PBG 3 Question Interview with Maria Grazia Altea - "Don't do don't say'

1. “Don't do don’t say” feels like it floats in that magical space where dreams and reality overlap, capturing both the beauty and the raw edges of life. What drew you to dive into that emotional twilight zone for this track, and how did you channel that feeling into the song’s atmosphere?

GA: I simply believe this is my way of approaching life: I observe a lot, and I am also a spectator of my own experiences and emotions. I watch them from the outside as well, perhaps to try to avoid judgments and prejudices. Perhaps this is what gives that sense of a magical atmosphere.

2. We’d love to hear about your music journey. How did you get into music, and what was the moment where you knew you had to write and sign songs?

GA: I’ve always loved music and listened to a vast amount of it. At 22, I was completely captivated by the vibrations of the accordion and was drawn to the instrument, developing a preference for Balkan music. The guitar came much later, and songwriting followed immediately and naturally, without any premeditation.

3. There’s a powerful sense in this song of how reality can shift and blur, sometimes becoming something we reshape rather than see clearly. When you were writing “Don't do don’t say,” did it feel like you were sharing something deeply personal, reflecting on the world around you, or maybe blending both perspectives?

GA: I always find it hard to figure out how much of a song is personal and how much comes from the outside. I believe a lot of it comes from the subconscious, even though I connect many parts to emotions and situations I've actually lived through. Emotions are what we all share, and the power of music is above all that it connects us and lets us mirror each other.

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Interview written by PBG Chief Press Editor, Mary Knoblock