Tempo Talks: A Conversation with Diego Molina

THE RELEASE

Diego Molina is a figure, in the music scene defying easy categorization with his wide ranging musical journey. From high energy pop to electronica he has explored genres and left his mark. Molinas talents have been showcased in Romantic Relevance, a pop group well as S.A.D., an innovative ensemble that delves into the realms of electronica and hip hop. As an artist he has evolved in a way drawing inspiration from rock, pop, folk and contemporary artists, like Dashboard Confessional and The Wonder Years. Molinas songwriting skills are truly unique as he blends his influences with his perspective to create music that stands out from the rest.

Diego Molina showcases his talent in his album called "When the Whole House is Asleep" particularly in the standout single titled "Ego Death." The song bursts onto the scene demonstrating Molinas understanding of dynamics. He cleverly incorporates a whisper at the beginning saying, "Would you like to join me on a journey, in my beautiful balloon? Together we can soar through the skies. Lose ourselves in the experience." With its crash and Molinas impressive vocal range during the chorus this track grabs attention with its sincerity. Each guitar tone emphasizes substance than flashy displays while Molinas vocals exhibit a boldness, in songwriting that avoids clichés. In "When the Whole House is Asleep" Diego Molina takes his artistry to new heights, offering listeners an experience that transcends traditional boundaries within the ever evolving soundscape.

THE INTERVIEW

If you had to create a Mount Rushmore of inspiration, what four individuals molded the artist you are today?

I grew up with a dad who is a fine artist. So at a really young age I was in his studio listening to Soundgarden, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, you know, all the grunge heroes. But then we’d also get into John Mayer, Victor Wooten, Goo Goo Dolls, and Mary J. Blige…And this was at a very high volume. This wasn’t your “listening to Mozart in the background” kinda thing. It was LOUD.

So I was exposed to the energy of that sound and the energy of someone painting a six foot canvas. That’s what I was witnessing as a kid. So that to me is the #1 thing that molded me as an artist. That studio was a place of passion, of love, of hard work, and faith. Big faith. Belief in what you’re doing and where it’s coming from….Those things influenced me the most.

Were there any personal experiences or stories that influenced the creation of the EP, and if so, how did they shape the final product?

I’m someone that generates a lot of work. I write a lot of songs. As an artist, you’re processing life as it’s happening but it doesn’t always mean those songs should function as an album. It was never my intention to write one actually. But what happened was, I moved to Seattle, I knew no-one in that city, and I lived alone.

I was also dealing with really bad insomnia at the time. So these circumstances led to a very specific experience of life. And the songs I started to write were completely different from anything else I had ever written. Because you know, when you cant sleep and you’re by yourself without distractions, you process a lot of life. And when you give yourself that space and not fill it, you process things very truly, and in a very real way.

How did you approach the selection and arrangement of the songs on this project to create a cohesive and impactful listening experience for your audience?

That’s something I just credit to intuition. You can’t deconstruct and measure that one too much. Cause when I went up to Rochester to record the album, I had like twenty-six songs to choose from. It’s funny, this album travelled across the country and it’s influenced by the city streets, and the rain, and the loneliness of Seattle. And then I moved to Nashville, and it was the front porches and backyards and community I found there. And then it was finished in Dave’s studio in New York. New England is where I’m from, so we recorded it in this spirit of staying true to my identity and sense of self.

Those things really guide you as an artist. And thats what made it and turned it into an album.

How do you see this EP representing your artistic evolution or progression, and what new elements or techniques did you experiment with during its production?

That’s a great question because this is essentially the fifth piece of music that I’ve released. I released three EPs under a rock band called Romantic Relevance. After that, I put out an EP with my friend Scouty who is another great artist, and we put out Socially Acceptable Drugs. And that to me was like everything influenced by Roy Blair and BROCKHAMPTON and Dominic Fike and that whole LA scene of 2016 that was just legendary.

With this, I wanted it to feel like Heartbreaker from Ryan Adams or Coldplay’s Parachutes. There was a sense of… “I want to go against all the production and the onslaught of ideas…” How do we create something that’s poignant? And that deals with negative space.

This record feels like you’re awake at 3 AM when no one else is there. The way your feet sound on the floor and like how loud cereal sounds when you pour it at 3 AM. That’s a spirit that is in this record.

It feels very intimate, which is not like a lot of the other things I’ve done. I really learned how much you can do with just three people, especially live. We just played as a trio at the Bowery Electric and you know, like looking at Nirvana or Blink, you realize how much you can do when you’re not trying to fill up every sonic space with noise. The whole record is actually based on recording around a trio. Myself, Dave Drago on bass and engineering, and Seán Barna on drums. He played on the whole album with these sticks that were essentially a bushel of wheat, and he would just smack the shit out of them on these drums. And you know as hard as you hit them, there’s just a threshold of volume that you can’t pass and that helped to create air and touch and sensitivity in ways that I never knew you could. It served the art so well.‏

Can you share any memorable or profound moments from the recording or writing sessions that had a lasting impact on you personally or creatively?

I will never forget hearing Seán play drums on 30 for the first time. That was a song that I wasn’t sure was gonna work, but it meant so much to me.

It was a very specific song about falling in love with someone who was poly and like, I’m not. So this song is very delicate and a sensitive thing of them trying to figure out if they could make it work with me and me trying to like you know empathize and romanticize and try to make it work in myself. It’s a unique story like that and very sensitive and personal. But I just didn’t know if it was gonna work as a good song.

I walk into the studio, close the door, and the click goes off like beep, beep, beep, beep…and then Sean comes in with this groove and physically my jaw dropped. My heart just fluttered, and I was humbled. I was witnessing this love, this music, manifest in a way that I never knew was possible. And I remember thinking like yeah, every sacrifice I have made for this, is worth it. For this moment. For this being manifested into the world, and for this happening and appearing in front of me, like magic…Every sacrifice is worth it because of that. I will never forget it.

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