Real Talk With Anika

What do you get when you combine rock, grunge and electro with a glittery, gritty feel? One seriously rockin’ band… also known as, of Verona. Already building a serious buzz for their mesmerizing live performances and heartfelt lyrics, of Verona is one of the top bands to watch in 2012. Recently I caught up with the band’s lead singer and songwriter, Mandi Perkins, to talk about their unique sound and highly anticipated debut album, The White Apple, due to release this February. Here’s what Mandi had to say.

How would you describe your music?

“The way I like to describe it is futuristic rock – it’s not a traditional rock sound and it’s not full on electro, but more a blend of the two. It’s melodic and epic.”

What’s behind the title of the new album, The White Apple?

“We named the album after the song “The White Apple.” The song was about realizing that sometimes in life you just have to let go. Either something you thought wasn’t real, or you realized what’s going to happen will happen and there’s nothing you can do to stop it. It’s about a big adventure and sort of coming to terms with the fact that we’re all a little lost, being ok with that, and making the most of each moment.“

What was the inspiration for this album?

“Letting go. I realized as a songwriter that I was coming to terms with letting go of things in my own life, and the process I was going through. All you can hope when people listen to your music is that when it’s cathartic for you, that your darkness might make light for someone else.”

Tell me about the new single “Castles”

“Castles is about perception. It’s about letting go of believing in the lie. It was a tricky little guy, because that song was written over three or four different times. We put up a few songs online to see what people gravitated towards most and “Castles” really resonated with our fans, so it only made sense to make it the first single.“

What’s next for of Verona in 2012?

“We’re just looking forward to sharing our music with people. The new album comes out next month and we’re so excited to finally let people hear it! We didn’t set out to make a certain kind of music, but the music we made is soul based, it’s like a well – and we want people to dive into it and make it what they want it to be.”

of Verona’s debut album, The White Apple, will be available on iTunes Feb, 28^th, and the video for “Castles” is set to release in the near future. Stay in the loop with of Verona on Facebook and Twitter, and be sure to stop by ofverona.com for all the latest tour dates, music, news and more.

Tags: Bands to Watch in 2012, of Verona, The White Apple, Top Female Rock Bands