IANADI is a Boston-based singer-songwriter. She was born as Iana Damean in the Republic of Moldova. Despite the country’s short civil war during the 1990s and prolonged political and economic crises in the region, Iana describes her childhood as happy and highly creative. Living in relative isolation from the rest of Europe, she began devoting much of her time to artistic domains at an early age, thus giving herself a channel through which she could embrace all the unknown worlds around her. Her home life gave her a lot to be inspired by as she was brought up in a multicultural region, by a multi-national family and was exposed to copious amounts of high quality literature and poetry in school.
“Every family had a trace, a story from somewhere else, it was a melting pot in Eastern European style; a one-of-a-kind place that has now been lost somewhere in history,” – Iana recalls.
At the age of 8, after leaving her piano school where she felt the emphasis was too much on theory as opposed to playing, Iana accepted an offer from a contemporary dance choreographer to join a newly established dance school. This choreographer was not only a ballet academy graduate but a philosopher at heart. She quickly became an intellectual and inspirational mentor for Iana, and remained a creative influence throughout her school years.
“We were followers of Isadora Duncan, who danced barefoot and embodied courage, rebellion, poetry and passion,” says Iana.
The performing dance group worked on creating stories through dance.
“We were exposed to the best of classical and contemporary music, with Ennio Morricone opening the short list. From day one, I remembered that Socrates had said we might all know we know nothing. I viewed that as an artistic challenge and tackled it through versatile physical training daily.”
Iana co-choreographed many pieces and was a soloist in the group, which quickly gained popularity and performed with increasing frequency for ever-larger audiences. They were even featured on Moldovan National Television in a special program when Iana was just 10 years old.
“I think my love for music has been largely defined and enriched by dance and choreographic improvisations; dancing was an exciting state of illusion where ballet, poetry, theatre, and cinematic clips could all blend into one musical picture and coexist in a new form – all for this one moment. But music is also present when I am inspired by a painting, then I dive into it so the painting reappears as a motion picture with a song in the background.”
Iana moved to Warsaw, Poland to study business at the age of 17 and began a career there in finance and marketing before coming to the US in 2012. While in college she would occasionally meet up with jamming classmates and sing, but she wasn’t able to devote more time to music then. She says becoming a mom and being in a more isolated setting led her to rediscover her artistic side she thought she had left behind—and then she started singing again.
In 2019 she started her writing and recording collaboration with Jon Evans, a Grammy-nominated producer and musician who has toured and recorded with Tori Amos, Sarah McLachlan and Linda Perry, among others.
IANADI released her debut singles “Spirit”, “Big and Small Worlds”, and “Checkerberry” in 2021.
“Spirit” is a stimulating new track from Boston-based singer/songwriter IANADI. Ghostly vocals and a psychedelic sitar lead craft an intriguing introduction, inspired by Ennio Morricone’s western scores. The track is propelled shortly thereafter by buzzing synths and guitar fragments — aesthetically reminiscent of Kate Bush. I’m enjoying the quick rise from ghostly beginnings into a melodic, more accessible sound. The vocals exude a free-flowing quality, working excellently, especially at points like the two-minute mark, seamlessly alternating between suave and expressive tones (the latter “desert of dreams,” in particular playing nicely). Sitar-y re-emergence and wordless vocal passion, approaching the three-minute mark, helps drive into a satisfying conclusion. “Spirit” consumes with a creative, melodic sound.”
