Muca & La Marquise is a very unique project that is formed by Muca (Murillo Sguillaro) who is a Record Producer, Songwriter, Sound Engineer, and Radio Host, and La Marquise is a fictional character.
‘Devil’s Dance’ will be released tomorrow and it was the perfect timing to have a more in-depth conversation about music and the inspiration behind this mysterious project.
Congratulations on your latest release ‘Devil’s Dance’. Tell us about your journey before your very first single ‘London’?
I am a music producer, songwriter, guitarist, and mixing engineer originally from São Paulo, Brazil. I have been based in London and Hackney now for 11 years. I’ve been working with loads of up-and-coming artists from the London music scene and have my studio, The Secret Warehouse of Sound, where I bring my ideas together. I had so many musical ideas in mind for a really long time, but somehow, didn’t manage to put them together. One day I realized it was a shame not to do so, but as I don’t sing. Probably that is why I was holding back. I then realized with so much experience and knowing great singers and musicians, why not create various projects where I could show some of the music I can create and not being stuck in a box? Think of Santana, Nile Rodgers. There you go! I then met this girl and we started to work and write some songs together and later worked with all the production and arrangement as well.
What does it mean to be launching your career during such a historic time?
What I learned the most. Be prepared for changes. Sometimes challenges are what make us creative. I’m not playing live, but on the other hand, I’m having more time to focus on songwriting and composing. I guess for me it’s been an absolutely amazing time and I then realized I can use it in my favor. And to be honest, for now, due to geographical reasons, it would be slightly challenging for a tour or something, so it has been a good thing. I’m putting more music out and later next year when things get back to some sort of normality then I can think of gigs. Obviously, I miss gigs and seeing friends and family.
What made you decide to choose ‘London’ as the very first single to introduce you to the world?
I think it’s related to me being an immigrant and this relationship between myself and the city. La Marquise feels the same, and when we released it was just the beginning of summer. It’s a summery track and we thought would be good to start with some sort of good vibe. It’s a kind of an introduction of what would come up next.
The song was created one sunny day in a Park in London Fields. What was the trigger to write the song?
We were working on songs at the studio and it was one of those amazing sunny and rare summer days in London. As the studio is in a basement we thought it was a shame to be locked in and decided to head up to London Fields which is 05 minutes walk. We sat there, grabbed a beer and the first chord progressions came up very fast and easily. I think we wrote the track in 30 minutes or less!
You just released brand new single ‘Devil’s Dance’. Tell us more about it
It’s a relationship between a couple that is not going well. Too much going on on and one side of this relationship is not there for the other.
How do you capture ideas that come to you?
Musically it can start with a chord progression, a riff or a melody. Mostly when I’m playing guitar, but sometimes I can be playing keys or drums, or even cycling and an idea just comes up. I stop everything I’m doing as I can forget things very easily, and just mumble a melody on my phone or record a very rough version. Sometimes with the chord progression, I press record on my phone and literally improvise a melody line. It’s impressive when you’re not thinking too much, and you let your mind flow, how creative you can be.
What is the idea behind ‘October Blues’?
I guess most of this album is about broken relationships! It’s about you being this creature, floating around angels and demons. It’s a very nice bluesy track and I’m happy with the results and the feedback has been great.
Music to me is everything
MUCA & LA MARQUISE
You mentioned that La Marquise is a character. How would you describe her?
She’s this 22 year-old girl with this quirky and unique voice. As she’s not too keen on appearing live, that’s the way I created this character. After all, you don’t have to follow a certain formula. What matters is if you have good music to show to the world. After the release of the album next year, I’m already looking for another singer and characters for new songs I’m writing. It’s been quite exciting times.
What you’d like to be remembered for?
Someone that has always put good music first.
Did the lockdown have an impact on how you create music?
It helped actually. The beginning was really great because life stopped, and one of the things that modern society suffers is time to do things properly. I don’t believe this multi-tasking society is working at all. There is some research saying kinds are lowering their IQ. We’re trying to act as robots, but we’re humans, not machines.
What is one piece of advice that you will never forget?
Time is the most important thing we have. Nothing buys time, so, use it while you have it. Our time here on this planet is very short and we must get the best out of it as one day suddenly is gone.
What are your biggest musical influences?
Guitarists in general, but I always loved drums as well. I would say Hendrix, Vaughan, Johnny Winter, João Gilberto, Miles Davies, Page, Alice in Chain and many others.
How do you define success in the music business?
I have to say I absolutely hate the music business. And for me, this is the biggest challenge for the 21st-century musician. How will you improve your music if you spend most than half of your day doing admin/social media and all of that? Musicians also are very unlikely fairly paid, so we need to work extra hours just to get some decent pay.
Having said that I believe success is:
1. Knowing your music is of great quality and will stay on people’s minds for a long time.
2. The goal is if some of those become classics.
3. While alive, being able to earn money enough to keep mostly making music and improving your music and writing skills.
How would you describe 2020?
It’s a love and hate relationship
What you got planned for 2021?
Loads! I’m co-writing and producing this seriously great girl, Alice Kennedy. We’re putting out an EP next year and a one-off track with an incredible surprise being featured. I’m also releasing the Muca & La Marquise album, releasing The Beatflux (my rock project) EP, releasing The LABRIT Project, my world music project, and possibly kickstarting Muca & La marquise stage II. It’s going to be an extremely exciting year ahead.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our audience?
Please support independent musicians. If you can, help them with independent music-friendly platforms such as Bandcamp. There are many great talents out there getting lost as music became something very hard to live of.
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