[Hit It!” photo by Monica Orozco]
Name: Monica Orozco, aka deMonica
Place: El A
Your relationship to music: It is my escape
Industry: Photographer. You can find her on instagram and on the web at demonicaphoto
I first met Monica at a Devo concert at the Hollywood Park Racetrack six or so years ago. Meeting her that first time, I felt like I had known her for a million years. Who knew men in plastic hats would start a lasting friendship. We met up in the Los Feliz neighborhood to talk about her five songs and the inspiration behind her popular photo-a day series. (Linked above)
5songprjct: When I was first thinking about Five Song Project you were the first person that I wanted to participate. How does it feel to be first person featured?
Monica: How does it feel? When you told me I thought you were crazy to have me be the first one. I am kind of all over the place and I knew I would be your hardest subject. Also, then I thought, oh that is cool, there must be something interesting that you see in me. I was curious to know the reason why you chose me. Um…why did you choose me?
5songprjct: I feel like your work (photo-a-day) is so visual and musical. I noticed these hidden musical moments and homages to artists that I thought would be perfect to start Five Song Project. I also chose people who feel music on a deeper level. Not those who just like the beat and that is all, but that music really matters and means something to them.
Monica: Which is interesting because I have so many different types of work that comes out of me. I felt like I only had a few shots that were inspired by music or whatever, but I guess that a lot of my work is in a way. My work is inspired by things that affected me throughout my life… like music and all of the things that comprise who I am.
Monica has a sing-songy valley cadence in her speaking that I wish you could hear.
5songprjct: What was the hardest thing about this project?
Monica: Narrowing down five songs. You know me, I am a bit all over the place and so is my music taste. I didn’t think that music had as a profound of an effect on me until doing this project. This project has caused me to analyse myself, almost like therapy. Some of these songs have really taken me back, no wonder I am fucked up. I was thinking GODDAMN I have been dating the wrong guy! Oh my god, lots of musicians and little fucking artists.
[5songprjct note: I had people write brief blurbs, if they could, about why the chose the songs before we did interviews.]
Monica: (Continued) You had really helped me, I mean to not choose my favorite songs, but to choose music that impacted me or took me back to a whole era.
I try to explain it as little bookends or tabs in my life if that make sense. Music that entered in different stages of my life or that was the music that saved me during that time or the music that helped me become aware that I perhaps I was also an artist. I do want to emphasize how it has been interesting to look back…to realize how music has been important in making me aware of what has been going on out there (the outside world.) Music, it’s art. I would be excited to see if you did a five pieces of art project to explain how different pieces of art have an impact on people.* It is the same thing.
5songprjct: I asked each contributor to pick their five songs around a theme. I am really blown away by creativity of the contributors that I have been able to connect with so far. Can you describe the theme of your picks?
Monica: The recurring theme I was thinking about when I was choosing these songs is escapism. The escapism that you get through listening to music. That is the one thing about music, and I am sure that it is the same for other people, is escaping your own reality. It kept reappearing in all the songs that were chosen. There was that factor of dreaming of another life.
Music is also a tension releaser. There is a certain freedom and joy that comes from dancing.
Your assignment for Sunday, December 31, 2017
Today, and every Sunday reader, you will have some homework. It isn’t hard and will only take around 30 minutes of your time. Listen to the songs on this list. Throughout the week you will learn why these five songs were chosen by the contributor and what it means to them. These songs are songs 1-5 on the accompanying Spotify playlist Five Song Project and via YouTube, by clicking the song title. [Disclaimer: I am not responsible for the ad content from either of these services]
[1] Madonna. “Borderline.” Madonna, Sire/Warner Brothers, 1984
[2] The Cure. “A Night Like This.” The Head on the Door, Fiction/Elektra, 1985
[3] PJ Harvey. “Down By the Water.” Bring You My Love, Island, 1995
[4] Dee-Lite. “Groove is in the Heart.” World Clique, Elektra, 1990
[5] David Bowie. “Heroes.” Heroes, RCA, 1977.
* if someone wants to do the five pieces of art project, go ahead, I just would like to participate if it happens. I am sure Monica would too. The same with five books, five meals, five movies, etc. My contact information is in the Tune In tab
HOPE TO SEE you tomorrow when we discuss the early 80s hit “Borderline.”
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