About Djai Skjellerup

Tuesday 14 July 2009




Djai is a piano singer/songwriter. He writes simple, timeless, classic songs accessible to all.

Djai's shows consist of all original material played and sung totally live. Whether you want to rock or be mellow you will come away from his shows singing the songs to yourself.

He also wrote the original song "Get It Together" and completed the project to see it collaboratively recorded by 13 SL musicians. The track is available freely all over Second Life as a way to raise the profile of live music in SL. The musicians who collaborated on this project are: Djai Skjellerup, Toby Lancaster, BabbleGrabble Swindlehurst, Kim Seifert, Mimi Carpenter, The Professor, Rich Desoto, Jambalaya Fonck, Zak Claxton, Norris Shepherd, Jean Munro, Freestar Tammas and Lyn Carlberg.

Here below some questions I posed to Djai and his answers, all about Second Life live music.

Do you want me to use your real name?

No...please use my SL name


Where are you from?
I live in the south west of England near the city of Bath.


How long have you been playing music?
I had violin lessons when I was 7 and I was supremely bad but it did at least teach me to read music. I then went on to play the organ which is where it started to fall into place for me.


What instruments do you play?
I concentrate on piano now but I can turn my hand to all keyboard instruments


How did you discover SL?
I first heard about SL from a magazine article in the UK and immediately connected with it's promised ability to provide a platform for musicians to be heard.


What has influenced you to get your to where you are today musically?
It's been a long road for me in alot of different genres. Once I started playing the organ I was playing theatre, church and electronic organ and I soon began playing gigs in my teens. I played for weddings, birthdays, recitals; just about anything I could. I had a wide range of musical styles from classical to swing and jazz standards. While studying for a music qualification I began composing at around the age of 15. By the time I was 17 I had realised that some music was perceived as cool and some not so cool and I got into writing songs and being in bands. I had a variety of roles in a few bands all of which nearly did something but ended up gloriously unsuccessful. Gradually the shadow of responsibility meant that music took a back seat to career and family and although I was always still involved in music it was only with SL that it became thoroughly reinvigorated.



Do you think SL can be a valid showcase for your RL works? -
Indeed, I am dedicated SL as it is the perfect medium for someone in my position. I do not see myself as someone who is simply using SL to further a RL career but rather that everything I do now musically is steeped in using SL as an outlet.




How would you describe your style?

I am a melody junky. I write Melodic songs with thoughtful lyrics on piano and vocal. For my shows it's just me and a piano. I try to engage the audience in my shows and make every one as filled with energy, enthusiasm, wit and discovery as I can.


Which are the sources of your inspiration?
There are many melodic pop and rock acts that have inspired me musically but mostly these days it is everyday occurances and events that inspire me more.

Do you use other kind of digital promotions?



I have a website: http://www.djaiskjellerup.com

A myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/djaiskjellerup1
and a 61 page: http://www.thesixtyone.com/djaiskjellerup




Check Djai out at..
www.djaiskjellerup.com
www.myspace.com/djaiskjellerup1
www.thesixtyone.com/djaiskjellerup

About Roberto Tardito -Freenote

Sunday 5 July 2009


Roberto is a young italian singer and songwriter:he started making music in 1998. In 2003 he wrote the music for the show "Simone Weil". After that, in 2004-2005 he presented his songs in several live shows, included a performance during Tavagnasco Rock Festival. In that night he performed on the same stage as Mauro Pagani and Morgan. During 2006 he worked to a discographical project, CONTROVENTO, released in July 2007In this album some famous Italian artists played with him. People like: Francesco Guccini, Ivano Fossati, Angelo Branduardi, Fabrizio De André, Niccolò Fabi, Samuele Bersani.
In 2008 he released his last cd "OTREBOR".


Here below you can find the usual little interview I do to all my SL friends who have something to say about their passions and works in the uni- and meta-verse :)

Do you want me to use your real name?

Yes of course, Roberto Tardito


Where are you from? Torino, Italy.

How long have you been playing music?
I started studying music when I was five...so definitely almost all of my life!


What instruments do you play?

Mainly piano and guitar but I like to play other instruments too such as ethnical ones whose sound is easily recognizable in my albums.I have a deep passion for thes ones!


How did you discover SL?

My manager told me about SL at the end of 2007, and I took the decison to do a sort of test.
I've always been very curious about new communications tools and actually SL is above all a social network that allows to share music in a very easy way.


Which hare the influences that get you to where you are today
musically?

I've been always listening to music since I was a little child.
As a matter of fact every kind of music I've been listening to influenced my style.
Among my favourites I include international artists as Peter Gabriel, Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, Genesis, Deep Purple, Yes.
The italian musicians I like the most are Franco Battiato, Ivan Graziani, Angelo Branduardi, Ivano Fossati, Francesco De Gregori,Fabrizio De Andrè, Francesco Guccini..


Do you think SL can be a valid showcase for your RL works?

Definitely I think so.. I started doing a few concerts in order to promote the album "Controvento"..and due to a good feedback of the audience I finally did up more than 100 live gigs.What I like the most in SL live music concerts is the chance to reach with ease in the same moment people living in different parts of the world.


How would you describe your style?

It's very hard for me to answer to this question... I consider myself as a craftsman...when I write a song I put together my thougts and my feelings with all the music and the literature I have absorbed so far.

Which are the sources of your inspiration?

I'm attracted by different musical genres , often with anything in common
Often from these contaminations source new ideas ...
My lyirics are rather inspired by my fantasy and by all the novels and poems I read...

For more infos about Roberto check his web site
http://www.robertotardito.it/news.htm

Second Life-Second Chance

Wednesday 1 July 2009

Actually I am astonished for the great energy that streams from all the artists in the metaverse. Musicians, painters, video makers,photographers always look for virtual stages that let them express their feelings and their creativity.
Second Life offers a great (second) chance to all:it allows to go through paths that maybe have been inaccessible so far.
Of course everyone can drop in the web their works though blogs, web sites, facebook and so on, but only Second Life can give a "real" feedback because behind the avatars real people clap or boo during the events.
That's why Second Life is still alive and kicking:music venues, art galleries and "virtual" universities open almost everyday, gathering energies and passions that maybe have been hidden under the clutches of ordinary people fighting for day-by-day living...the need to pay our bill can be an heavy boulder for artistic ambitions.
I'd like to know your stories of "virtual" (and maybe, why not, real)artistic achievements inworld...:)