Domenica appreciates the purity that comes with raw energy and minimalistic, acoustic instrumentation. She feels real music should speak for itself, without the mask of computerized beats and effects. In an interview before she’s set to hit the stage at The Factory Theatre for the semi-finals of the Emergenza Festival, this young singer songwriter elaborates on her insights into music, how she finds her flow as a songwriter, and what she thinks her chances are for wowing her crowd at the semi-finals.

CAN YOU GIVE US A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO YOUR BAND DOMENICA?
Domenica is a singer/songwriter who creates raw, powerful music with two guitars and a microphone.

WHAT BANDS HAVE INFLUENCED YOUR SOUND, AND IN WHAT WAY?
I'm influenced by bands who can capture the attention of an audience with just strong acoustic sounds, and not masked by computerised beats. Bands like Mumford and Sons, as well as artists such as Tallest Man on Earth, Matt Corby and Regina Spektor are huge influences on my music, as I admire their raw talents that are truly shown in their songs.

WHO WRITES THE SONGS AND WHAT ARE THEY ABOUT? WHAT'S YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS LIKE?
I write all the songs, often about what's happening in my life at the time as a form of relaxation; but I also love writing stories, whether fictional or based on real life situations. The creative process is entirely natural, I just play around with sounds and when I'm happy with how they've developed, I sing about what's on my mind and let it flow from there.

WHICH ONE OF YOUR SONGS DO YOU THINK SPEAKS TO YOUR FANS THE MOST AND BEST REPRESENTS YOU AS ARTISTS?
I've found that most people's favourite song of mine is “Kingdom of Ours”, which I can totally understand because it's inherent in human nature to feel nostalgic for nostalgia.

UP TO THIS POINT, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY HAS BEEN THE BAND'S BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENT? OBSTACLE?
As we have a small set (one singer and two guitars), I think the greatest obstacle is matching the big sounds of bands who have larger sets with drums and bass. And although it's important to have a strong sound, sometimes I find stripping back the music to its rawest form can also be just as powerful.

WHAT WAS THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE FIRST ROUND FOR YOU?
The first round of Emergenza was brilliant as every single band came from a different genre of music, and all brought something new to the stage. It was an incredible experience to be able to play with such a diverse mix of bands who were all extremely talented.

HOW DOES IT FEEL BEING ONE STEP CLOSER TO THE EMERGENZA FINALS?
Being one step closer to the Emergenza finals is so exciting. I never really expected to be involved in such a great opportunity to play at iconic venues, being a new artist on the music scene.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO TAKE AWAY FROM YOUR UPCOMING GIG AT THE FACTORY THEATRE?
I want to be able to share my music with new audiences at The Factory Theatre. It's not everyday you get the sing the music you love in front of hundreds of people!

WHAT'S A LIVE DOMENICA SHOW LIKE?
A live Domenica show goes back to basics with an unplugged, raw sound.

WITH OTHER BATTLE OF THE BANDS COMPETITIONS AROUND, WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE ON EMERGENZA?
I decided on Emergenza as it is an internationally recognised festival, which strives to discover new talent.