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
Pour toi
Chiara Civello Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
J'ai quitté ceux que j'aimais
J'ai perdu ceux qui m'aimaient
Ce soir je n'ai que toi
Sans toi
Le jour ressemble à la nuit
La vie ressemble à la mort
Ce soir écoute-moi
Tes yeux brillent comme le feu, ta bouche
En a pris la couleur, ton corps
En a gardé la chaleur
Tes yeux brillent comme le feu, ta bouche
En a pris la couleur, ton corps
En a gardé la chaleur
Dis-moi que je peux, que je peux venir vers toi
Que la vie sera pour nous
Un amour toujours plus fou
Tes yeux brillent comme le feu, ta bouche
En a pris la couleur, ton corps
En a gardé la chaleur
Dis-moi que je peux venir vers toi
Que la vie sera pour nous
Un amour toujours plus fou
Dis-moi
Dis-moi
Dis-moi
Di me lo
Dis-moi
Chiara Civello’s song "Pour Toi" expresses the profound longing and yearning that comes from love and the sacrifices one makes for it. The opening lines convey a sense of deep loss and solitude. The singer reveals that she has left behind those she loved and lost those who loved her in a quest for a deeper connection with someone special. This sacrifice indicates a willingness to prioritize this particular love above all else. The imagery of night and day is evocative; without her beloved, life feels barren and lifeless—daytime loses its warmth and vibrancy, while the absence of this relationship brings about an existential loneliness akin to death. The plea for attention in "Ce soir écoute-moi" underscores her urgent desire to be heard and understood, emphasizing the emotional weight of the moment and her longing for connection.
The recurring imagery of fire and warmth in the description of her beloved’s eyes, lips, and body represents passion and desire. "Tes yeux brillent comme le feu" portrays a vivid picture of someone who is not just captivating but whose very essence ignites something profound within the singer. Fire symbolizes both beauty and intensity, suggesting that the person she desires brings light and warmth to her world. Furthermore, the way her beloved’s body retains the warmth reflects a sense of familiarity and comfort, indicating a deep emotional bond that transcends physical attraction. This contrasts sharply with her earlier descriptions of solitude and death, painting a picture of how transformative love can be, shifting one from darkness to light.
The repetition of the plea "Dis-moi que je peux venir vers toi" serves as a central theme in the song; it showcases vulnerability and a desire for reassurance. The act of asking for permission to move towards her beloved highlights the imbalance in power within relationships and the innate uncertainty that love often brings. There is a sense of hope that by coming together, they can cultivate a love that is "always more crazy"—implying an unceasing growth in their relationship that pushes past boundaries. The phrase evokes not only passion but the wild and uncontrollable aspects of being in love, celebrating its unpredictable nature. It embodies a wish for both a shared journey and an unrelenting commitment to each other, reinforcing faith in their bond.
The refrain "Dis-moi" is a call for affirmation and connection. This repetition is a rhythmic and emotional anchor throughout the song, signifying a deep-rooted desire for clarity and affirmation in their relationship. It alludes to an almost childlike need for validation from her beloved, highlighting the inherent insecurities that accompany profound feelings of love. As the line transitions into "Di me lo," it introduces an intriguing linguistic shift, suggesting a blend of cultures or a cross-cultural connection that may enhance the emotional narrative. The mixture of French and Italian echoes her personal identity and love's borderless essence. Altogether, "Pour Toi" captures the complexity of love—the excitement, fears, sacrifices, and the ultimate hope for a shared future filled with passion and connection.
Line by Line Meaning
J'ai quitté ceux que j'aimais
I have left behind those I held dear, indicating a significant sacrifice in pursuit of love.
J'ai perdu ceux qui m'aimaient
I have lost those who cared for me, highlighting the emotional toll of my decisions.
Ce soir je n'ai que toi
Tonight, my focus and affection are solely on you, emphasizing the intensity of my commitment.
Sans toi
Without you, underscoring the idea that your presence is essential to my happiness.
Le jour ressemble à la nuit
Day feels as dark as night, expressing a deep sense of emptiness in your absence.
La vie ressemble à la mort
Life feels akin to death, conveying profound despair and a lack of joy without you.
Ce soir écoute-moi
Tonight, please listen to me, a plea for connection and understanding in this moment.
Tes yeux brillent comme le feu, ta bouche
Your eyes shine like fire, symbolizing passion and glowing desire, captivating my senses.
En a pris la couleur, ton corps
Your mouth has taken on its hue, implying that your very demeanor reflects the heat of your spirit.
En a gardé la chaleur
Your body retains that warmth, suggesting an alluring presence that draws me closer.
Tes yeux brillent comme le feu, ta bouche
Your eyes shine with the same fiery intensity, reinforcing the magnetic attraction I feel.
En a pris la couleur, ton corps
Your mouth reflects this passionate hue, evoking feelings of desire and intimacy.
En a gardé la chaleur
Your body keeps this warmth, highlighting the physical connection we share.
Dis-moi que je peux, que je peux venir vers toi
Tell me that I am allowed, that I can come to you, seeking reassurance and affirmation of our bond.
Que la vie sera pour nous
That life will belong to us, expressing hope for a shared future full of possibilities.
Un amour toujours plus fou
A love that grows increasingly passionate, emphasizing the exhilarating nature of our relationship.
Tes yeux brillent comme le feu, ta bouche
Your eyes continue to glow with fiery allure, representing the sustained intensity of our attraction.
En a pris la couleur, ton corps
Your mouth still embodies that captivating color, underlining the connection between us.
En a gardé la chaleur
Your being still radiates warmth, emphasizing our strong physical and emotional connection.
Dis-moi que je peux venir vers toi
Tell me that I am welcome to approach you, reinforcing my desire for closeness.
Que la vie sera pour nous
That our lives will intertwine, revealing a vision for our future together.
Un amour toujours plus fou
A love that continuously deepens in intensity, embodying the excitement we share.
Dis-moi
Tell me, a simple request for communication that holds profound significance.
Dis-moi
Tell me again, a repetition highlighting the urgency of my need for connection.
Dis-moi
Tell me once more, emphasizing a deep longing for affirmation and emotional closeness.
Di me lo
Say it to me, a shift to another language portrays the universal desire for love and connection.
Dis-moi
Tell me, returning to the need for dialogue, reinforcing the theme of yearning.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DJAMEL FEZARI, AURELIEN MAZIN, LESLIE BOURGOUIN, MA2X
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@joseliaferreira1753
Como sempre maravilhosa! Parabéns Chiara chip impecável! 👏👏👏👏
@artlover7638
Chiara doesn’t simply have just the most beautiful sensual voice in the world, she is also visually an elegant self-created work of art. Simply irresistible! 🎼🔝❤️👏
@lucianaferraz8432
Que luxo. Chiara faz um resgate musical. Que sensibilidade em tocar almas com seu canto. Uma musicalidade inexplicável. Uma entrega incrivel a sua arte que se traduz nesse luxo, una riqueza de detalhes. Canção, arte, cultura, vida. Chiara é inexplicável. Belissimo em cada detalhe👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
@veloso9478
estou viciada nessa voz!! já perdi a conta de quantas vezes vim aqui
@mariacarlyni
Que interpretação mais linda, Chi! 🤩❤️
@anaalcantara1572
Maravilhosa como sempre!!!!
@lucasjose8867
Chiara sempre maravilhosa!!!!
@logosferas
Vídeo poético e nostálgico, Chiara belíssima, voz encantatória!
@jaquelinejml
Amei demais..viajei no tempo.😍😍😍😍
@diray9
Vou descrever Chiara: talento, classe, charme, elegância, delicadeza, beleza, simpatia, bom gosto musical, excelente cantora, compositora e musicista!
Esse clipe é o que há! Arrasou!!!