BELLULA
Babies
Translations by Sigi Beare, Silvia Masotti e Claudia Ortenzi.
The Bellulababies are an all-female a cappella vocal group established in Spring 2013, thanks to the artistic flair of composer Ilaria Bellucci – the creator of the group and a virtuoso arranger.
The repertoire is eclectic and draws from the world of pop, both Italian and international, but the pieces are reworked in ways to create an effect very different from the originals: seasoned with a pinch of beatbox (vocal percussion) and a drop of octaver (a great electronic instrument that transports notes across octaves) and mixed and blended with balance and care, to create a tasty mixture that's original and fun.
The five 'babies took to the stage with gusto, diving with enthusiasm into the experience of summer festivals, and had the pleasure of taking up exciting opportunities such as participating in the show “L'illogica allegria” (illogical glee) dedicated to Giorgio Gaber at the Verdi theatre in Pisa, where they presented their first unpublished piece Invece di Dormire (instead of sleeping).
The group is currently busy expanding their repertoire and recording their first album.
We are Babies. Bellula, Babies.
Ilaria Bellucci
On September 9th 1978 she decided to be born and the following day she already knew she’d be studying pianoforte, singing, composition, choir conducting, Latin American dance, artistic gymnastics (though she wasn’t such a cute little girl), winter beach volley, horse-riding, aviation, vegeterianism. She has done all these things.
From her weaning on, she’s been working as chorus singer, arranger, editing engineer. She can boast prestigious collaborations with artists such as Hilaria Kramer, Dario Checchini, Paolo Belli. She was the arranger and the conductor of the vocal ensembles Tiraventononmisento and Megliosole. She even worked in RAI for Telethon 2002, Telethon 2003, and "a few" tv shows with famous italian showmen. She teaches modern singing, choral singing and Ear Training at "G. Bonamici" Music School in Pisa.
Queen of the salons, brilliant/natural/self-assured/breezy orator and diapason-charmer, she is currently engaged as pianist in the Italian singer-songwriting music trio Amanti Occasionali, as the conductor and arranger of the Libero Coro Bonamici and, last but not least, as Furio’s mum.
Letizia Pieri
Born in Follonica on February 17th, 1984. She starts studying modern singing at the age of 16 with teacher Carla Baldini by whom she is soon involved in the Vocal Sisters project, female a cappella ensemble specializing in African and Gospel music.
Meanwhile she cultivates her passion for political utopia, italian songwriters and Janis Joplin, along with her phobia about insects, height, depth, blood and of anyone imitating the cry of a zombie (even when informed in advance and even at Carnival).
From 2006 up to 2011 she was part of the vocal ensemble Megliosole (led by the hardly thirteen-year-old Ilaria Bellucci) performing at various national competitions and festivals. In 2008 she performs her personal compositions in the theatre performance Le attese di un puntuale at the Lux theatre in Pisa. In 2010 she is chorus singer in the sould and r’n’b Motown Ladies ensemble. In 2012 she is in charge of the incidental music for the theatre performance Il Vernissage with the pianist Piergiorgio Pirro. Currently engaged as singer in the folk music trio Sonambula and in the Italian singing-songwriting music trio Amanti Occasionali.
In 2011 she takes her degree in modern singing at "G. Bonamici" Music School in Pisa.
She’s been teaching modern singing in various Music Schools of Tuscany since 2008.
Valentina Calì
In 1987 A.D., when U2 published The Joshua Tree and American TV networks broadcast the first episodes of Beautiful and The Simpsons, in Volterra (the madhouse and so on and so forth) she came into the world!
She got her university degree in Nursing and has studied classic and modern Piano since she was little (that is, while the world was wondering why Jack, and not Rose, dies in “Titanic”).
In 2010 she sings in the doom/sludge band Last Dawn of the Dead Star, and she even records an album with them. Since 2011 she has been a member of Borrkia Big Band, a Fifties-style rock’n’roll band, and records an album with them too – in other words, if you want to record something, call Calì!
As a chorister she participated in the recording of the album “Ogni cosa al suo posto” by Maniscalco Maldestro. She is currently attending a professional course in Modern Singing Technique as well as working as a thoughtful and careful nurse. She adores skulls, Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson, Isis, Tomahawk, Dead Can Dance, The Gathering, Charon, Him, AFI, Skrillex, Soap&Skin, Bluvertigo, and we have spotted a number of photos of her in her Gothic-metal-dark-studs-nets-and chains period. An eclectic.
Martina Russo
She joins the group when it has already swept into international fame, in summer 2014. The young nutritionist, age ranging between 21 and 27, works hard on the already established repertoire for a couple of weeks – then starves into inactivity.
After prompt nourishing, she bravely continues memorizing and mastering the various plin-plins, daradàns, teyèttees and woh-mmhs, giving some meaning to the unfathomable world of onomatopoeia.
A multitasking creative talent, Russo moves nimbly from macrobiotic photography to seasonal eno-gastronomy, pullovering, flat hair ironing and Cristiano. A world champion in Beer Sommeliering in 1989, 1993, 1999 and booze medal in 2004.
What is currently known is just that she likes Elisa (a great Italian singer who has subsequently decided to have children) – a lot, a hell of an awful lot – and that she never says simply “I’m laughing”, but “I’m dying” whenever something is slightly amusing.
An uncompromising enthusiast, to sum it up.
Francesca Carrera
Born in Polistena, in the State of Calabrifornia, on 20th March, 1980.
Got a university degree in Cinema, Music, Theatre and Electronic Arts. Got a degree in Music Journalism at Accademia della Critica in Rome.
Various, unremarkable experiences in the music field as a singer (“and a guitarist only in repertoire songs selected by me and that nobody else wanted to play”) since as far back as 1993. Currently busy searching employment which is not too alienating and not terribly far from field of interest and professional qualification. Dabbling in cookery, photography, videomaking, house renovation, web design, haircutting, supermarketing, TV series and torrent downloading.
Ciobar hot chocolate can be cooked in the microwave in 2 minutes and it won’t stick to any pot.