Nola Wren.

We recently stumbled upon Nola Wren via Soundcloud, and discovered she was absolutely full of talent. Nola Wren's music is predominately synth based, and features unusually rhythmic beats and dazzlingly unique vocals. The track that really swept us off our feet though, was her masterpiece, "College". "College" (no, not David Grellier you cheeky bastards), is essentially about the (probably) very common question all immediate graduates must ask themselves; "Why did I go to college?" Be sure to give Nola Wren a listen here, and be sure to check out this rad interview we got with her as well.

Nola Wren a.k.a Kara Francavillo

1) Who is behind Nola Wren?

 That would be me, Kara Francavillo. I've been performing under the stage name Nola Wren for a little over two years.

 2) Where would you say your strongest musical influences have come from? Any particular songs, artists, genres, or movements that struck you particularly?

 For years, I was simply a girl with a guitar. I learned how to play a few Ramones and Nirvana songs when I first started out. I listened to mostly indie rock and folk music. But then I moved to New York City in 2008, and my entire sonic landscape was transformed. I dated a boy who introduced me to M83, and their album Saturdays = Youth quickly became the soundtrack to my life. Around that time, I was up alone late one night and the music video for Depeche Mode's “But Not Tonight” came on TV. Watching Dave Gahan twirling around with a mic stand, dancing like a fool, the blue lights… for some reason, it just made me cry. I was like, “I want to do that.” Since then, you could say I've been very inspired by “night music”, synthesizer driven, 80's-centric, nostalgic electronic pop. The soundtrack for the film Drive embodies this aesthetic. The tracks “A Real Hero” and “Under Your Spell” are mini masterpieces. Ironically, my latest song is called “College”, and College (the synthpop music collective featured on the Drive soundtrack) has greatly influenced me in the past few years.

3) Where do you see Nola Wren in 5 years time?

Touring, scoring films, collaborating with other songwriters, and most importantly: making beautiful, relevant music.

4) What is your all time favorite horror film?

 It's a toss up between Scream and The Silence of the Lambs. I actually watched both over the weekend on Netflix. Oh, the 90's.

5) This is tough, and we're known for asking this, but what is your all time favorite track?

No, don't ask me this question. I just can't. I'm afraid I'll say something like “I'm On Fire” by Bruce Springsteen.

 6) Aside music, what else do you do? Are there any other passions you have?

 I'm a visual artist, so I draw and paint quite a bit. I also run an Etsy shop called Skella, which I opened in 2012. I enjoy collecting vintage things and studding clothes. You can check out my collection here: http://etsy.com/shop/skella

7) If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be and why?

 In this day and age, if you don't have a massive online presence, nobody cares. I have less than 300 followers on Twitter, under 1,000 on SoundCloud, under 2,000 on Facebook. Artists and bands alike are required to have a built-in fan base before they are ever to be taken seriously. Frankly, I'm sick of watching mediocrity be rewarded from the sidelines. I fear that I'll slip through the cracks and never break out, remain invisible and eventually disappear into the abyss of the internet. I'm being kind of dramatic, but it's the truth. If I could change one thing about this business, it would be this weak, ass-backwards mentality that the mere appearance of online popularity equals success.

8) And here’s the question we’ve all been waiting for...Why did Nola Wren go to college?

I graduated from the Gallatin School of Individualized Study at New York University with a Bachelor Arts degree in Individualized Studies and a concentration in Neuroaesthetics. (I originally wanted to become a brain surgeon.)

Be sure to check our her track 'College" below!