Introducing... Damsel In The Dollhouse ~ INTRAVENOUS MAGAZINE: Your daily dose of darkness...

Name of band: Damsel in the Dollhouse
Members: Nina Tucciarelli
Year formed: 2009
Location: Bozeman, MT, USA

“Sometimes I have a clear idea of what I want to convey, but other times I just enjoy getting lost in the play of creation to see what sounds I can make. When I create a song I want to transport the listener to a very specific time and place. I want the effect to be cinematic and tell a story that inspires the listener to dance, to daydream, to give themselves over to the sounds and let go of reality.”

Damsel in the Dollhouse is Nina Tucciarelli, a goth industrial stylist who has forged a diverse career in electronic music, photography, choreography, costume design, burlesque performance, and visual media. Her Damsel music persona was created in 2009 and brought to life from her deep rooted love of dark and alternative music. Since 2010 she has released four albums. Her first album 'Fairytales' was her official debut as a singer and songwriter in the synthesized realm of dance beats and haunting melodies. It included twelve original tracks of electronic, dark wave, and synth pop sounds with lyrics weaving tales of bondage, serial killers, sexual obsession, and science fiction. In 2011 she released 'Dream Eternal', a sixteen track album that paired otherworldly electronic landscapes with emotionally charged lyrics exploring heartbreak, kitschy horror, and altered states. Her third album, 'Alone at the Table', released in 2013, was a visceral response to the diagnosis then eventual loss of her father to cancer. All thirteen tracks on the album delve into the pain, anger, and overall feeling of hopelessness when losing a loved one. In May 2016, she released 'Feast of Villains', a collection of thirteen songs celebrating some of the most villainous characters from literature, television, and film. Combining aggressive synth sounds, rapid variations, and the Damsel's signature vocals, each track evokes a special madness for those who like to dance while committing mayhem. All four albums can be downloaded for free from Bandcamp.

Intravenous Magazine: Who are you and how did the band/project come to be formed?

My name is Nina and my first musical tinkerings began with a laptop and Logic Pro. I have always loved dark and unusual music so finally having access to the technology allowed me to begin experimenting and finding my voice.

IVM: How would you describe your sound/style, and how did you arrive at it?

My sound is a mix of dark wave, gothic, industrial, and synth pop dance styles. As a long time fan of bands of similar styles, I wanted try my hand at creating music and see what would happen. Sometimes I have a clear idea of what I want to convey, but other times I just enjoy getting lost in the play of creation to see what sounds I can make. When I create a song I want to transport the listener to a very specific time and place. I want the effect to be cinematic and tell a story that inspires the listener to dance, to daydream, to give themselves over to the sounds and let go of reality.

IVM: Who and what are your primary influences both musical and non-musical?

I have always loved and admired artists such as Kate Bush, Depeche Mode, The Cure, Talk Talk, Skinny Puppy, Bryan Ferry, and Siouxsie and the Banshees, but I continuously find inspiration in everything I find online, in movies, and on television. Whether it's photography, a painting, nature, the media…there is always something to be discovered. I'm a fan of Tim Walker photography, the classical masters Chopin and Amadeus, the choreographer Jiri Kylian, and director Stanley Kubrick, just to name a few.

IVM: Do you perform live and if so where can we see you perform in the near future?

I have performed live as the Damsel within Montana, most recently in October 2015 for Bozeman's Annual Goth Ball. I have also performed in the past for several Dark Dreams alternative parties in Missoula and with other local artists such as Sergeant Sawtooth and This is Boring with Hats. I am hoping to perform live again in the near future, but no dates are set at this time.

IVM: What is your current release and where is it available from?

'Feast of Villains' was released in May 2016 and is a collection of songs celebrating some of the most memorable and maniacal characters from literature, television, and film. It combines aggressive synth sounds and rapid variations, but also features a bit of my signature otherworldly atmospheres to help evoke a special madness for those who like to dance while committing mayhem. It contains thirteen tracks and is available for free from Bandcamp.

IVM: What have been the highlights of your career so far?

My happiest moments are playing live and watching the audience dance to my music. It's a genuine sense of pride when I'm able to motivate people to move and find enjoyment in my music. My music can be very dark, but I love seeing happy faces in the audience who are having a good time. I was also ecstatic to complete 'Feast of Villains' and then spend two months photographing all of the looks to accompany each song and also the album cover. And of course, filming and releasing my music video for 'Room 237' which took a month to officially complete.

IVM: What are your plans for the future?

I plan to continue creating music. In the most immediate future I will be creating music videos for two of my newest songs 'Lucifer' and 'Bloodlust' from 'Feast of Villains'.

IVM: Finally, is there anything that you would like to add?

I recently released my music video for my song 'Room 237' which was produced and directed by me. It was inspired by The Shining, so I decided to pay homage to the film by taking on as many characters as possible for the video.