A resilient artist returns to stage for intimate show
During her four decades in music, Arletta has often remained hidden from the spotlight. There has been little fanfare and performances have been scarce, which she attributes to «not feeling like a professional artist.» This becomes clear when she takes the stage, giving onlookers the impression that she feels out of place. It’s not that she lacks skills or stage presence. It’s that the distance from stage to audience often feels unwieldy, especially for someone who craves true contact with her music and listeners. Her unadorned songs are personal, descriptive, real, down-to-earth and dreamy. And her life is also unadorned. There are few friends, among them Sevah, her egotistical dog, as Arletta says. She is in her simple flat in the modest downtown district of Kypseli, amid books, memories and her own thoughts. On the occasion of rare performances at the Hamam club (97 Dimofontos, Ano Petralona, 210.342.1212) in Athens this Friday and Saturday, Arletta spoke to Kathimerini at her home. Would you like to tell us a little about these performances? It’s a set that has been formed around listeners over many years and is performed by few musicians, usually one or two. As for the selections, I’m in favor of mixing it up, as long as it’s done correctly. If it’s going to be good, the musicians need to be good. Beyond all that, there’s an extensive repertoire which I can only mix to a certain point. But there’s a structure to the set which tells a story. You’ve called it «Better Days Ahead.» Do you really believe this? I’ve gotten fed up with all the whinging and dangermongering. I even hear about the arrival of the end of the world from people who are supposedly serious. I prefer the concept of better days ahead rather than better days in the past, unless it’s meant in terms of age. As one ages, one generally tends to envy younger people while also trying to look younger, which results in falling flat on your face. I prefer to take life as it comes. So you like to react to things… I’ve always reacted. When everybody’s talking catastrophe, I say that things will get better. I don’t like pessimism, just as I don’t like optimism. Both are false and wayward. Life is a combination of things. It’s complicated and anybody who doesn’t accept this complexity ends up living just a slice of life. In your case, what dominates? Pessimism or optimism? There have been times when I’ve not just felt pessimistic, but death-bound. But I don’t think I am because if I were I wouldn’t still be singing after 40 years. To sing is to think positively. It’s the biggest gift given to me, along with the opportunity to sing to people. Maybe I wouldn’t be alive right now if I didn’t sing. It’s been 12 years since your last album, «Emboros oneiron» (Merchant of Dreams). Don’t you feel the need to record again? I feel the need to prepare a project and I miss this feeling, but I’m looking for the appropriate terms and a way so that they don’t kill me. I’ve grown too much to tolerate the field’s stupidity. I can’t have any ties with those whose only accomplishment has been becoming something by stepping all over people they neither respected nor loved. How does the fact that artists almost your age, with just as many years behind them, continue relentlessly, both in terms of performing and recording? First of all, most of my peers are at least 30 years younger than me. Then, I truly believe that a gluttonous person is somebody who, deep down inside, knows that he or she is overrated – even subconsciously. One that’s had enough knows what one is, whether he or she is a guitarist, sculptor, artist, singer… No self-confidence is felt here because there is no self-confidence in art, just the knowledge of who you are. Such a person may be ambitious and interested in progressing, but there is no greed. His or her association with art… is not about concern over lack of exposure or not having made millions this season. In the past, you’ve declared that you’re not a professional. I’m a professional in the sense that I’ve lived off it. I’m not wealthy. But I had some great teachers whom I couldn’t betray, and that’s left me with some bad habits. One of these is that I consider life itself to be the greatest form of art and that we are the greatest expression of art. That’s the difference with a professional artist, who is entirely preoccupied by the work and not at all by himself or herself. What, for you, is an artist? That’s a big discussion. I hesitate to use the word «artist.» It’s a very important thing for me. For most people it’s a suspect, vulgar and rejected person. Let me just say that a real artist respects what he or she is endowed with and knows that it’s not privately owned. He or she is merely an agent. Do you keep up with contemporary artistic output? I watch a lot of television, including all the lightweight festivities, such as Eurovision. I follow it all merely to keep updated, not because I like it. All my life, I’ve followed things that I don’t like so that, if needed, I could confront it. As a means, I like television a lot, but it’s abolished itself. The standard is very shallow. Do you agree with those who support the idea that we’re living a turbulent era that will bring change? I spent all my life in Exarchia. I was born in Metaxourgeio and moved to Exarchia as a young girl and lived there until just a few years ago, when I moved to Kypseli. In Exarchia you can observe both the course of Athens and the entire country without having to read a newspaper or turning on the television. A stroll with your eyes and heart open is enough. Since the post-dictatorship days, we’ve been saying that something’s changing, and I always see that there’s something below us. If there’s a proverb that I agree with for our era, it’s one of Einstein’s remarks: «I consider two things to be infinite – the universe and human stupidity. And I’m not sure about the universe.» What about younger people? Don’t they offer hope? Youngsters anger me by the way they waste themselves… Now, if you want to talk about young musicians, there are plenty with lots of talent, but they’re obliged to live and function in the world of entertainment. Have you singled anything out lately? A song or an album that impressed you? I hear a lot of songs which do carry images, but they lack blood and bones. The most recent song I heard which really moved me was «Afti i nychta menei» (This Night Will Stay) by Stamatis Kraounakis. How do you feel when you listen to your own songs? There are projects that I like more and others that I like less. But there are none which I felt that I shouldn’t have done. It’s a great blessing to listen to some of your older songs and not hate yourself. Let’s end with a dilemma. Painting or music? [Arletta is an art school graduate.] I can’t select. I’ve never stopped drawing or painting, but I was more afraid of pursuing painting than music professionally, which seemed more acceptable. But I don’t regret not becoming a professional in either one.
