24/7 VALENCIA: Could you tell us about your musical upbringing and background?

ANA ZOMEÑO: They tell me that I sing the way I talk. I don’t know if that’s true but it’s what I like to do most in the world.
At the age of eleven I discovered the guitar and, thanks to one of my older brothers, I discovered Britpop and the Spanish rock bands of the 80s and I fell in love with the music. I learnt to play the drums when I was 13. At 16, I went from playing and singing in my room with the door closed to sharing the music by joining a rock and indie music group as a singer. Since then I’ve gone through rock, swing and jazz fusion formations….

I then began to get restless in wanting to compose my own songs.

Music has always been with me, cheering me up and inspiring me, becoming a source of strength that has brought me closer to people. I dream of generating that effect in the people who listen to my music. It is my particular way of empowering myself and creating a culture of emotions, as I like to call it.

Please tell our readers something about your EP, ‘Cinco Conocidas’?

I produced with Belén Muñoz what was to be a little demo in her home studio. The ideas evolved and, finally, the songs were orchestrated with musicians and friends… and the first EP, ‘Cinco Conocidos’ was born. It is a group of songs that summarizes most of the experiences that I have had so far.

The musical style of these songs include touches of swing, jazz, Latin jazz, blues or American folk, which are all great passions of mine…

Although my influences are very diverse -from Arctic Monkeys, Jorge Drexler, Norah Jones or Quique González- they are directly reflected in my music. I also have jazz influences with references to Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday or Anita O’Day.

AHORA
It is difficult for a song to fix the world but it is possible to empower the people who do. For me, this song meant relief. While writing it I repeated some chords in a loop and kept changing the melody. One day, I stopped searching and gave the song its title.

QUÉ BONITA
A sweet song to a friend who cries and says she doesn’t know why. Because crying is good. It begins with some verses by Jaime Sabines from which I put together the rest of the song. The person who recites the poetry is my friend Eva Mollo, with whom I wrote the poetry.

4 x 3
Song to say goodbye to first love. The oldest of the ”five known” songs.

BIENVENIDA MARÍA
It tells the story of Maria, the little girl of one of my friends. Maria was born with an ear condition that prevented her from hearing. I wanted to write this song for Maria and her mama as a gift during a season of intense battle. After much struggle, Maria will be able to hear. A swing, the style of music that Maria’s mother and I have sung & danced so much on stage to.

RUMBA NEGRITA
This song was composed after a co-operative veterinary trip to Malawi in South East Africa, where I lived amongst women from the region. Faced with a reality that makes it clear how little a woman’s life is worth, they have developed an inner-power. In honour of them, I composed this song en route to their local library.

LA CANTANT
I wanted to capture a part of the universe that lives inside someone who sings and gives a part of themselves every time they do it and who despite doubting themselves…they take risks. This was inspired by my singing teacher, who has become an artistic and vital reference. The video clip features both professional and amateur singers from the Valencian scene, including my mother.

Could you tell us more about your latest EP?
I have released an EP called ‘TALLER DE CANCIONES.’

There are six songs that were composed between May and July 2020, in the middle of the lockdown.

The EP owes its name to the online workshop during which it was created, also entitled ‘Taller de Canciones’ and taught by the Uruguayan singer-songwriter Gonzalo Déniz (Franny Glass).

Gonzalo proposed, in each of the meetings, different ways of creating songs and every Thursday, by video call, we all listened to the songs of all, talked about them and proposed new instructions to write a new song.

01. MUY LEJOS
My Spanish version of ”Half the world away” from Oasis.

02. UNA FOTO DESDE EL TECHO
A tribute to the imagination and dreams that save us and even scare us sometimes.

03. T.E.M.M.
Melody and lyrics written with an imaginary person in mind that you miss when he’s not around. Look out for some of the harmony of the jazz standard “Oh, Lady Be Good” by Ira and George Gershwin.

04. UNA ESPINA
Rabid song of hope. Hopeful song of rage.

05. DISIMULAR
I sing of what one was and no longer is.

06. HAIKUS A CANET
I wrote it from home during the lockdown, remembering the beach where I grew up.

LIVE BAND:
ANA ZOMEÑO:Electric guitar and voice
LUCIA ZAMBUDIO:Electric guitar
PAULA ZAMBUDIO:Bass
CATE GIOIRGI:Keyboard and voice
PABLO SORIANO:Drums.

Report by 24/7 Valencia team

More information: www.anazomeño.com
www.instagram.com/anazomenocanta
www.facebook.com/anazomenocanta