playdeadnation: Interview: Sonya Scarlet (THEATRES DES VAMPIRES)

Theatres Des Vampires was formed in Rome, Italy, back in 1994. Originally a melodic black metal band, their style gradually evolved into gothic metal. The vampiric act with a very realistic, convincing presentation first recruited Sonya Scarlet as a backing vocalist, and since 2004 she remained in the band as the lead singer. She told us more about the personal and professional aspects of her life, enjoy!

pdn: Hey Sonya! First of all, please tell me a bit about how you met the band and decided to join them.

Sonya: Hell-o Playdeadnation! I met the band in 1999..such a long time ago! they were looking for a second girl for the backing vocals and the live shows. I really didn't know so well the band before but as I saw them in the rehearsal room I i was enchanted by their wonderful music, it was love at the first sight.So I decided join them and it all started.

pdn: What are some main characteristics of your live performances? I've read that your shows were banned in certain places, why was that?

Sonya: We give our best everytime we have a gig, I'm always myself on stage and I need to give the audience what I really feel. For me the stage is not fiction but the mirror of the soul. Being on stage is like to dig into our fears waking up the other part of us that often fell asleep, leaving it free, letting it feed with the energy that we create in our show.

I had some problems in some countries because in the past years I have let my fans would drink my blood and it caused me some problems. I decided to share part of my life, my blood with them cause in that moment I felt it. This thing has shocked many people and during my shows i had the police most of time to check that I did not do this again. In england it as incitement to suicide but obviously this was not my intention.Now I don't think I'm going to do it again cause my feelings and sensation are different, in this moment, but just because I decided it and not because someone told me to stop it.

pdn: Some of these were considered to have suicidal hints; I am curious, what is your actual opinion on suicide?

Sonya: I think people should do what they want. The important thing is not harming others. my freedom begins where it ends yours.

I think we must try to go on also when everything seems to be balck and painful. Life can hurt us so much but at the same time it offers us amazing things. the most beautiful things are the simple one. So simple that sometimes we don't see them. this world can blind you with superficial and unnecessary thing. Sometimes we just need to join the nature, going in a wood, far away from chaos to appreciate everything and to understand what is really important. We must love us, than we can even hate the others!

pdn: As far as I know, the band's name and main themes comes from the vampiric fascination you guys have. How did that start for you, what is it that attracts you most about the vampire world?

Sonya: I consider vampirism the most fascinating form of seduction. Courtship without touching except to kill and eat the prey, the rebirth of life through life itself that is the blood, immortality, the charm of ancient times, the obscurity, the night that hides its creatures .. the desire to be eternal and veiled in shadow, he beauty of what can not die and that a simple ray of sunshine crumbles, the moon lights up the steps.

pdn: What was it like to tour with Christian Death? Any particular, significant moment you can remember from that tour?

Sonya: It was our first real tour ant it was so amazing for me but hard at the same time. After that experience I learnt to survive on a tourbus with gigs everynight. I cannot have parties and more everynight if I want to give my best the day next. I really can't. So now I take care about eveything, healt, food, drinks..also if it's not so easy :)

I remeber when we found some Sambuca in a club in Germany probably. It's a so strong and sweet italian liquor. Gian Pyras played completly drunked after so many shots..Valor felt down from stage and everyone was dead at the end of the evening and completly fucked up. really funny!

pdn: You've recorded an album with Valor and Gian Pyres. What would be some bands you'd like to tour with and/or maybe collaborate for new material in the future?

Sonya: We really like to see how other artists interpret our songs, it's a magic moment for me. We had so many great artists in our past albums and we're thinking about new collaboration but it's working progress and I cannot tell you anything at the moment.

pdn: Who were some people/ bands that have influenced you musically and as an individual? Also, at what age and how did you start getting into the whole musical field?

Sonya: Everything can inspire me, a sunset, a landscape, literature, poetry, classical music,opera,movies..the life itself..I started listening to opera when I was born cause my parents loves it so much and I went to theater with them to see it lot of times. I felt in love with that world. The theater, the music, it was so amazing,..than at five years old I started to study ballet going later to the national academy of Ballet that is the most important school of ballet in Italy. we had the maestro playing the piano during the lessons so I had a great education of classical music. Later I also appreciate other kind of music such as glamrock, trash, dark gothic, metal and more. I still love music with great atmospheres. As female singers I love Bjork, Tori Amos, Siouxie, Diamanda Galas, Nina Hagen.

pdn: What are your plans for the near future? Tours, a new album maybe?

Sonya: We have a new European tour in April that will touch mainly Eastern Europe and countries where we were not able to play on the tour last year. In May will come out live DVD filmed in Moscow last year and that includes the teaser for the film The Cult Of Lamia that we're shooting where I play the role of Lamia and Theatres des Vampires are composing the entire soundtrack.

We're also working hard on new material and our tour manager is setting up two other tours on other coutries. We'll let you know as soon as possible.

pdn: Thank you so much for your time! Any message, final words you would like to add for your fans all over the world?

Sonya: Thanks for your support guys and see you on the road the next months! We love you!

Blood is life

Sonya Scarlet