Each Wednesday, Rocks Off arbitrarily appoints one lucky local performer or group "Artist of the Week," bestowing upon them all the fame and grandeur such a lofty title implies. Know a band or artist that isn't awful? Email their particulars to [email protected].
Recently, we happened across a performance by Ira Perez, last year's winner of the Houston Press Best Female Vocalist award. It's hard to say exactly how fitting that award is until you've heard her live, because she somehow manages to sound better amid the hustle and bustle of a crowded venue than she does within the confines of a recording booth.
Her voice is bright and vibrant and, without being too hyperbolic, probably what it'd sound like if chocolate made noise. And since there's a very stringent Artist of the Week policy re: artists that require off-kilter food metaphors to describe their sounds, we stole a few bits of Ms. Perez's time to talk about tigers, her new album, tigers, Marcus Manchild, tigers and Filipinos.
Aces.
Rocks Off: Standard opener: Tell everyone everything they need to know about you and your music in exactly six words.
Ira Perez: Spread the word! Word is love.
RO: How has your life changed since you won the Best Female Vocalist award last year at the Houston Press Music Awards? Did you buy a tiger? You bought a tiger, didn't you? You crazy woman, you.
IP: I wanted to buy a tiger, but my new apartment doesn't even allow pet hamsters. There was also some discussion of animal rights; I don't know what that's about. Anyway, since winning the award last August, life has changed quite a bit.
It opened up a lot of doors for me and helped create more of a buzz in the Greater Houston area about my music. I also started my first semester at the University of Texas in Austin, although I spent nearly every weekend in Houston performing and/or recording my album. It's been hectic, but I love it.
RO: Your new CD, Higher Education, just came out. If you could only play one song from for the entirety of your remaining life, which would it be? Why?
IP: I would probably choose "The Night Song," even though it's not one of those songs people immediately identify as their favorite. Most of the songs I've written, like "Sandcastle" and "Wait," have definite memories, images and emotions attached to them. But the meaning of "The Night Song" changes over time and grows with me.
