Semeli Tagara never walked away from experimenting, testing herself and enriching her personal style with new elements.
Semeli Tagara
Art shifts society’s point of view
Text: Yiorgos Papadimitriou
Semeli Tagara, born and raised in Thessaloniki, created her first music composition at the incredible age of six years old, making it crystal clear right from the start that her life would never part ways with music. Soon enough she started to intertwine melodies with her own lyrics and before she knew it she found herself studying Music Therapy. She was introduced to the audience of Thessaloniki through the gigs and sessions hosted by the legendary Carpe Diem, where she teamed up with Big Sleep’s Stefan Schwerdveger. It did not take long for Sony Music
to discover her, marking the first chapter of an incredible journey. Very often, one must admit, we can’t refrain from reminiscing and romanticizing the past. What’s her take on the old days?
“In my first professional steps, I had the opportunity to evolve in the warm ambiance of the beloved Carpe Diem, in Thessaloniki, and join forces with remarkable musicians and people, among whom Stefan from Big Sleep. I am a child of the 90s and I guess I was lucky enough to be a part of these romantic times. There was a feeling of self-determination sparkling in the people’s minds and hearts, also reflected in the field of art. However, the conditions and circumstances of each period are defined by the people who experience them and art has always been assigned with the pivotal role of outlining, describing and eventually transcending the surrounding reality, with the purpose of shifting the point of view of each individual and of society as a whole. My only concern for our times is the wave of cynicism threatening to sweep everything away. Fortunately enough, I am an optimist by nature” she replies.
Her debut album released in 2003 (Ginetai astra ki istera skoni) triggered a multifaceted and exciting ride, during which Semeli Tagara never walked away from experimenting, testing herself and enriching her personal style with new elements. The rich and pluralistic list of collaborations corroborates the compliment: From What?Ever, revisiting treasured rock, jazz and soul songs and Transformation of Silence, a project encompassing sounds from many different instruments and electronic effects, all the way to Lmn Drmpts (Lemon Drumpets), an endeavor that travels to unfamiliar timbres, and her latest single Horizon, which crafts an otherworldly music environment. All the above lead to one and only safe and undisputed conclusion: Semeli Tagara’s mindset will never cross paths with stagnation. “I had always been interested in exploring the universe of music or exploring music in cosmic terms, if you prefer. I have been experimenting with various instruments and sounds over the last years, not so much in terms of technique, but rather as a metaphor for the coexistence of the inner and the external world, of the visible and the invisible” she points out.
“I had always been interested in exploring the universe of music or exploring music in cosmic terms, if you prefer. I have been experimenting with various instruments and sounds over the last years, not so much in terms of technique, but rather as a metaphor for the coexistence of the inner and the external world, of the visible and the invisible” she points out.
Semeli Tagara’s journey is dotted with fascinating and creative encounters with the other arts such as dance, cinema and theater. Music for short films, the musical improvisation for the documentary Voices of the City, the performance Dreams within Dreams staged at the venue of Vitruvian Thing, the play Cascade in collaboration with the Die Wolke art group, as well as her contribution to the Thessaloniki International Short Film Festival, having composed the themes for the opening ceremony and the awards’ announcement, are only a handful of her adventures in the world of the other arts. Here’s what she has to say: “Moving within a realm of experimentation, I had always taken interest in the merging of different forms of art, the shaping of a joined framework built on a common ground, a feeling of incorporation. Dance is an art I love, where a body can portray a mental condition. It’s a transcendental experience both visually and as far as the other senses are concerned. I have the deepest respect for dancers and I cherish working with them. Whenever I find myself involved in the filmmaking process, I find it exciting to imagine and compose the music of an image, a dialogue, a storyline. It has been a desire of mine for as long as I can remember myself as an artist. My personal codes derive strictly from music. Therefore, I take delight in entering into new worlds and delineating the
sounds of my imagination.”
One of the most important achievements under Semeli Tagara’s belt was no other than her taking part (as a co-creator) in the tribute rendered to the music of the iconic Leonard Cohen, giving concerts in many venues all over Greece, among which stand out Thessaloniki Concert Hall and Skrow Theater in Athens. “I was given the honor to permeate into the world of Leonard Cohen and interpret it in collaboration with two top-notch musicians and precious friends, David Lynch and Kostas Magginas. It can only be described as a life experience, which moved me on many different levels, opening up a series of unexplored paths before me. I was reintroduced to myself, I discovered many of my limitations and boundaries and reconciled with many of my inner truths. It was a collaboration of intense dynamics and sturdy inwardness, but also blessed with a particular openness. A really special moment, which continues to overwhelm me, came when – following the directorial guidance of Aris Troupakis – I performed an a cappella version of Leonard Cohen’s song “Hallelujah”, at the attic of Skrow Theater. Many unknown faces sprang out from inside and many more were born at that very moment” she concludes.
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