Sultry voice, poetic lyrics and surprising harmonies are just a part of the recipe that makes Chiara's music so irresistible.
The distance she has traveled is both musical and spiritual-literally stretching across the Atlantic Ocean. Born in Rome, Chiara was encouraged to play the piano by her grandmother; she kids that her nonna's out-of-tune upright afforded the best ear training. She briefly tried the acoustic guitar, but that ended almost comically with a drive to get some gelato. "The little car only had two doors," she remembers. "When I sat down, I broke the neck of the guitar. That was it for me. No more guitar. My mother said, 'You'd better sing, girl!'"
Chiara had already been in some classical choirs, but was looking for something freer than the operatic traditions of her homeland. A friend suggested that she learn jazz; she'd never heard of it. A little investigation brought her to a private music school that she would attend through her four years of high school: the St. Louis Music Academy in Rome. When she was sixteen, Chiara began singing professionally and won a scholarship to the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston. She enrolled there from 1994-98. By the first year Chiara was a regular on the Boston club scene, performing with different bands.
But her journey didn't end with Boston or jazz. Chiara's move to New York City was inevitable. Searching for something musically closer to her Mediterranean roots, she immersed herself in Latin and Brazilian music, learning Spanish and Portuguese along the way. She also wrote her first song, "Parole Incerte" ("Uncertain Words"), about the misunderstandings that can come from the distance between a person and her loved ones.
Meanwhile, two of Chiara's bandmates - pianist Alain Mallet and drummer Jamey Haddad - had begun working with Paul Simon and invited her to a rehearsal. It was there that she met producer Russ Titelman and left him with a demo of "Parole Incerte." He called the very next day and insisted, "You are a songwriter. Forget about everything else you are doing. You have to write." Chiara began composing lyrics in English. She studied the work of Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, James Taylor.
Titelman let president and CEO of Verve hear the song and the next day Chiara was offered a record deal that not only allowed her to enter the studio but made her the first Italian born to be signed by Verve Records.
From this series of encouraging and exciting encounters emerged the 10 original compositions included on her debut album LAST QUARTER MOON, Verve2005; seven written by herself and three co-writes, including the brooding ballad "Trouble" that was co-written with legend Burt Bacharach. "I had almost every song on the album," recalls Chiara, "when Russ called me to say that Burt Bacharach was interested in writing with me." "Trouble" came together during a three day session at Bacharach's Los Angeles home. Chiara arrived with an idea for the melody; they shaped and refined it as a team.
The first album granted her a first round of the world and great position in the charts of italy and Japan.
Billboard Magazine noted that, “the beauty, charm and allure of singer/pianist/songwriter Chiara Civello’s debut…makes for an auspicious beginning and marks the first revelation of the New Year.” The International Herald Tribune declared “her combination of personality, soulfulness and sophistication…striking.”
The second album The Space Between (2007 Universal Classic and Jazz) produced by Steve Addabbo , shows a more intimate and immediate side of the singer songwriter, leading us us through a journey of thirteen beautiful moments where we feel we can get really close to her.
“This is a record about ‘the space between’. The space between the notes, the silence between words, the space between me and you, me and my past, me and my future, and all the spaces between that nowadays are so difficult to stop and think about….the space between that makes you feel the reality better, the space that makes you miss someone, the space between that makes you not say everything all at once, but bit by bit, as the need of saying it gets stronger in you. The space between what I think and what I say… In Italy, we have a saying: Between saying and doing, there is the sea.”
The album entered successfully the Italian and Japanese chiarts and led her to new important artistic collaborations.
Definitely an itinerant soul, Chiara describes her life as:” My home is the world, as long as there’s a piano at the destination, my world fits in a suitcase, the rest I carry with me : my computer and my guitar.
"Jazz was the most incredible diving machine when it came to going really deep into music," says Civello, about her path of discovery, one sure to continue in the future. "But I knew I couldn't be the new Ella Fitzgerald; I couldn't be the new Shirley Horn. I learned all different kinds of music and then I said to myself, 'I need to find my own voice. Time to unlearn now, time to be free.' It's like a hot air balloon: To be able to fly you have to throw off the sandbags. I want to be as light as I can-light as a feather."
“In the first album you search, in the second you focus, in the third you find yourself…. and here I am,” says Chiara Civello in describing her third album titled “7752” of upcoming release.
7752 is the distance in Kilometers from New York City to Rio de Janeiro, the two cities that provided the inspiration for this album. New York is where Chiara lives, while Rio changed Chiara’s life…
While visiting her friend, Daniel Jobim, in Rio in February 2008, Chiara was taken to a party (known as SARAO) where artists and musicians of all kinds get together. The guitar went around and everyone sang a song. As Chiara shared, listened, and learned, a new phase of her artistic path began.
“Co-writing I was already familiar with,” says Chiara, “since those unforgettable three days spent in Santa Monica in which I wrote Trouble with Burt Bacharach for my first album…but in Brazil everyone co writes. It’s a big party, everyone shares and dares and makes it happen.”
Ana Carolina, a Brazilian pop star, is one of the main collaborators of 7752. Not only did she co-write five of the songs with Chiara, but she also played acoustic guitar on most of them. “We met at that party and she asked me if I had a melody for her, so the next day I started RESTA, a song that soon after we finished together and sang as a duet live in Sao Paulo.” Success has already accompanied the collaboration with Ana Carolina, as RESTA will be featured on the new Novela of Globo TV called “Passione,” starting on May 17, 2010.
Written between Rio, New York, and Trastevere (Rome), 7752 includes ten musical moments of which eight were recorded in NYC (and produced by the eclectic producer Andres Levin), while four were recorded in Rio and produced by Chiara herself.
“All my friends and favorite musicians merged into this record in the most natural way…it was like bringing the Rio spirit into the studio: Mauro Refosco (Thom Yorke, David Byrne, Forro’ in The Dark) and Guilherme Monteiro (Ron Carter, Forro in The Dark) had already recorded with me and I couldn’t possibly think of a record without them, Anat Cohen is one of my best friends and I have always wanted to have her on my album but we never were able to make it happen; Jaques Morelenbaum is one of the most talented and sentimental musicians I have ever met; Mark Ribot was the perfect guy for these songs, not to mention the great rhythm section that Andres brought in the studio, Gene Lake on the drums and Jonathan Maron on the bass. Ana Carolina who wrote most of the songs with me already owned them on the acoustic guitar and added her tremendous groove to them”.
Already defined as an “enticing and contagious” album, 7752 sounds lively, while portraying a new, playful and joyous aspect of Chiara’s singing and songwriting. The sound is a beautiful alchemy among the 60s, Italian melody, Brazilian harmonies, and R&B.
http://www.chiaracivello.com
La vie en rose
Chiara Civello Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sognando insieme a te
La vita è tutta rosa
E' una musica d'amor
Che sento in fondo al cuor
Nell'aria in ogni cosa
Le parole che sai dir
Più lievi di un sospir
Non possono mentir
Socchiudo gli occhi e ti sento parlar
E la tua bocca mi par di baciare
Se tu sei vicino a me
La vita è sempre rosa insieme a te
Quand il me prend dans ses bras
Il me parle tout bas
Je vois la vie en rose
Il me dit des mots d'amour
Des mots de tous les jours
Et ça me fait quelque chose
Il est entré dans mon cœur
Une part de bonheur
Dont je connais la cause
C'est lui pour moi, moi pour lui dans la vie
Il me l'a dit, l'a juré pour la vie
Et dès que je l'aperçois
clors je sens en moi
Mon cœur qui bat
In the song "La vie en rose," Chiara Civello captures the essence of love's transformative power and the profound emotions intertwined with a romantic connection. The lyrics, which alternate between Italian and French, paint a vivid picture of love, revealing that when the loved one is near, the world becomes an enchanting realm—symbolized by the phrase "la vita è tutta rosa" or "life is all rose." This metaphor suggests that love brings beauty, warmth, and vibrancy to existence, often dulling the harsher realities of life. The imagery presents a romantic ideal where shared dreams and intimacy infuse even the mundane with a sense of magic and fulfillment. This yearning for closeness is the foundation of the song, indicating how being with that special someone elevates life to an extraordinary experience.
Musicality plays a significant role in the lyrics, where Civello describes love as a "musica d'amor," a music of love that resonates deep within her heart. The metaphor of music underscores the idea that love creates a rhythm in life, something that can be felt and appreciated in every aspect of existence. By suggesting that love is omnipresent in the air and in everything around her, the lyrics evoke a sense of happiness that knows no bounds, revealing how deeply intertwined feelings and environment become when one is enveloped in love. The lines convey that this music of love permeates even the trivial moments, making them significant. It emphasizes that love is not merely a feeling but a pervasive soundtrack of intimate experiences and beauty shared between two people.
As the song progresses, there's an exploration of communication between lovers. The lyrics reflect how the words spoken by the beloved carry an emotional weight—"le parole che sai dir, più lievi di un sospir," or "the words you say, lighter than a sigh." The tenderness found in these verbal exchanges reveals how sincerity and affection can enhance the bond between partners, leading to a deep emotional connection that transcends mere language. The act of closing one's eyes and envisioning the beloved's face and voice suggests a longing that is not solely physical but also deeply emotional. It signifies that the essence of love can be lingering in thoughts and memories, illustrating how the beloved's presence is felt even in their absence.
The latter part of the lyrics transitions to the French language, enhancing the imagery of intimacy and the shared experience of love. The phrase "Quand il me prend dans ses bras" speaks to the comfort and safety found within an embrace, signifying not only physical closeness but also emotional assurance. The promise of mutual dedication—"C'est lui pour moi, moi pour lui dans la vie"—asserts a sense of commitment, where both individuals vow to be there for each other. It echoes the central theme of love as a profound bond that brings joy and happiness. The heartbeat metaphor illustrates the passion and fervor that such love ignites, portraying love as an exhilarating force that is essential for one's existence. Ultimately, the song encapsulates the beauty of love through evocative imagery and emotional depth, celebrating the ways love can transform life into a vibrant and beautiful journey.
Line by Line Meaning
Se tu sei vicino a me
When you are close to me
Sognando insieme a te
Dreaming together with you
La vita è tutta rosa
Life feels entirely beautiful
E' una musica d'amor
It is a melody of love
Che sento in fondo al cuor
That I deeply feel in my heart
Nell'aria in ogni cosa
Present in the air all around us
Le parole che sai dir
The words you know how to say
Più lievi di un sospir
Lighter than a sigh
Non possono mentir
Cannot tell a lie
Socchiudo gli occhi e ti sento parlar
I close my eyes and feel you speak
E la tua bocca mi par di baciare
And I feel as if I am kissing your lips
Se tu sei vicino a me
When you are close to me
La vita è sempre rosa insieme a te
Life is always beautiful when I'm with you
Quand il me prend dans ses bras
When he holds me in his arms
Il me parle tout bas
He speaks to me softly
Je vois la vie en rose
I see life through rose-colored glasses
Il me dit des mots d'amour
He tells me words of love
Des mots de tous les jours
Everyday words that resonate
Et ça me fait quelque chose
And it stirs something within me
Il est entré dans mon cœur
He has entered my heart
Une part de bonheur
Bringing a piece of happiness
Dont je connais la cause
Of which I know the reason
C'est lui pour moi, moi pour lui dans la vie
He is for me, and I am for him in life
Il me l'a dit, l'a juré pour la vie
He told me this, swore it for life
Et dès que je l'aperçois
And as soon as I catch sight of him
clors je sens en moi
I feel within me
Mon cœur qui bat
My heart beating
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: EDITH PIAF (EDITH GASSION), LOUIGUY (LOUIS GUGLIELMI), PHILIPPE SEILLER, (Louis Guglielmi) Louiguy, Edith (Edith Gassion) Piaf
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@fatimapinheiroreis3469
Gostei muito, bem original. As desconfianças de algumas pessoas ao receberem a rosa, retrata bem que não estão acostumadas a tanta delicadeza. Chiara Civello, como sempre surpreendendo com talento e classe.🌹🌹🌹👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷
@mariamarta2962
No me canso de mirasr y ver a la gente, el joven que está en la puerta de su trabajo el. Primero que le entrega, a pesar de la sorpresa emite una sonrisa.
@rosangelamendes5306
Chiara... é sentimento saindo na pele... sensibilidade mágica. Faz o tempo andar para trás...nos leva para um romantismo que parece esquecido na pressa das pessoas...💓💓💓💓💓Sempre linda e encantadora🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
@lucasjose8867
O único defeito desse clipe,é que ele acaba!!!!Delicioso de se ver e ouvir
@lucianaferraz8432
Genuíno!!!!! Sempre que assisto mais uma vez, percebo a quão magnifico é seu TALENTO e trabalho!!!!! Você é inexplicável em sua arte. Completa e plena!!!!!
@marialuciasarmentomacedoda4886
A interpretação da canção é fantástica!!
Parabéns pela singeleza do vídeo!!!
A maioria das pessoas não estão acostumadas com o carinho da entrega de uma rosa!! Ficam desconfiadas. Kkkkk
Se fosse aqui na Brasil...a reciprocidade seria outra.
@marciaalves5765
Simplesmente um descanso para a alma. Voz e musicalidade tão genial, que toca profundamente e faz esquecer. Fico paralisada, e em paz! Tudo simplesmente parece parar enquanto paro para te ver cantar ou tocar. Obrigada!
@elainegomideccb
Lei è bellissima! Un saluto dall 🇧🇷
@valsouza2810
Que lindo, ver tanta singeleza em cada gesto dessas rosas😍🌷🌷🌷🌷
@gisellefragadornelles643
Muito lindo e original! E a reação das pessoas, que incrível 👏Como queria estar nas ruas de Paris e receber uma rosa sua também 🙏