The project was released in the spring of 2022 after a couple of years of brainstorming, singing, ideas and dreams. The band’s idea is to play music related to their spiritual experiences, mainly in shamanic traditions, to instill awareness of world changes. Melodies, sounds and images intertwine to create a journey between past and present, bringing ancient pagan cultures and shamanic spirituality closer to contemporary themes.
Would you like to tell us a little about the band?
Our project, called Kernunnos, was born from the idea of three friends to translate and reinterpret shamanic experiences and studies into music and beyond. Music is, in fact, one of the three souls of the project, along with video production and dance. This offers us a broader artistic expressive possibility.
“Kernunnos” what does that mean?
Kernunnos is an alternative, perhaps older, formulation of the name of the horned god, more commonly known as Cernunnos. The choice of the initial K was intentional, also for easier identification of the band name and for its online searches.
Does it means something special?
The pagan god Kernunnos, or Cernunnos, had a great influence on the Celtic populations in northern Italy, and it seems that the oldest representation of him is found in the rock engravings of the Val Camonica, in Lombardy, the Italian region where we live and produce our music.
How long have you been playing and producing music as a band?
The first meetings of the band took place in 2020, but the real start of the project occurred two years later, in the spring of 2022, with the production of the first track, “Regina Noctis.”
And how did it start with the music?
At the beginning, we weren’t clear about what our style would be, which indeed changed over the months of writing and music production. We knew that our sound palette was not very wide, partly because one of the decisions we made was to record every sound used for our tracks acoustically. Nevertheless, after each release, we always started from scratch, considering every aspect in relation to the goals of our project: healing through music and connection to the divine through art and beauty.
What music inspired you at that time?
As is often the case when you want to create something, it’s important to have a reference point, a starting point to rework and make your own. Our two musical reference points have always been two great bands from the pagan folk scene: Heilung and Wardruna.
Have any of you ever played in other bands?
Both of us have had experiences in other bands, but in genres very different from what we do with Kernunnos.
How many are you in the band?
The band is currently made up of just two people: Delia and Danilo.
How many instruments do you play and which ones?
Delia is the lead vocalist and plays the shamanic drum, while Danilo sings the backing vocals, plays the percussion, and the guitar.
Did any of you have any kind of music education, or did you learn by yourself?
Delia studied singing first at the N.A.M. Academy in Milan and then with the teacher Serena Zerri. Danilo studied percussion at the Gioacchino Rossini Academy in Termoli and drums with the jazz drummer Enzo Murazzi. He is a self-taught guitarist and studied sound engineering at the Academy of Modern Music in Milan with William Marino, which makes the band self-sufficient when it comes to recording and mixing our tracks.
Have you made any collabs. with other musicians, and would you like to tell a little about that and maybe with whom you have done collabs with?
The project has only recently started, and although we have received some offers, for now, we are focused on working on our own production.
Would you as a band do collabs.?
Of course, we believe that collaborations are a great way to share experiences and enrich each other. We already have some ideas, but we haven’t yet made them concrete.
Do you have a favorite band or musician that means more to you than others?
We listen to a little bit of everything—lots of folk, classical, jazz, metal, grunge. We don’t have limits when it comes to good music.
Do you make other kind of music than what we know you for?
Neither of us has had or currently has any other major musical projects.
Where do you typically get your inspiration to compose/ produce music?
During the composition sessions, we sometimes follow shamanic rituals that help us connect and reach an altered state of consciousness. This allows us to compose in a more instinctive and intuitive way.
Are you a believer of the Nordic/old ways or finding the history interesting?
Our project was born from the desire to bring the different shamanic traditions and ancient pagan cults into music, combined with the rediscovery and awakening of the sacred feminine.
Any new releases of tracks or album soon?
We are recording a new track called “Myriam,” which will be released in the second half of the year, while a new, more meditative track, “Plenilunium,” which will accompany the first “Novilunium,” is in the works.
How is 2025 looking with concerts and festivals for you, any plans for that?
2025 will be an important year for the project. We believe it’s time for us to start performing, so we are looking for festivals and opportunities to share our music and present the project.
Does any of you have other interest like crafting, painting, games or carving?
Art in its various forms, as well as playful activities, are of interest to us, with a constant focus on the pagan and spiritual world.
Anything you would like to share with us?
In the project, we have also incorporated other passions and skills that enrich the synesthesia of the project. In fact, Delia has created and teaches a shamanic tribal belly dance style and is involved in spirituality and the sacred feminine. Danilo, who works as a video maker, is in charge of producing the music videos. The combination of these experiences and skills creates an even broader artistic and spiritual project.
We would like to thank you for answering our questions about your music, and glad we could do this written interview, it was interesting to get to know you better….
LINKS:
https://www.instagram.com/kernunnos_project
https://www.youtube.com/@kernunnospaganfolkband3942
https://kernunnos.bandcamp.com
