“For the first time in my life, I want a boyfriend,” Della Pietra reveals in the dreamy new tune. “This is a song about new love – the moment you realize that the boys you once ignored are suddenly much more interesting,” she reflects. “I wanted to capture that feeling – the daydreams and fantasies, the starry eyes and butterflies. I hope this song will bring listeners back to the experience of their very first crush, or to dream about the romance they want in their lives.”
You are so young yet so multi-talented. What was your first exposure to the performing arts?
I started performing in a community performing arts studio at the age of 3, and a year later I played violin on stage with the Suzuki violin program. I began touring nationally in the role of Little Cosette in Les Miserables at the age of 7.
What’s the most important thing for an artist to be successful and efficient these days?
There are three ingredients for success and efficiency these days. Perseverance is always very important. It’s also necessary not to be such a perfectionist where you don’t ever release your music because you don’t think it’s good enough. Just go for it! It’s also essential to be organized so that you can find parts or snippets of songs that you have written when you need to locate them during the songwriting process. I keep so many notes and voice memos of song ideas, chord progressions, and parts of my songs.
How did you come up with My Boyfriend?
I was hanging out with my friends and they were all talking about their crushes and boyfriends, and I realized that I had never really had a huge interest in dating anyone. I wrote “my boyfriend” while I was thinking about what I would like my first boyfriend to be like, and how I would like to fall in love. I also played around with some stereotypical beginnings for high school relationships, such as playing truth or dare, which I refer to as “truth or truth” in my song! This line inspired the name of my upcoming EP also called “truth or truth”!
What inspires your artistry in general?
Lately, I find that I get inspiration from what is going on internally, with my emotions or reflections, and songwriting is very clarifying and therapeutic. Reviewing my list of songs feels like I am scrolling through a diary.
What’s something you really want to do in your life?
I would like to record and release many of the 130 songs that I have written, act in a film or tv show, and explore my interest in medicine in the future.
How is it different being an actor and performer compared to a musician?
Becoming a professional musician after years as a performer was different for me because I needed to learn how to break the virtual “fourth” wall that I had been taught to respect in theater, meaning that I needed to start making eye contact and interacting with my audience! Also, although I love musical theater and always put a lot of myself into the scripted roles that I play, it is very fulfilling and personal to both write and perform my music. Interestingly, I find smaller music venues more intimidating than performing on Broadway or at Madison Square Garden!
What’s the best advice you’ve ever gotten?
I have received so much advice but a few of the best pieces of wisdom that I have received were from my mother who always says, “If at first, you don’t succeed, try, try again” and my late grandma who said, “Don’t make excuses for yourself”.
What do you want your music to communicate ultimately?
I hope that my music has a positive impact on other people’s lives.
