Samantha de Siena: Lifting the Veil

THE ARTIST

A few summers ago, Samantha de Siena, described as “a mixture between Beth Gibbons and Cat Power” (Butxaca) and likened to “Joanna Newsom’s dreamlike folk” (Time Out), set sail for Barcelona to follow her dreams of singing and writing music. There, amidst the magic of Barcelona’s old town, this singer-songwriter from London wrote her debut album, Here Inside (2010), which has received glowing reviews from many of Barcelona’s press and radio.

With her “beautifully unique voice” (El Periódico), Samantha de Siena combines folk, blues, jazz and punk into songs, both epic and delicate, which are capturing the hearts and minds of a rapidly growing, loyal fan base. Having performed live over the last two years, with her international band of talented musicians, she's now recording her second album.

THE PROJECT

Lifting the Veil, my second album, is a project very close to my heart, a journey i've been experiencing over the last few years and am excited to share with you!

Last year i began dreaming up the concept for this album and collecting together the different song ideas that came to me and these last few months i've been busy shaping the songs with the band, creating the team and organising production. We start recording with our new friend and producer, Suso Sáiz, on the 16th July and will continue throughout the summer.

THE STORY

Lifting the Veil is a direct translation of the Greek word, 'ἀποκάλυψις apokálypsis', which we know as 'apocalypse'. Although often used to describe the end of the world, an apocolypse is the disclosure of important truths, which were previously hidden from the majority of mankind, during an era dominated by falsehood and misconception. The Lifting of the Veil, or apocolypse, is therefore the end of illusion and a time of revelation and celebration.

This album is both a personal journey and a universal story, which i hope you'll enjoy, relate to and find inspiration from. Our tale begins with a girl and a boy, far away from themselves and trapped within the cruel pain of illusion. We follow their adventures as they begin to look beyond the veil and move into the unknown. What they discover on their journey forms the essence of this album and is shared with you through song.

"What if we already have everything we need and we already know the truth. If what once we forgot, we are now remembering..."

THE TEAM

We're lucky to have a magical team of people collaborating on this album.

Production

Lifting the Veil is being produced by Suso Sáiz.

Josep Baldomà is working on arrangements with myself and the musicians and Ricky Falkner and Darío Vuelta Frank are helping us with the recording sessions. Jordi Mora is working as our sound engineer and both mixing and mastering the album.

Musicians

David Soler - electric guitar, pedal steel, loops, effects

Jorge da Rocha - doublebass

Josep Baldomà - piano, accordion, samplers, hammond organ, fender rhodes

Nicholas Dominic Talvola - trumpet, flugel

Ricky Falkner - guitar

Roman Gottwald - violin, saw

Samantha de Siena - voice, guitar, chorus

Suso Sáiz - guitar

Xavi Molero - drums, percussion

This list of musicians is to be continued...

THE BUDGET

For over a year, i’ve been working to save money myself for this project and i'm now creating this campaign to raise the rest of the finances we’ll need to follow through with our plans. The €6,000 that we raise through Verkami will go towards the costs of the recording studio (to record the base of the album live), recording, producing, mixing and mastering the album. If, by luck, we raise more than €6,000, the extra money will be used to help us make a beautiful music video.

YOUR COLLABORATION

By buying your own copy of the album, or even your own private concert, in advance, you'll also be really helping us to complete this project and your support will be much appreciated!

SOMETHING FOR YOU

Whether or not you’re able to contribute financially, you’re all very welcome to download the first album, Here Inside, for free from our website and you can listen to the title track from this first album, produced by Dave Bianchi, here:

You will also be able to follow our progress with Lifting the Veil, via facebook and twitter.

I hope this message finds you well and happy!

With love and thanks, Samantha.