We haven't stumbled across such an authentic magazine like Pigiama Magazine before. The name, the purpose and the design just fit. This online and analogue magazine is not just about music or photography, it covers so much more art. But nevertheless we discovered great musicians and photographers. If you're a dreamer too, please check out Pigiama Magazine!
Hey Federica, can you give our readers a brief introduction about yourself and Pigiama Magazine?
I'm a creative entity based on planet earth. Creativity has always fueled my soul. I remember being a kid and feeling fascinated about magazines, books and nostalgic movies. Pigiama Magazine is my creature: a self published print publication (with accompanying bedtime blog) that focuses on underground music, art and subcultures, with a nocturnal and dreamy vibe.
When did you start Pigiama Magazine and why?
I started to feel that I also had something to say, I wanted to visualize and express my inner dreams, longings and fears in some way. I gave birth to this project on a rainy day in November 2016, at that time I was working as a journalist, so I thought I'd write articles online but it was pretty unsatisfying so I looked into self-publishing. The idea of a fanzine seemed to me the perfect intersection of writing, photography and art direction.
Where are you based and how much do you focus on local artists?
I’m based in Pordenone, a small provincial town in Northeast Italy. There seems to be a resurgence of independent art movements lately, with dedicated events and live concerts, it's a nice thing! I’m always happy to hear from local artists if they want to get in touch and collaborate with the magazine.
Which topics and genres do you cover?
Basically I focus on the underground scene, worldwide. If I have to categorize and generalize, I may say post-punk and psych with all their amazing shades. I appreciate many genres and contaminations, though. Between the lines there’re many topics I like to touch: feminism, mental health, sociology, art. I often include nocturnal, horror and mysterious themes to interviews. I don't like: banalities and stereotypes.
On your website it says: “A magazine for dreamers. Pigiama is an underground lifestyle magazine with a moody cadence, to be read before bed.”. What does “Pigiama” mean and what makes it so perfect for dreamers?
Pigiama means “pajama” in Italian. This name suggests an introspective and oneiric state of mind. I love the idea of people reading in their pajamas before bed, and this is why I symbolically name the blog articles "bedtime interviews”. I call all the magazine's readers “dreamers'', because this is what they actually are! I can’t ensure a proper editorial plan with scheduled posts and so on, so I naturally decided to indulge my inspiration and publish when I have free time.
So Pigiama Magazine is both a physical zine and a digital blog? Where is the difference and why did you decide to do both things?
Yes, it’s a hybrid creature: half digital, half paper. The world wide web is a nowadays trick: mazy and omnipresent, allows you to be everywhere you want in a fast way. Paper instead is the real magic for me. You can hold it in your hands, sniff the pages and caress them. I decided to go forward with both mediums simply because I do like them with their pros and cons. They allow me to be complete, or better, to get close to my idea of completeness.
As far as we could see, you also do interviews. Why did you focus on this format? Do you usually do these in person, online or via email?
I always loved Q&A interviews. This format allows the artists to express freely and not through someone else’s eyes. I usually ask for a chat via mail, so they can reflect more on the answers. I look for personal and dreamy contents, I do preliminary research on the “artist” in order to ask the right questions for him/her/them.
You not only feature musicians, but also other artists like graphic designers and photographers. Can they apply to be interviewed and what would be the best way to get in touch with you? And what are your selection criteria?
I offer space to creative minds in general. I believe in fate, so the best way to get in touch should be through magical circumstances. But I also accept emails! There's a contact form on the website ready for your art to be sent. My selection criteria are mainly based on my personal intuition and tastes. I really do love real and true intentions: people with the lust of sharing their inner world. I can't stand press agencies’ pressure and all the sterile copy-paste publicity spammed everywhere.
For whom do you write the magazine / blog?
I write and create to feel good and help others sharing their vision, without strategies! Despite this specific circumstance, which is very important when I'm down to making something for personal purposes, I think marketing logic is essential to communication. An advertiser would claim that "Pigiama is a magazine for dreamers, made by dreamers!"
If you picture your ideal reader, what type of person would that be?
A curious cat. Hungry for new discoveries. Someone who stays up at night overthinking and wakes up with the urge to create or learn something. A gentle soul, a daydreamer passionate about music, art and creepy stuff.
What band / musician / artist would you like to interview one day?
Uh, tough question! I have a great variety of desires in this way. When I’ll be experienced enough in paranormal I’ll definitely ask Syd Barrett for an interview :)
If you would create a playlist that represents the genres you cover on your blog, which songs would you pick? Name as many tracks as you want. If you already have an existing playlist, feel free to share :)
“Lullaby” by The Cure, “I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night” by The Electric Prunes, “You can do magic” by America, “Shadowplay” by Joy Division, “Where evil grows” by The poppy family, “Season of the Witch” by Donovan.
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