Interview with Alternative Rock Review (as seen on www.entertainment.inuk.com)
Although new to the music scene, Raquel Aurilia has the polished glow of a seasoned veteran. Working with well-traveled professionals such as producer Tony Papa and songwriters Billy Trudel and Stephen Epstien may have contributed to this, but there's no denying the emotional punch of her debut album, Finding My Way. Like a chameleon Aurilia tries on different skins, from the Adult Contemporary pop of "Feels Like" to a hip-hopped remake of Buffalo Springfield's hippie nugget "For What It's Worth" to the modern-rock style of "One Step Closer." Aurilia, who is married to baseball player Rich Aurilia, was kind enough to answer questions about her record, which has received numerous commercial spins on U.S. radio stations.

Roger "Red" Byrne: On "Feels Like," you triumph over heartbreak with a strong sense of exhilaration. Were those emotions conjured from personal experience?

Aurilia: I can definitely relate to the lyrics and emotions, having experienced this a time or two myself (having someone cheating on you). Although it is not easy at the time, it feels great to be able to move on and remain positive about yourself and what the future holds. Having said all that, great things were in store for me, and I am at a great place now in my life as a result.

Byrne: Whose decisions was it to cover "Dreamweaver" and "For What its Worth"?

Aurilia: To be honest, we took the advice of a few people who thought it was a good idea to do a "cover" song (since I am a new artist). People so far have responded well to "For What Its Worth" when I have performed it live. It is a fun song to sing. "Dreamweaver" has always been one of my favorite songs so we thought we would do this song as well with a different sort of feel. Both are great songs and hopefully people will enjoy our rendition of them, too.

Byrne: "The Need" is quite an ambitious song for a newcomer to perform. Did you have any hesitations on singing a track with such emotional power?

Aurilia: I immediately felt connected with "The Need" when I first heard it. I feel very comfortable performing this song for some reason and am able to connect with the emotions and lyrics. Its message has a lot to offer others, leaving people with a sense of hope (especially with everything going on in the world today). The writers, Billy Trudel & Stephen Epstien, did a great job with this song.

Byrne: How did you end up collaborating with all-stars such as Tony Papa and Billy Trudel?

Aurilia: Long story short, I was lucky enough to be introduced to Tony Papa through a friend of mine and we arranged to meet at the studio to do a "trial" recording of "Tears." Tony brought in Billy Trudel to work with me on the song and, needless to say, I have worked with both of them on the entire album. Billy has been a tremendous help to me with my vocals, and I have learned a lot from him.

 Byrne: What is Raquel Aurilia like in concert?

Aurilia: Hopefully, I am entertaining [laughs]. I try to have fun with the music and hope the crowd will enjoy the music as much as I enjoy singing it. The band behind me is so amazing that they make me feel comfortable on stage. Even though I am fairly new to the industry, they are true veterans who bring a lot of experience to the stage. We all have a lot of fun.

Byrne: What is your musical background?

Aurilia: I started singing when I was a little girl taking voice lessons and choir. I have performed at a few different venues like weddings and singing "God Bless America" at Pac Bell Park in San Francisco, but I really didn't know how to get started professionally until recently when I started with the album, etc. Finding the key to that door was tough, and it wasn't until I met Tony Papa and Billy Trudel that it all started. I believe it is all about timing and for me; this was the right time to start and pursue my music on a whole different level.