Mexican composer, producer and multidisciplinary artist Oriana Gidi returns with ‘iloteca’, a richly detailed and deeply imaginative album that dissolves the boundaries between pop songwriting, experimental composition and cinematic sound design. Entirely self-produced, the record reflects an artist equally comfortable working across music, film, theatre and contemporary art.
At just 23 years old, Gidi has already built an extraordinary creative career spanning international collaborations, film scores and large-scale installations. With ‘iloteca’, however, she steps fully into the spotlight as an artist in complete control of her own sonic universe.
We caught up with Oriana to discuss the creative process behind the album, the relationship between her work in music and visual art, and how instinct, experimentation and curiosity continue to shape one of contemporary music’s most fascinating emerging voices.
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Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you got started in music?
grew up in Mexico City with my mom, who’s an incredibly well rounded artist herself; she’s an actress, a writer, a director and a singer. So I was exposed to music and the arts from very early on. We had a piano at home that belonged to my grandmother, and since I was 4 years old I would sit at it and try to make music. There’s recordings of me around that age playing and singing (poorly but passionately) on a little handheld recorder my mom had, including one 17 minute long one of the first time I was able to remember and repeat a piece of music, rather than playing stuff at random. My mom was very excited about my first “composition”. So it’s safe to say I had lots of encouragement at home. Then I went on to study music at Idyllwild Arts Academy in California, and then film scoring at Atelier 440 in Paris.
Who are your biggest musical influences and how have they shaped your sound?
I’ve had different kinds of influences. Artists like Lana del Rey and Marina had a big impact on me when I was 13 years old, which is when I started developing a musical identity that felt like my own. Later in life I discovered film music by composers like Danny Elfman and Thomas Newman, and that was a whole new awakening. More recent influences are artists like Juana Molina, El David Aguilar and Juana Aguirre, who inspire me to keep pushing the boundaries of what songwriting and production can look like.
Was there a specific moment or experience that made you decide to pursue music seriously?
Honestly, I’ve always known this is what I was going to do. I’ve never doubted it for a second and never had a plan B. I feel really lucky to have found my calling so early in life.
Can you walk us through your typical songwriting process?
I don’t really have a “typical” process, it’s often different every time. Sometimes concepts pop into my head and I write them down and keep them for later. Some get forgotten in a sea of random notes app entries and some become songs. Sometimes I’ll stumble upon a chord change I find interesting and start there. Sometimes I’ll write lyrics in a free flow state, and write melody and harmony to fit the existing lyrics. I think that’s the one that I’ve done more of lately, and that’s probably why most of the songs on “iloteca” don’t have a typical verse-pre chorus-chorus structure.
How do you find inspiration for your music and lyrics?
I’m a very curious person and I find most things interesting, so fortunately it’s easy. I particularly enjoy making up characters and writing very story-driven songs, such as Blue Bin Boy, Frozen Spiderwebs and Gambler. I’m also very inspired by themes of nature that are present in several songs on this album as well.
What themes or messages do you hope listeners take away from your music?
I hope people lean into the eclectic nature of the album, feel a whole range of things, and enjoy the ride. I’d love for people to walk away from listening to “iloteca” a little more curious about the little things, more inspired, more playful or even just happily confused.
What challenges have you faced as an emerging artist in the music industry?
I think one thing I found difficult when I was younger was not seeing many women composers, producers, etc, whose careers I could use as a template to build my own path. Let alone Mexican women. So sometimes you need to fight impostor syndrome and remind yourself that you belong in the spaces you want to be in, even if you don’t see yourself represented there. And happily, I’ve progressively started seeing more and more women take their rightful place in the industry and it’s exciting to continue to build community with them and make sure it gets easier for generations to come.
What has been the most rewarding aspect of your musical journey so far?
I think the fact that I get to call the thing I’m most passionate about, my job, is an incredible thing in itself. And to be able to do it without compromising any part of myself or my artistic vision, is something I’m forever grateful for. It’s a good feeling knowing I’m doing the things I want to do on my own terms.
How do you stay true to yourself and your artistry in a constantly evolving industry?
That’s the great part about being independent, no label is trying to get you to change yourself or your music into something more marketable. I truly value the freedom I have to create music that feels authentic and exciting to me, so that’s something that I will hold on to tightly forever. I think it’s important to remember why you do what you do, and who it’s for. In my case, I make music for myself first, because it makes me profoundly happy and it’s my way of processing my thoughts and feelings about the world. Only after I’ve made something that I found interesting, joyful, cathartic, etc, comes the part where I share it with other people, in hopes that someone will connect with it and enjoy it too. But I’m never thinking “will people like this?” when I’m writing music.
What can fans expect from you in the near future? Any upcoming projects or tours?
I will be playing “iloteca” live mainly in Mexico for the foreseeable future, but I’d love to come play a show in London soon, hopefully!
Where do you see yourself and your music career in the next five years?
I want to be scoring lots of movies and writing lots of songs and working with artists that I admire. I’m happy to say that’s pretty close to my life now, but I see it growing in scale and allowing me to travel and work in different places. There’s some specific people that I’d love to work with, from artists to film composers to directors. I’d love to write and produce for other artists as well. But whatever the timeline ends up being, I feel really grateful to be on the path that I’m on now.
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Listen to Oriana Gidi’s new album ‘iloteca’ below.
