tunesday – get to know parissa tosif
The muso on memory, music and motherlands.
While Parissa Tosif may be known to most as one half of electronic duo Vallis Alps, it’s time you got to know her by her own name. We sat down for a chinwag with the Iranian-Australian vocalist, songwriter and producer to chat about her latest single “River (گلریز)” from her upcoming debut solo album, I have this memory of you. Safe to say, we’re already Parissa’s biggest fans.
Tell us a little bit about you and your background in music. I'm a second-generation Iranian-Australian musician, one-half of duo Vallis Alps and a solo artist under my own name. My current project, I have this memory of you, is me sharing with you my journey of connecting with my Iranian heritage. Through it I convey in my own way the stories, sounds and memories of a homeland I’ve never been to but have grasped from friends and family. The first song is a dedication to the women of Iran, my female lineage and my daughter, and the last song is a lullaby for my daughter, a wish to always see her feel freedom. In between are the other stories.
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Tell us about the song “River (گلریز)” and how it came to be. “River (گلریز)” is a reflection of two things. Firstly, a vision I had of myself standing by a river with my ancestors, which is based on my deep yearning to know a motherland that I have never been to, and possibly never be able to go to. My family are Baha’is, and Baha’is are persecuted in Iran and denied basic human rights. My family was forced to leave due to the danger they faced living there. I long to know this place that I am so connected to, and that the people who made me come from.
The song is also about the reality of life for so many migrants and refugees, who also have that longing for a place they’ve left, but who come to a new country and have very difficult realities they need to navigate. The chorus “we say we’re alright but I’ve been working every night / now I’m in America” highlights the reality of being forced to chase the American dream.
How extraordinary are the people who shift between different worlds, who have to build themselves anew in places they've usually never been to. Their strength is immeasurable.
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What kinds of memories – whether moments, scenes or stories – were you pulling on for inspiration as you put the new album together? I spoke to family and friends about having to escape Iran in the middle of the night and leave everything they knew – family, work, university, friends and home – due to danger they were facing. Friends and family who took their small children on airplanes hoping that they wouldn’t be caught and hoping they could build a better life elsewhere. I heard countless stories of migrants building new communities and connections in their new homes. I spoke to taxi drivers, shop keepers, fellow plane passengers and other beautiful people about how much they missed their home, their friends, their life – and that they couldn’t go back. I spoke to them about their gratitude for life and for the opportunity to keep living in a safe country.
I had serendipitous events happen. For example, my dad sent me a story by chance in the first week I started writing this project. It was written by my great uncle (a poet) and detailed his experience during a challenging period of his life and a visit to a mountain sage. The story was written in such a poetic way and showed me how much he loved his family, which led me to a huge conversation with my mum about this topic, and then all of those feelings made their way into a song.
In terms of sounds, the album features live recorded Iranian instruments played by my friends Misagh, Parham and Rodan. This, alongside my attempt at singing and writing lyrics in Farsi, are how I weave my deep dive into Persian music into the album. I took awaz lessons, listened to countless songs, and tried to immerse myself in Persian scales. You’ll hear this in a subtle way on the album.
I read a lot, too. I read Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi and Free by Lea Ypi, as well as other powerful books on ideas of freedom and empowerment during oppression. These ideas made their way subtly into my writing, too.
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If you could go back to the beginning of making this album and tell yourself one thing, what would it be? You will feel more fulfilled, more grateful and more energised than ever. Be ready to absorb it all.