Name: María Mónica Gutiérrez
Nationality: Colombian
Occupation: musician
Current Release: A Flor de Piel on Western Vinyl
Recommendations: The creative act: a way of being by Rick Rubin / Ay - Lucrecia Dalt / pablopablo - pablopablo

If you enjoyed this interview with Montaera visit her website to stay up to date with music and shows.

When I listen to music, I see shapes, objects and colours. What happens in your body when you're listening? Do you listen with your eyes open or closed? 

It depends; sometimes with my eyes closed, sometimes with my eyes open. Music for me is very emotional, connects me with deep emotion very easily and it's also very visceral, makes my body move immediately, I love to dance to literally any genre. 

What were your very first steps in music like - and how do you rate gains made through experience versus the naiveté of those first steps? -

At first, when I was around 12 years-old, I used to sing covers of artists that I liked. Shortly after I started to make my own music, so that sense of naiveness got a bit lost as more expectations came through and I was no longer just a singer but a songwriter, however this was very magical as well.
 


According to scientific studies, we make our deepest and most incisive musical experiences between the ages of 13-16. What did music meant to you at that age and what’s changed since then?

I used to listen to a lot of Argentinian rock - I was obsessed with Charly Garcia - and I also used to listen to a lot of rock and metal. It was at that moment where I realised music for me was a very visceral experience. 



Over the course of your development, what have been your most important instruments and tools and how have they shaped your perspective on music?

My voice (body) and my synths. All my unconscious processes of transmutation, processing and healing through music have been through the voice, and all the more conscious aesthetic quests have been through my synths. 



What, would you say, are the key ideas behind your approach to music and what motivates you to create?


The main key idea behind my music creation is to create deep experiences, for me as a performer/songwriter and for the listeners. I like to make deep and meaningful songs and performances. It motivates me to create this urge to manifest to the outer world what I am carrying inside. 



Paul Simon said “the way that I listen to my own records is not for the chords or the lyrics - my first impression is of the overall sound.” What's your own take on that and how would you define your personal sound?

I barely listen to my own music once it's released. In the process of creation, I have to listen to it sooo many times, that once it's out there it's for the rest to listen. My personal sound is quite mysterious, yet calming and captivating. 

Sound, song, and rhythm are all around us, from animal noises to the waves of the ocean.

What, if any, are some of the most moving experiences you've had with these non-human-made sounds? In how far would you describe them as “musical”?

These are all absolutely musical to me. Nature sounds have always inspired me, and not only their sounds but nature's dynamics, forms and creativity. I love nature and it's a very core and essential part of my creations. I am always seeking more ways to connect with nature's sounds, recently I have been doing listening walks in the forests.



From very deep/high/loud/quiet sounds to very long/short/simple/complex compositions - are there extremes in music you feel drawn to and what response do they elicit?

I feel attracted to all kinds of music/sounds, even if it's just for the sake of understanding the diversity of life. In my personal life, I feel more drawn to ambient, minimalist music. 



From symphonies and traditional verse/chorus-songs to linear techno tracks and free jazz, there are myriad ways to structure a piece of music. Which approaches work best for you – and why?

I mainly compose in the song format verse/chorus, I feel it's the most organic way for my songwriting creativity to flow as it is probably the musical structure I am most familiar with. However, I am now moving towards creating music in a more improvised way and detaching from the song format, exploring free form a bit more. 



Could you describe your creative process on the basis of one of your pieces, live performances or albums that's particularly dear to you, please?

I create a melody with my voice, then I go to my synths and start playing with them, finding an aesthetic and a harmonic progression that works with it and finally I add the lyrics. After this I would share the music with the producer to start the production stage. I just find the most organic way for me to compose is starting with my voice. 
 


Sometimes, science and art converge in unexpected ways. Do you conduct “experiments” or make use of scientific insights when you're making music?

Not so much, I love to experiment with the synths I have but I don't know if that counts as a scientific experiment. 
 


How does the way you make music reflect the way you live your life? Can we learn lessons about life by understanding music on a deeper level?

The way I make music does reflect the way I live life. I make deep, rich and soothing music, as well as powerful and lively songs, and my life is full of moments like that.  

I fully believe we can understand life better through music. Music is a gathering of dynamics such as tension vs. relaxation, mystery vs known, safety vs risk; life is pretty similar. 



Do you feel as though writing or performing a piece of music is inherently different from something like making a great cup of coffee? What do you express through music that you couldn't or wouldn't in more 'mundane' tasks?

Mundane tasks can also be a creative expression. I wouldn't say making a great cup of coffee is mundane, I think it requires preparation, talent and skill to make it, as well as art. Traditional art forms such as music are more complex and probably more expressive than others but they all serve different purposes. 



Every time I listen to "Albedo 0.39" by Vangelis, I choke up. But the lyrics are made up of nothing but numbers and values. Do you, too, have a song or piece of music that affects you in a way that you can't explain?

Of course, songs are deeply connected to specific emotions; music has the capacity to take you to your childhood, your adolescence, a sad place, a joyful experience, very easily. 



If you could make a wish for the future – what are developments in music you would like to see and hear?



I would like for all kinds of music to have their own space and support and to flourish, mainstream should end.