For those who have never heard of Trust the Mask, who are they and what is their music about?
Trust the Mask is an electro-pop duo created by musician Elisa Dal Bianco and singer Vittoria Cavedon.
We are united by a fascination for electronic and ethnic sounds, so we try in each song to find a balance between these sonorities that can often exalt each other.
We chose this name for the group to relate back to the concept of the changing identity, of the thousand masks that human beings wear to hide themselves in order to be loved: The mask is something that everyone has, but if you take it away then you can really be yourself. The music is the moment when we’re without the mask.
What has been the most rewarding/ most enjoyable highlight of your career so far?
Absolutely the artistic residency we did in 2022 in Ravenna with the label Bronson Recordings, run by Chris Angiolini.
In late 2021 we won a contest promoted by Bronson itself, called La Zona d’Ombra, the prize consisted of an artistic residency with the purpose of going to define and produce our first album.
That’s how Idiom was born, with our still embryonic ideas evolving in those fifteen days of collaboration with professionals in the music industry such as Bruno Dorella (OVO, Ronin), Andrea Cola (StoneBridge Studio) Matteo Vallicelli (The Soft Moon), Francesca Morello (aka RYF) and Toffolo (Cemento Atlantico).
Focusing enthusiastically on our songs to the point of seeing them take shape has definitely defined us as artists and we can’t wait until June to let everyone hear Idiom!
What have been some major challenges in your music career so far?
The most important challenge so far, we believe, is being able to communicate with the audience in a transparent way the concepts that live behind our songs.
For us, each piece has a strong message to give, a message that we are connected to and believe in, and it is crucial that our listeners understand this, without sacrificing the fun that is equally important.
What are you grateful for right now in this moment?
Right now we are grateful to have our first album coming out!
For us, there is no greater satisfaction than knowing that the songs we have been working on so hard will soon be not only online but also on CD and vinyl.
We came out with our first single only 2 years ago, and in a short time we have achieved goals that we never thought of initially. This is all thanks to the support from the professional team that is following us on this journey, with the opportunities that come with it. The people who believe in us and invest resources in our project motivate us to persevere and give us immense satisfaction.
Physical copies or streaming sites?
Absolutely physical copies. Primarily it is the best way to truly support an artist and enhance his or her work, and then because having a physical object creates a real, intimate, and valuable relationship between tracks and listener.
What is your most played song of 2023 so far?
For me, Elisa, the most played song is “Remains” by Zola Jesus. It reminds me of the reason I write music. The meaning behind that song is very strong and deep.
For me, Vittoria, this year’s loop song is Beat ’em Bang by Cemento Atlantico. The fast-paced beat and the mixture with ethnic sounds very much reflects that genre that always prints a smile on my face and makes me move my head in time.
A playlist you can’t get enough of?
We listen to a lot of dark electronic music, but also a lot of dance music to take inspiration from it and be able to make our tracks more danceable. The artists we appreciate the most are those who manage to combine different genres within the same track. In that sense we are obsessed with Young Fathers, Ätna, Zola Jesus, Suuns, Crystal Castle.
A dream collaboration?
Recalling the previous answer, we feel artistic closeness with groups that have a strong concept in their project and in the music they write. Our dream is to open a Young Fathers concert, or Zola Jesus of course. Atna is also a group we greatly admire for the power of their songs and the punchy rhythms they offer in their live version. Finally, we dream of collaborating with Boy Harsher; having worked with their producer and sound engineer Maurizio Baggio on our album “Idiom” we have come to love that kind of synth-darkwave sound.
& Lastly, what can fans expect from Trust the Mask this year?
This year we are working a lot on the structure of our live show, to make it as much of a performance as possible, but at the same time give space for songs that will make listeners have fun and dance.
So the goal is to play play play, make Idiom heard by as many people as possible and make Italy and then all of Europe dance.
UNRECORDED 