Lyria is a Symphonic Metal band formed in 2012 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. With two full-length studio albums, a live album, and four music videos so far, Lyria has made their voice heard loud and clear and extended their fan base from their hometown in South America to North America and Europe.
We had the chance to chat with the lovely Aline Happ, the mezzo soprano vocalist and founder of Lyria.
(Featured Photo Credit: Roberta Guido)
Interview
Mirk: Hello Aline. Thank you for taking the interview! How are you doing today?
Aline: Hello, Mirk and hello to all FemMetal readers! Thanks for the interview. I am doing OK, thanks, and you?
Mirk: I’m doing great, thank you!
So you’re the founder and lead vocalist of Lyria, a band that is cruising into the metal scene right now. How does that make you feel?
Aline: It is crazy to think that some years ago Lyria was just starting and now Lyria is getting bigger and bigger. Since 2012 a lot of things happened.
Everyday different people come to our page to say they discovered us and our music is helping them someway, and that is amazing! I know we have so much more to do, but I am really happy with everything we got until now.
Mirk: That’s truly amazing! Most ladies that can sing today head towards solo careers in Pop. What made you choose to form a band and be a Symphonic Metal vocalist?
Aline: I always liked to sing, when I was a child I used to watch Disney cartoons, with the princesses singing and I wanted to do the same. Also, my parents and I discovered a lot of metal and rock bands together. When I was 13, I listened to Evanescence and thought: “OMG! I want to sing this style of music”. Months later, my mom and I listened to Nightwish for the very first time and we fell in love with the music. So I started to listen to a lot of different symphonic metal bands and other styles of metal too. So I told my mom I would like to have a band and live from music. She said I should start having classes and so, I did it.
But only in 2012 I founded Lyria and started to live from my music. When I was a teenager I used to have some bands but it was nothing serious.
Mirk: Personally, I’m happy you chose this path because you’re very talented and Lyria is a wonderful addition to the metal scene. I was intrigued by the name of your band ‘Lyria’. The ‘lyre’ in Greek mythology was made by Hermes and its music calmed down Apollo’s wrath. What goals are the ‘gods’, if I might say, that Lyria’s music is trying to reach?
Aline: Thank you! Yes! Lyria was a mix of different words, the lyre, as you said, the word lyrics and the flower Lilly. We want to conquer the world. (laughs). We make music with our hearts and to us, it is very important to help people through our music. We want to help them overcome bad moments and feel better.
Mirk: Your music sounds like a product of many different styles of metal, and yet it has a unique sound. You already mentioned Evanescence and Nightwish, but what bands or musicians inspired you to create this unique music style?
Aline: Thank you! I think we found the Lyria formula. We mix different kinds of music that we like; Pop, Celtic music, Rock, Symphonic Metal, traditional Heavy Metal and other styles. Disturbed is an influence for some instrumental parts, they are one of my favorite bands, also Lacuna Coil, After Forever and many others; I can be here for hours talking about bands we like and inspired us. (laughs)
Mirk: Hopefully one day new bands would say they were inspired by Lyria.
Aline: Yes, it would be awesome! In fact, there are some already and it is very gratifying.
Mirk: Both your albums were released by crowdfunding campaigns. Does that make your fans your record label? And does that give you more freedom to make your music the way you imagine it?
Aline: Yes and yes. It is amazing to have them participating in our albums, they allow us to be what we really are.
Mirk: Some bands from non-English speaking countries release one or more songs in their native language in their albums. Would you release a song in Portuguese in your coming albums?
Aline: I don’t think so. English is a global language and it can reach more people.
Mirk: In your opinion, is it harder for a woman to front a metal band than for a man, maybe because of the prejudices in the fan bases and media?
Aline: To be honest, nowadays I don’t think so. Of course there are some prejudice as well as people that are only judging you for how you look. Some people will judge you because they think you sound “too pop”, “too modern”, “too erudite”, “not erudite enough”, etc… I believe there are so many talented women in metal and the true metalheads know it and they listen to the music because it sounds great, not because it is a man or a woman playing an instrument or singing.
Mirk: That’s very true. Other than music, what are your hobbies and how do you spend your free time?
Aline: I make jewelry, I have my own collection, the Aline Happ Collection, normally we sell the accessories in our concerts and on the internet, also I like to take photos and to cook.
Mirk: Amazing! Thank you Aline for the interview. It was a pleasure to talk to you, just as it is a pleasure to listen to Lyria! Good luck on your future projects!
Aline: Thank you, Mirk 🙂 It was a pleasure talking to you too!
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Great Intervew! Always good to know more about Aline and Lyria!!