By Natasha Barbieri
Alessandra Paonessa is a beautiful Canadian born soprano who has set her sights on an international career. “Music isn’t just something I do, it’s who I am,” she shares passionately. “I was fortunate enough not to have options. I am good at many things, but I have always had a passion for music and wanted a career as a singer. I always knew from an early age that I wanted to sing.” She was influenced by her mother’s love for opera. “I grew up listening to the greats such as Kiri Te Kanawa, Sumi Jo, and Kathleen Battle and would always sing along.”
The love was just the first step for Alessandra. “I started my training very young and always took it quite seriously. Developing good technique is essential for any singer.” She studied at the Canadian Conservatory of Music and continued her training in University. “There is no one way to becoming a singer, however, I decided to go to University where I took language coaching in French, Italian, German and proper singing technique. The program I took also helped me develop my stage presence and showed me how to prepare operatic roles.”
During her time at University, Alessandra was awarded the ‘Sterling Beckwith Award’ for promising performers – a welcomed encouragement for any young singer about to face the ‘real world.’ It is clear Alessandra possesses an exceptional instrumental both warm and clear but she admits to struggling with her share of doubt and disappointment. “I am a bit of a perfectionist and also like things to happen quickly, but in the music world, it is all about patience. Music is extremely hard work; it’s competitive, and you have to have great determination and a real love for what you do. There are a lot of tough critics out there, so having a strong sense of one ’s self is also very important.”
She helps herself stay focused by making yearly lists of goals and projects she hopes to accomplish. “Throughout the year as things happen, I write it all down. In times of discouragement, looking at this list helps to remind me of everything that is happening. I also keep comments made by fans, and when I’m feeling down, read them over. But at the end of the day the one question I keep asking myself is, ‘am I having fun?, Do I love what I’m doing?’, if the answer is yes, then I pick myself up, dust myself off and start again.”
One of her proudest accomplishments so far was the release of her first album, “Remembering Heaven” an international collaboration with composer Chris Broom. “I still have to pinch myself every time I talk about how this international collaboration came about. Chris first heard my voice online through a competition I had entered in an attempt to share my music. He emailed me telling me he was a composer and would love to have me sing his compositions. The first song I heard of his was, ‘Dolce Vento’. I remember I was on lunch break at work, walking down the street with my cell phone to my ear and listening to the orchestral backing of the song. I think I was asked by someone passing by if I was okay because I had suddenly stopped walking as I was in complete disbelief that this was going to be my first single.” The song lead to a few more and quickly Alessandra found herself in discussions for a full album. “Chris had the orchestra fully recorded in the UK and then had the tracks sent to Canada where I recorded my vocals. This album was truly the product of a digital age as I never went to the UK and Chris never came to Canada. We produced the album together completely through email. In addition to Chris’ songs, I added a couple of personal favorites to the album. ‘Ai giochi addio’ and ‘Parla piu piano’ which were provided by award-winning arranger Teddy Nasr who sent the tracks from Lebanon!”
Alessandra is a proud classical crossover singer but she is also trained in opera and continues to be involved in that genre. How does she manage to pull off the technical differences between the two? “Continuous training, no matter what you sing, having a good technique is important. The real difference, I find, is using a microphone. Up until two years ago, I didn’t even know how to hold one! In opera, we are trained to project on our own. It has been a bit of a learning curve. Using a mic can certainly incur a little bit of laziness if you are not mindful, and you have to be careful you are not under supporting the voice when you sing quietly. But, on the other hand, you can find some different vocal qualities and colors by using the mic. In its intimacy, there is a kind of truth the microphone demands. It picks up everything, every detail, and that can be scary!”
When thinking about her dream career one word springs to Alessandra’s mind. “Fearlessness… I think this is my favorite word. Fear is a paralyzing mindset, and I use to struggle with being ‘scared’ what people think, the ‘fear’ of failing. But take fear away, you have nothing stopping you – just open possibilities! This helps me go after my dreams. I want to visit them all!” She hopes to establish herself as an international artist. “I absolutely love traveling and experiencing different cultures. Countries I’d love to perform in the UK, Australia, and Japan in particular.”
Crossover and opera singers face a unique challenge performing material that has been covered often and in many cases is closely associated with one artist. How does Alessandra ensure her interpretations are unique? “Anyone can sing, but I chose to communicate. With every song, I try to find a story- something special to me and communicate that emotion and/or feeling. When I sing, I don’t just want it to sound pretty but want my audience to feel what I’m feeling. I find that in doing this, it really helps me make the song my own, especially with well-known pieces that are performed by so many.”
It is important for her that her music is “genuine and real.” She says, “I hope that when I sing, they can feel what I was feeling when I was performing the song.” Her dedication is evident on the tracks from ‘Remembering Heaven.’ She is not just another pretty voice. The voice is beautiful of course, but so is her phrasing and expression. ‘Nella Fantasia’ is especially poignant.
Alessandra is happy to be an ‘indie artist,’ grateful for the control she has over her career. “Although it can be scary, instead of waiting to be discovered or for opportunities to fall into my lap, I like to take charge and create my own. This gives me the ability to be true to who I am as an artist and see my visions through to the end whether it be for a photo shoot, music video or production.” It makes those breakthroughs even more meaningful. One of her favorite moments so far was when a friend called to say her song was playing over the radio for the first time. “I thought that was pretty cool.”
In addition to music, Alessandra is passionate about Human rights. “If there is any way I can donate my time to a worthy cause, I do. Last month I was an ambassador for ‘Hope For Hearts’, this was a gala event to raise money for research on testing for heart abnormalities in fetus. It was so humbling to be in the presence of our everyday heroes and see how their work saves lives daily. It was an honor to be a part of it.”
Alessandra’s Advice to Other Dreamers
One of my favorite movies is Kung Fu Panda (yes I love kid movies). It is a cute film about a panda training to become a legendary warrior. Throughout the movie, he is trying to live up to this title, and what I loved about the movie is that the secret to being a hero in the end… was nothing. It was just being himself. What I have learned thus far in my journey, is there is no ‘magic’ anyone can give you to suddenly make your career take off. Although it sounds cliché, the magic is YOU. The music business is also tough. When I was young I was given some advice from a very wise, very well-known opera singer. They told me to first be a kid, train hard, and know who you are before pursuing a career in music – It was the best advice I was ever given and is what I would tell any aspiring singer.
Album Review
“Remembering Heaven” is a very pleasant album and considering it is Alessandra’s debut the quality is remarkable. The album features beautiful melodies like “Dolce Vento” and “Saro Tua Amor.” Her vocals are consistent in their loveliness through the recording and the arrangement’s compliment her voice beautifully. Take the gorgeous piano and violin on “Dark Waltz.” The piece previously associated with Hayley Westenra is given a simple treatment that suits the operatic vocals and is one of my personal favorites. The album features just the right balance of new material and familiar songs placed strategically throughout.
Recommended for: Fans of Anna Hawkins, Giorgia Fumanti, Rebecca Newman and Blake.
“Remembering Heaven” is available to purchase from Alessandra’s website: http://www.alessandrapaonessa.com/buy/remembering-heaven-album
