Q&A: Tarune Steps Into The Music Industry With Soulful Tunes
IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR MUSIC TO REFRESH AND RELAX TO – soul artist, Tarune has some new projects you won’t want to skip out on. Previously known for his acting performances, Giullian Yao Gioiello has decided to put a pause on his actor life to launch his solo project – Tarune. Coming from a life-long background of classical guitar and vocal performance, Tarune has a way of creating unique atmospheres with his beautiful vocals and unique instrumentation.
His new track “Nirvana”, combines experimental folk with some tints of jazz. Tarune definitely pushes the boundaries of creativity as he incorporates a lot of cultural influence as a reflection on his heritage and past travels. With his bicultural Italian-Taiwanese upbringing, Tarune chats about his desire to represent his minority in the experimental music space. For an intriguing conversation on his past and present motivations, read more below!
LUNA: Why did you decide to start this solo, music project?
TARUNE: Growing up as an actor, there’s a lot of pressure on how you look when it comes to what race you represent. You spend a lot of time trying to fit into roles that other people are fixated on.
What I loved so much about the shift to music was that my identity doesn’t have to be defined into a certain box the way acting does. I’ve been judged on what I’m supposed to be for so long. Through my solo-project, it’s freeing to be just share my impulses in the auditory world.
Also, I’ve been looking for Asian artists who make my genre of music, but there are not many. I hope I can be a strong representative for the Asian community in the music industry.
LUNA: Was music something you always pursued alongside acting?
TARUNE: Music has been my whole life but has always been my own private thing. I started playing classical guitar when I was 11 and was in a church choir so that’s how I learned how to sing as a kid. Even though I didn’t pursue music till recently, I always thought of it as a huge through line of my life that I was and still am proud of.
LUNA: How did you come up with the artist name Tarune?
TARUNE: My dad is part of a yogi group growing up and we’d meditate outside of the city every week. When you’re there you are given a sanskrit name and mine as a kid was “Tarun”. Oddly, I always thought it was spelled with an “e” so I decided to add that as my artist name.
LUNA: How long have you been producing?
TARUNE: I did that typical thing as a kid where I played around with Garageband. It wasn’t until recently that I taught myself Logic and set up a home studio.
LUNA: Do any artists or particular albums impacted your work?
TARUNE: I love James Blake’s self-titled album and it’s something I go back to every month. It’s so intimate, honest and experimental and I love how poignant the chanty lyrics he wrote were. It’s beautiful within its imperfection. It was so valuable and personal so I’ve been chasing that feeling.
I also love the classical scores by John Hisaishi who writes for the Studio Ghibli films.
LUNA: A less serious question - If you were stuck on an island and only had one album, what would you take?
TARUNE: “Introspection” by Luiz Bonfa. It’s so beautiful beyond words.
LUNA: Do your past singles represent the music you want to continue to release?
TARUNE: My first release “Goodnight Baby” was something I had under my sleeve for years and I’m proud of it, but I’d say each song I have or will put out represents what I figured out in music at that moment in time. I hope that each song is a step forward in finding the sound that I want to represent as a musician. Because I’ve been learning a lot recently, I want to get to a point where I can say that I did this the “right” way. It’s been a cool progression of figuring out what I’m more and more comfortable with.
