“ On my first album , when I wrote songs , it came from a place of empowerment . I never really wrote from that perspective of when sometimes you don ’ t feel like that , and that ’ s okay . ” - Diamante
Did your time with School of Rock influence your love of 80s metal because of the performing or songwriting ?
DIAMANTE : I would say both , because like you said , my huge inspirations were Stevie Nicks , Debbie Harry and Joan Jett . I just I think it was because I thought they were just so cool and confident . I was just the shy , awkward kid , and I so wanted to be like them . I really connected to their vocal style and the grittiness of their vocals . I had never heard it to that extent because I grew up listening to pop rock . That was my thing . I loved Pink and Kelly Clarkson and Avril Lavigne and that kind of music . So when I discovered Joan Jett and Stevie Nicks and Pat Benatar , I was kind of mind blown .
With all of your early pop background , did you think with this record , as well as “ Coming in Hot ,” you were trying to find your true voice ?
DIAMANTE : Definitely . Because when I first started working with producers and writers , I was only 13 at the time . So of course , if they see this 13 year old girl , they ’ re not going to think , yeah , rock and roll . At first , the producers were definitely saying , okay , so we ’ re just going to make pop songs , because that ’ s kind of the expected thing to do . That ’ s during the time when I had discovered rock music . I was falling in love with that . My music was just getting progressively a little more towards the rock set . I still love listening to pop , even when I ’ m writing . I love writing with pop melodies and then putting hard guitars over those melodies . But yeah , there ’ s definitely a growth
Your new track “ Ghost Myself ” is a very personal song . Explain why .
DIAMANTE : On my first album , when I wrote songs , it came from a place of empowerment . And I wanted people to feel more confident and stronger and just better when they listen to my stuff . I never really wrote from the perspective of when sometimes , you don ’ t feel like that , and that ’ s okay . I wanted to bring that to light and make accepting the fact that sometimes when we hate ourselves , is also an empowering thing . I think the more we talk about it , the more normal it is . I ’ ve definitely had days where I ’ m like , man , I wish I could just speak to anybody . And it sounds ridiculous to say because we ’ re all super awesome in our own ways , but I deal with depression , so I never really sang a whole lot about that kind of stuff . “ Ghost Myself ” was kind of my diary , in a way , just getting released . That ’ s what ’ s so fulfilling when I write music . I ’ m super proud of that song . I love it . We did this really cool Girl fight club music video for it , which I love more . It ’ s just been awesome .