and 2008.'
Sonja’s passion though is in her live performances. ‘Playing live is the salt in my musical soup! The stage is the place where you get in contact with your fans, where you spread your messages, where you celebrate together with the audience. When I stand on stage, I give everything to my fans; I lay my heart and soul in front of them. And they notice that and lift me up. My current show ‘Orient meets Occident’ is a show where East meets West, a fusion of Oriental and Occidental music, language and dance. It had already led me through Middle Europe and the Middle East, through countries like Germany, Austria, Switzerland as well as Syria, Turkey, Egypt and the Kosovo. Designed as a One-Woman-Show, it allows me to be very flexible and yet pure, showing my entire vocal and dance abilities’ she explains.
Sonja is currently finalising her duet with Omri Lahav a composer/singer from Israel, with stunning lyrics pleading for peace from Peace Nobel Price winner and current president of Israel Mr. Shimon Peres. Then she will be releasing her new album and promoting it all over the world and touring as much as possible. I for one cannot wait to hear the album in full – it’s going to be a big sounding record with cinematic themes and progressions.
Check Sonja out at www.myspace.com/sonjaperendamusic
