I recently discovered a remarkable album called Music to escape to, courtesy of German singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Pablo Parada. A deeply moving and melancholic eleven-track offering, it's a record that sits with you long after the final note fades.

Desperate to learn more about the album's creator, I was over the moon when Pablo said he'd be happy to shoot the breeze with me.

Chatting about his early days of playing classical music on the piano, some of the biggest influences that inspired him while creating Music to escape to, and what he hopes his musical future has in store, please welcome our new friend Pablo Parada!

Hey Pablo - it's awesome to have you here, and thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us! I can't wait to introduce you to our ever-growing audience!

Before we get stuck in, I'd love to ask you about your musical journey so far. What sparked your passion for it?

Thank you for having me!

I grew up playing classical music on the piano, and there came a point where I got tired of playing sheet music and decided to start writing my own songs. I was always a passionate music listener, and it was just a lot of fun to let all these influences come into play and create something original with them.

It was also a way to turn my feelings into something creative, and every time I listen to an old song of mine, it brings back memories. If it weren't for writing songs, I would have had no other way of expressing these emotions properly, which has always helped me a lot.

Music to escape to is your debut offering, and it's an album that radiates warmth and intimacy. At the same time, it's impossible to escape the shadow of melancholy and sadness.

It's a genius record, and I'm wondering, when people sit with it long enough, what do you hope it leaves them feeling?

Thank you!

Although my music can be pretty depressing, I feel like listening to it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re gonna feel the same way. For example, I always liked Radiohead, and even though the music can be really sad, it always makes me feel better after listening to it.

I wanted to create music that makes people feel understood in their negative emotions, music that can help you heal when you are not doing well. I don’t want my music to make people sad, but rather allow them to identify with their sadness, so that they feel less alone in it. And at the same time, there’s a certain warmth to it that I hope listeners will also enjoy.

If you could pick one song from the album to achieve huge success and recognition on a global scale, which would it be and why?

I would probably pick all my dreams are dead because it is the closest to my heart. The lyrics are dark but also soothing. It’s about being with a person you love, where the only dream that matters is to be with them, so all the other dreams are “dead”, so to speak.

Making this song has definitely gotten me through some dark moments, because I put a lot of pain into it and turned it into something positive.

Take us through some of your biggest musical influences.

And, just for fun, if you could pluck one song from history and add your name to it, which would it be?

For this album, I’d say my biggest influences were David Bowie, Twenty One Pilots, Radiohead, Tame Impala, Ben Howard, MARINA and Cage the Elephant. Twenty One Pilots were a big inspiration to me at the beginning, because they were the first band I knew that talked a lot about insecurities and mental health, and it really inspired me to write honest music.

David Bowie was also a great lyrical inspiration, because his lyrics are really fascinating to me. Tame Impala inspired me to start involving synthesizers in my music, and Radiohead gave me a lot of melodic ideas.

If I could pick one song to put my name on, it would probably be Butterflies by Kacey Musgraves. Her music is incredible.

When you’re not creating music, what keeps you busy and happy? Walk us through a non-music day in the life of Pablo Parada.

I’m currently doing a teaching degree at university, which keeps me a little busier than I would wish to be. I also live by a lake and take my dogs out every day, which is really calming. I catch up with friends every other day, including my friend Emilio, who did some of the background vocals on the album. I also play football twice a week, and I love surfing, but since I don’t live by the ocean, I’m condemned to watch surfing videos instead when I’m not on holiday 🙂

Have you ever listened back to a track of yours and realised it revealed more about you than you intended at the time?

It definitely happened with the last track on the album, we were honey, which is very intimate and depressing. I just hope the girl it’s about never listens to it haha.

What, to you, is music’s role in society?

Music is a way for people to express feelings and ideas that wouldn’t be heard otherwise, which makes it a very important artistic outlet that unites everybody in some way or another.

People can bond and connect over music and, of course, dance to it, which adds a social component, but it can also be enjoyed alone and give people identity.

For me, the music I listen to over the years is like a photo album where all my memories are kept, and I’m sure it has the same function for most of society. It’s a collective medium to store feelings and memories.

Pablo, it's been an absolute pleasure, and thank you again for taking the time!

Before we say farewell, what comes next for you musically and, I guess, in a broader sense, what do you hope your musical future has in store?

Thanks to you as well!

I’m gonna continue writing songs and producing music, but my hope is to be given the opportunity to do so under a label that helps me in my process and gives me the chance to produce songs more professionally.

I recorded the album in my bedroom, and I think it turned out pretty good, but it could be a whole lot better if I had a team of professionals helping me with the production. If I can achieve that, I hope to go on tour one day.

Again, thanks so much for having me!

Follow Pablo Parada on Instagram

Pablo Parada: “I don’t want my music to make people sad, but rather allow them to identify with their sadness, so that they feel less alone in it”

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